What do you suppose was the mood of the Israelites when they asked Aaron to make gods for them?
- bored
- restless
- impatient
- rebellious
- doubting God
(Serendipity Bible Fourth Edition, page 166).
When I was a young man I tried hashish and marijuana. One might easily identify all of the possibilities mentioned in the above question as the reason why. But I think a more primal fear I had was being left out of a sensational experience that others were enjoying. This sense of feeling left out indicates a fundamental survival fear for humans. For most of our history as a people, being left out could easily result in isolation and death. We generalize this fear and feel it in a myriad of situations– precipitating finally in a graduated feeling of victimization. The Israelites were regretting the relative good living conditions (compared to what they had now) they experienced while they were in Egypt. Perhaps a new idol would surround them in a new paradise. It behooves us all to be aware of this fundamental psychological drive to be included almost at any cost. We need to understand that we will indeed be left out of abundant life if we look for artificial shortcuts.
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