Look at the result. They showed disrespect for God by breaking His commandments. They had seen the awesome power of God on Sinai. Yet they made the almighty Spirit seem like a brute beast.
They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox [cow] that eats grass (Psalm 106:20).
Far from worshiping God, they dishonored Him and insulted Him! In His anger, He had 3000 of the rebels killed and to the rest He made this promise:
In the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them (Exodus 32:34).
If their worship failed to honor the Lord, then who actually was honored by it? God gave the answer in Moses’ song (Deuteronomy 32).
They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods; with abominations they provoked him to anger. They sacrificed to demons that were no gods… They have made me jealous with what is no god (Deuteronomy 32:16-17,21).
Here God showed what really happened in the worship of idols. The idol itself was “no god” at all. It was a lie. Standing behind that lie was Satan and his helpers, the evil spirits called “demons.” Therefore, sacrifices given to the false gods actually went to demons.
The New Testament also spoke of this fact in 1 Corinthians 10:19-20.
What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.
It is wrong to think that God accepts all kinds of worship. Without knowing it, many give their worship to demons. They become partners (“participants”) with demons.
1 Timothy 4:1 reveals that those who leave the true teachings of Christ are following false teachings from demons. Peter foretold that “many” would be fooled by false leaders who had once been Christians (2 Peter 2:1-2). Sadly, much of this has already come true. It explains why there are so many divided groups, and differing teachings, among those using the Lord’s name. Jesus warned that “many” use His name but disobey what He commanded. “On that Day” (the Judgment Day), Jesus will say to them,
”I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:15-23).