Acts 7:38-45

38This is the same Moses who was leader of our people in the wilderness. He was there with our ancestors when the angel spoke to him on Sinai mountain. He received the message from God to give to us. Those words from God bring life to us.

39But our ancestors would not obey Moses. They did not accept him as their leader. They wanted to go back to Egypt.

40So the people said to Aaron, “Please make us some gods that we can carry in front of us. Yes, that man Moses brought us out of Egypt. But now we do not know what has happened to him.”

41It was then that the people made something that would be an idol for them. They made it from gold with the shape of a young bull. They killed some animals and they burned them as a gift for their idol. The people then had a big meal together because they were very happy. They thought that they had made something that was very good.

42But God turned away from his people. He let them do what they wanted to do. He let them worship the stars in the sky. One of God's prophets wrote about this long ago: “God said, ‘People of Israel, listen! When you were in the wilderness for 40 years, you brought sacrifices and gifts to me. But you did not really worship me when you did that.

43No. You carried with you the idol of the god called Molech. You also carried an idol with the shape of a star, to be like your god, Rephan. These were the idols which you worshipped in the wilderness. So now I will send you away from your own country. You will go to live in places beyond Babylon.’ ”

44When our ancestors were in the wilderness, they carried a special tent with them. It showed that God was there with them and that is where they worshipped him. God showed Moses how he should make that tent. The people made it in the way that God had said.

45Later, our ancestors received that special tent for themselves. They brought it with them when they came with Joshua to live in this land. They took the land from the people who were living here. God chased out those people so that our ancestors could live there. The tent remained in this place until David became the king of Israel.