“This Is Not a Golden Calf”

When a 22-foot-tall statue of President Donald Trump was unveiled at one of the President's properties, the pastor who presided over the dedication felt the need to post the following on X: “Let me say this plainly: this is not a golden calf. We worship the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone. This statue is not about worship. It is about honor” (USAToday.com, May 12, 2026). Although I don’t claim to be able to read the mind of the pastor who posted this, it seems likely that he was worried about accusations of idolatry.

Most who read the Bible will be familiar with one account about a golden calf. Exodus 32 records that while Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, the Israelites quickly fell into idolatry and centered their worship on a newly minted golden calf. Upon Moses’ return, the idol was destroyed and true worship was restored.

However, that is not the Bible's only account of idolatry centered around golden calves. 1 Kings 12 documents how King Jeroboam, the first king of the northern ten tribes of Israel after their separation from the tribe of Judah, decided he did not want his people to have any religious allegiance to the temple in Jerusalem. Jeroboam instead declared the cities of Bethel and Dan to be religious sites, complete with new idols. You’ve probably guessed the specifics: These idols were also golden calves.

Tragically for the northern Kingdom of Israel, the nation never repented of this idolatry. It became so commonplace that even when Israel expelled Baal worshippers, they did nothing to stop the worship of Jeroboam's golden calves (see 2 Kings 10:25–31). In fact, throughout the books of 1 and 2 Kings, Jeroboam is referred to as the man “who had made Israel sin.” That unrepented-of sin—which led to other sins and the downfall of the nation—was idolatry.

How seriously do most Americans (or citizens of whatever country you are from) take idolatry? Do churchgoing Americans, or even their preachers, recognize the degree to which they have idolatry baked into the very fabric of their nation? How many Americans celebrate with Christmas trees, Easter sunrise services, or false images of Jesus Christ—not to mention the idolatry that is contained in more overtly pagan religions?

Far too many people believe that, since so many are doing it, it must be okay. “If God was really upset with Christmas, I’m sure He would have punished us by now,” some might argue. Many ancient Israelites might have said the same about their golden calves. However, these modern idolatrous practices should be viewed with the same disgust with which we view worshiping a golden calf—God Himself certainly calls all idols an abomination (Deuteronomy 27:15). (Learn more about why God condemns Christmas and Easter by ordering our free study guides about these idolatrous days—or by reading them here at this website.)

However, the Bible’s warnings about idolatry go far beyond Christmas trees, Easter bunnies, or Halloween costumes. Ezekiel 14:1–8 warns about the idols that become established in people’s hearts. How many who profess to be Christians make idols out of family, careers, entertainment, sports, or politics by making such things the main focus of their lives? While it seems unlikely that many will make a pilgrimage to a statue of President Trump to bow down and worship it, do you know anyone who idolizes him or other politicians? How seriously do we take the warning of the golden calf?

Idolatry led to the fall of ancient Israel, and while America and other Western nations do not have idols of calves in major religious cities, our behavior toward idolatry remains the same. Will we take heed from the lessons of the ancient Israelites and their golden calves and repent of the modern-day idolatry that surrounds us? Let us not allow our familiarity with the modern versions of golden calves to distract us from the God of the Bible’s plain view on such practices.

You can learn more on this subject by ordering the free booklet The Ten Commandments and by checking out one of our latest Tomorrow’s World magazine articles, “The Truth About the Ten Commandments.”