Great Themes of the Bible
sacrificed, and then "rose up to play"', to play the fool, to play the wanton. Like God, like worship. They would not have made a calf their god if they had not first made their belly their god. When the god was a jest, no wonder the service was sport. Being vain in their imagination, they became vain in their worship; so great was this vanity.
2. A FICKLE PEOPLE Now, it was strange that any of these people, especially so great a number of them, should do such a thing. Had they not but the other day, in this very place, heard the voice of the Lord God speaking to them out of the midst of the fire, ""Thou shalt not make unto thyself any graven image'? Had they not heard the thunder, seen the lightnings, and felt the earthquake, with the dreadful pomp of which this law was given? Had they not been particularly cautioned not to make gods of gold? (Exod. xx. 23). Nay, had they not themselves solemnly entered into covenant with God and promised that all which He had said unto them they would do, and would be obedient? (Exod. xxiv. 7). And yet before they stirred from the place where this covenant had been solemnly ratified, and before the cloud was removed from the top of Mount Sinai, thus to break an express command, in defiance of an express threatening, that this iniquity should be visited upon them and their children, what shall we think of it? It is a plain indication that the law was no more able to sanctify than it was to justify. By it is the knowledge of sin, but not the cure. This is intimated in the emphasis laid upon the place where this sin was committed (Ps. evi. 19), "They made a calf in Horeb"', the very place where the law was given.
3. THE IDOLATRY OF THE LEARNED
But if the law is no safeguard against idolatry, neither is learning (Acts xvit. 16ff.). A scholar who has acquaintance and is in love with the learning of the ancients would think he should have been very happy if he were where Paul was, as recorded in this passage, at Athens. Here in the midst of the various sects of philosophers he would have had a great many curious questions to ask him about that teaching which has come down to us through the centuries. But Paul, though bred a scholar, and an ingenious active man, does not make that any