Why does the golden calf story still matter for people today?
It matters because human nature has not changed, nor has God. Idolatry, as with the golden calf, descends into nakedness, immorality, and satanic control. Paul uses Israel’s judgment—23,000 put to death—to warn the Corinthians and believers today, who are no different from them.
Les explains that the golden calf incident shows us what man is really made of. Whether it happened 4,000 years ago or 10 years ago, man has not changed one iota, nor has God. The worship was not casual dancing; the people were naked and immoral. They had brought golden calf worship down to the level of all other idolatry, which is satanically controlled and always produces rank immorality. Moses saw them naked to their shame among their enemies. About 23,000 were put to death through the plague. Paul uses this history to shake the Corinthians out of temptation and for us as well, because we are no different from the Corinthian believers.