What was the nature of the worship around the golden calf?
The worship around the golden calf was pagan and immoral. While Moses was on Mount Sinai, Israel asked Aaron to make them a god. Their ritual included music, laughter, lewd and lascivious dancing, and nakedness, showing it was not true worship of God but idolatrous pagan celebration.
Les explains that while Moses was up on Mount Sinai for 30 days, the children of Israel asked Aaron to make them a god, saying they had no gods since leaving Egypt and did not know what happened to Moses. Aaron claimed he threw gold into the fire and a calf came out. Then they began worshiping that golden calf. When Moses and Joshua came down, Joshua heard music and laughter, and Moses said they were dancing. Les points out they were not just dancing but were in lewd, lascivious dancing and were naked—pagan worship around the golden calf. God had every right in His righteousness to deal with Israel.