Were the children of Israel saved by creating a golden calf and calling it Yehova?
No. Not even a little bit.
Was Yehova pleased with their efforts to worship Him in this way?
No. Not even a little bit.
In fact, Yehova decided to destroy them all because of it.

Exodus 32:7-10
7 And Yehova said to Moses, “Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ ” 9 And Yehova said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! 10 Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation.”

Many churches teach that Aaron created a false god, a golden calf, and worshipped it instead of worshipping Yehova.  The details of the story tell us this is not the case.  Yes, they created a golden calf, but they did so in order to worship Yehova with it.  This is a very big difference, showing their intentions were “good”.
How did Yehova view their “good” intentions?

1. Yehova (God) said they have corrupted themselves.
2. Yehova (God) said they have turned aside from the way He commanded them.
3. Yehova (God) acknowledges they created a golden calf and referred to it as Himself.
4. Yehova (God) calls them a stiff-necked (stubborn and rebellious) people.
5. Yehova (God) planned to consume (destroy) them, and start over, making a great nation of Moses.

We can easily see this is a BIG DEAL to Yehova.  This is no simple matter to shrug off.
If it is a big deal to Him, then it has to be a big deal to us.

How does this ancient story apply to people today?
Consider this:
Will people be saved today by believing in and worshipping a false Jesus, one who did away with the law?  Just like a golden calf?  Different, but referred to with the same holy name?
Mainstream Christianity teaches that the Old Testament Law is obsolete and done away with, and that trying to follow it is a burden and a curse.
What does Messiah say about it?

Matthew 5:17-18
17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 

Messiah says He did not come to destroy (do away with, make obsolete) the Law, or what the Prophets taught, which is to follow the Law.
Just to clarify, Messiah goes on to say that until heaven and earth pass away, not a single pen stroke of the Law will change.
Could I be mistaken here?
Could my thoughts be askew, considering the entire Christian world thinks the opposite, that the Law is no longer applicable?
Let’s look at more direct quotes of Messiah to find out.

John 14:15
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”What does it mean to love Yeshua Messiah (Jesus)?
According to Him, keeping the commandments are how we love Him.
This idea must be important to Him, because He repeats it just a few verses later:John 14:21
“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.”
And again…John 15:10
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”

This is quite obvious.  Messiah wants us to show our love for Him by what exactly???
-Keep His commands.
-Keep His commands.
-Keep His commands.
Three times He repeats Himself.

Mainstream Christianity tells us we must “believe in Him” and that we don’t, or even can’t, do anything beyond belief and faith.
Who will you believe?
Messiah?
Or your pastor?

Do we get any clarification on this idea in the scriptures.
Absolutely, countless times.
Too many to count, but here are just a few:
James 2:14, 17
¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?
¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
James believes we must do something. We must perform works, otherwise we have no faith.  You church even urges people to do works, but they don’t call it “works”.
Volunteer to teach Sunday School.
Volunteer in the nursery.
Volunteer as a greeter.
Volunteer to clean and maintain the building.
Volunteer to drive the church bus, or give rides to the elderly.
Volunteer to donate to the food pantry.
Volunteer to do homeless outreach.
Volunteer to serve on the church board.
Volunteer to serve in the church cafe’
Donate a tenth of your income to the church.
Churches expect their congregations to do much, but don’t ever call it works!!

James 1:22-25
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

Does James tell us to just believe and have faith?
Nope.
He tells us to be doers of the word.
He said to only be hearers of the word is deceiving ourselves.
He tells us that the law is perfect and we obtain liberty through it.
We are told the same thing in Psalms 19:7-11
The law of Yehova (God) is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of Yehova is sure, making wise the simple;
8 The statutes of Yehova are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of Yehova is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 The fear of Yehova is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of Yehova are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

What details are we told here in this bit of Psalms?
The Law, the testimony, the statutes, the commandments are:
–perfect
–able to convert our souls from death to eternal
–able to make us wise
–are right
–allowing us to rejoice
–are pure
–able to enlighten us
–they are forever
–they are true and righteous. 
–we should desire them more than gold
–they will warn us (towards safety) and the reward is great if we keep them.

Does this sound like the message we get from mainstream Christianity?
No, not at all.
We are told the law, the commands, the statutes are a burden and a curse and that we are not to do them.
That is not what the scriptures say.  Why do our churches teach this?
Are we warned of this?
Yes, we are warned, point blank:
Jeremiah 16:19-20
19 O Yehova, my strength and my fortress,
My refuge in the day of affliction,
The Gentiles shall come to You
From the ends of the earth and say,
“Surely our fathers have inherited lies,
Worthlessness and unprofitable things.”
20 Will a man make gods for himself,
Which are not gods?

We are told that one day, our entire religious system will get everything wrong.
We are told that their false doctrine is worthless and unprofitable, and will result in “made up gods” who are not gods.
Well, guess what?
We are living in this “one day”.
How do I know this?
Simply by comparing the words of Yehova, the words of the Prophets, and the words of Yeshua Messiah (Jesus) to the teachings of our churches. They are not one and the same.

Should we take this warning seriously?
Can a made up god who is not a god save you?
Nope.
Only the true living God can save us and grant us eternal life.
Do you see?
This is a big deal.

Still skeptical?
Let’s look at more direct quotes of Messiah (Jesus):
Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Messiah says only those who do the will of the Father will enter into heaven.
Where do we find the will of the Father?
He wrote it down for us in the Old Testament, the Law.
He gave us His instructions for living, and He expects us to follow His instructions.

Can we be sure of this idea?
Continue on to verse 23.
Messiah says He will reject and send away those who do lawlessness.
This is a big deal!
Which do you want to hear from Yeshua Messiah, the Son of the living God?
“Well done, good and faithful servant”
or
“I never knew you, depart from Me.”?

