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This is the Moses who was in the assembly in the desert. Our ancestors and the messenger who spoke to him on Mount Sinai were there with him. Moses received life-giving messages to give to us,
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but our ancestors were not willing to obey him. Instead, they pushed him aside, and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt.
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They told Aaron, 'We don't know what has happened to this Moses, who led us out of Egypt. So make gods who will lead us.'
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That was the time they made a calf. They offered a sacrifice to that false god and delighted in what they had made.
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"So God turned away from them and let them worship the sun, moon, and stars. This is written in the book of the prophets: 'Did you bring me sacrifices and grain offerings in the desert for 40 years, nation of Israel?
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You carried along the shrine of Moloch, the star of the god Rephan, and the statues you made for yourselves to worship. I will send you into exile beyond the city of Babylon.'
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"In the desert our ancestors had the tent of God's promise. Moses built this tent exactly as God had told him. He used the model he had seen.
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After our ancestors received the tent, they brought it into this land. They did this with Joshua's help when they took possession of the land from the nations that God forced out of our ancestors' way. This tent remained here until the time of David,
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who won God's favor. David asked that he might provide a permanent place for the family of Jacob.
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But Solomon was the one who built a house for God.
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"However, the Most High doesn't live in a house built by humans, as the prophet says: