“Make us gods who shall go before us” (v1).  Thinking that Moses, their leader who represented them before God, had died or disappeared on the mountain, the people begged Aaron to make them an image that represented God and made them feel more secure (v4-5).  But God had prohibited any image-making, because even a “feast to Yahweh” turned into something else entirely when people focused on the golden calf.  They forgot their holy, powerful, unseen God and acted like pagans (v6).

“These are your gods, o Israel!” (v4).  We don’t have to become trapped by false images and golden idols; the Father has freely revealed Himself to us through Jesus, the “image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15).