Surely this idea is completely wrong.
There is no way all of mainstream Christianity has taught us a path to destruction for countless centuries!!

Messiah said this:
Revelation 22:14-15 about who is in the Kingdom and who is not in the Kingdom.
14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

Who is in?
1. Those who keep the commandments, the Law.

Who is out?
1. Dogs and sorcerers
2. The sexually immoral
3. Murderers
4. Idolaters
5. Whoever loves and practices a lie (see Jeremiah 16:19-20 again to identify these lies)

What else does Messiah say?
When the rich young ruler asked Him how to obtain eternal life, how does Messiah respond? Believe and have faith, right?  Nope…
Matthew 19:16-17
16 Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
17 So He said to him,  “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, Yehova. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

Seriously, Messiah said that?
Yes, He did.

What else did Messiah say about such things?
Luke 16:27-31
27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”

Messiah (Jesus) tells us that to avoid torment, we must hear what Moses and the Prophets taught. What did they teach?
They taught the law, which Yehova says brings life and blessing.
Messiah goes on to say that the living who reject Moses and the Prophets will not listen to one raised from the dead either.
With that in mind, consider this:
Yeshua Messiah (Jesus) is One raised from the dead.
If you reject Moses and the Prophets (The Law) are you also rejecting the things that Messiah has told us?

Are the direct quotes of Messiah I’m sharing striking a nerve?
Do you know these things that He said?
Are you convinced by One raised from the dead, or do you reject Him and His words?
Do you favor what your church teaches, or do you favor what your Messiah has instructed?
Do you know this quote of His?
John 10:27-28
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
Do you know His voice? Or do you know what your church has [incorrectly] taught about Him?
Are you His sheep?
If you do not know His voice, then you are not His sheep.

Do you know this quote of Messiah?
Luke 6:46
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”

Remember Matthew 7:21-23?
People who call Him “Lord, Lord” but do not do what He says are rejected by Him due to their lawlessness.
Messiah does not know them.
What does He say about His sheep?
John 10:14
“I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.”
If you reject the Law and are ‘workers of lawlessness’ then you do not know His voice, you are not His sheep, and He does not know you.

These are not my ideas.  This is simply what the scriptures tell us.  This is simply what Messiah Himself tells us.
Are we given any other warnings on this matter.
Yes, too many to count.
Here is a good one:
1John 2:3-6
3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

What do we see here?
1. Anyone who says they know Messiah and does not keep the commandments is a liar.
2. The truth is not in him.
3. But those who keep His word, the love of God is perfected in him.
4. We are to walk (act like, live like, do the things He did) just as He walked.

Let’s take a look at what the love of God is:
1John 5:3
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

Ok, pop quiz:
What is the love of God?
1. That we keep His commandments.
2. Refer to John 14:15, John 14:21, and John 15:10 to again review Jesus saying the same thing.

Not only is this the love of Yehova, but we are also told the commandments are not burdensome. But churches teach that the Law is a burden and a curse, and that it is too hard for us.
The same people who tell us the Law is too hard and we are unable to do it also like to quote this:
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through ^[f]Christ who strengthens me.
So which is it?
I can do all things?  Or I can’t do the Law, it is too hard?

Who will you believe?
Pop quiz:
1. I will believe my church, my pastor
2. I will believe Yehova (God), I will believe Yeshua Messiah (Jesus), I will believe the scriptures.

What is your answer?
If you chose answer #1, then please review the purpose of mankind:
Ecclesiastes 12:13
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.

If you chose answer #1, let’s review who the saints are (the elect, the saved):
Revelation 14:12
12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

If you chose answer #1, let’s review who is the remnant of the church:
Revelation 12:17
And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Do you see a theme here?
Do you believe these scriptures?
Or will you reject these scriptures in favor of what your pastor teaches?

Let’s circle back to the Golden Calf that enraged Yehova (God).
Will people today who follow a fake Jesus who did away with the Law be saved?
Will God be pleased with their form of worship?
Nope, they will be destroyed for it. [Depart from Me, I never knew you, you workers of lawlessness].

Here is the mercy and grace, though…
In the golden calf incident, Moses interceded for the people. He prayed for them, and Yehova relented.
There were still consequences, though. About 3000 fell that day by the sword of the Levites.
Eventually, all of them fell in the wilderness, not seeing the promise land, save two.
Joshua and Caleb entered because they followed Yehova wholly and completely.
The others ALL died in the wilderness because they continued with their grumbling, complaining, rebelling against Yehova, and living without faith in Him and His promises.

Numbers 14:26-38
²⁶ And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ²⁷ “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. ²⁸ Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: ²⁹ The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. ³⁰ Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in. ³¹ But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised. ³² But as for you, your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness. ³³ And your sons shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness. ³⁴ According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection. ³⁵ I the Lord have spoken this. I will surely do so to all this evil congregation who are gathered together against Me. In this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.’ ”
³⁶ Now the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report of the land, ³⁷ those very men who brought the evil report about the land, died by the plague before the Lord. ³⁸ But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive, of the men who went to spy out the land.

Today, we need to follow the example of Moses. We need to intercede and pray for those who are lost, but think they are saved — those who love and practice a lie — as we were warned by Jeremiah so long ago. May Yehovah’s mercy and grace be extended to them as well, and may they repent of their ways before they “fall in the wilderness”.

Yes, I know that what I’m saying in this article goes against centuries of teaching.
What I am showing you goes against what hundreds of millions of people have believed throughout time. This is a hard pill to swallow.
But whom will you believe and follow?
The direct quotes of Messiah and the scriptures?
Or do you follow the teachings of men?