"The Golden Cows and the Danger of Idolatry"

In this striking and pastoral message, Reverend Holt confronts the timeless temptation of idolatry through the infamous episode of the Golden Calf. As Israel receives detailed instructions on how to rightly worship God, they simultaneously fall into deep spiritual corruption by forging a false god in the form of a golden cow. This act—sandwiched between God’s precise commandments and the actual construction of the Tabernacle—is presented as a dramatic rejection of true worship.

Reverend Holt explores why we are drawn to idols: they are visible, controllable, and familiar. Using vivid illustrations—from cash cows and bull markets to a golden Model T and a scene from Talladega Nights—he reveals how we fashion gods in our own image to make them more palatable, tangible, and accommodating. Whether a cow, career, or even a culturally edited version of Jesus, idols reflect our desire to reduce the divine to something manageable.