Why does Paul use the golden calf example in Corinthians?
Paul uses the golden calf example to show what man is really made of: human nature has not changed one iota, whether thousands of years ago or now. He applies it to shake the Corinthians out of temptations toward idolatry and immorality, and to warn us, who are no different.
Les explains that the golden calf incident was not merely casual worship with dancing. The people were naked and immoral; they had taken golden calf worship down to the level of all other idolatry. Whenever people go into abject pagan idolatry or mythologies, rank immorality accompanies it because it is satanically controlled. Moses saw that Aaron had made the people naked to their shame among their enemies, and 23,000 were put to death through the plague because of this very event. Paul uses this example not only to shake the Corinthians up and bring them out of temptations to go into these things, but for us as well, because we are no different from the Corinthian believers. The point is that whether 4,000, 3,000, or 10 years ago, man has not changed one iota, nor has God.
More Questions
Why does Paul bring up the golden calf when writing to the Corinthians?
Paul uses the golden calf event not only to shake the Corinthians out of their temptation to go into these things, but for us as well, since we are not one iota different from the Corinthian believers.