Some who SAW God but still rebelled

I am reading through Exodus, and was fascinated by a story in Exodus 24

Ex 24:9-11
9 Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel climbed up the mountain again. 10 There they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there seemed to be a surface of brilliant blue lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself. 11 And though these nobles of Israel gazed upon God, he did not destroy them. In fact, they ate a covenant meal, eating and drinking in his presence!

Here not only Moses, but Aaron and his sons, and seventy elders all went up on Mount Sinai and saw God, heard God speak, even had a meal with God.

Ex 24:12-18
12 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain. Stay there, and I will give you the tablets of stone on which I have inscribed the instructions and commands so you can teach the people." 13 So Moses and his assistant Joshua set out, and Moses climbed up the mountain of God.

14 Moses told the elders, "Stay here and wait for us until we come back. Aaron and Hur are here with you. If anyone has a dispute while I am gone, consult with them."
15 Then Moses climbed up the mountain, and the cloud covered it. 16 And the glory of the Lord settled down on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud. 17 To the Israelites at the foot of the mountain, the glory of the Lord appeared at the summit like a consuming fire. 18 Then Moses disappeared into the cloud as he climbed higher up the mountain. He remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Everyone knows what happened while Moses was on the mountain with God. Chapter 32 tells the story
Ex 32:1-6
When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. "Come on," they said, "make us some gods who can lead us. We don't know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt." 2 So Aaron said, "Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me." 3 All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, "O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!" 5 Aaron saw how excited the people were, so he built an altar in front of the calf. Then he announced, "Tomorrow will be a festival to the Lord!" 6 The people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. After this, they celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.

I know this is a very familiar story. What interested me this week was the fact that AAron and the other leaders were so privileged to actually SEE God, to be brought into His presence, to hear Him speak, even have a meal there. Then, just a few days later, they participate in worshipping an idol, a calf that AAron made from their very own earrings. Where were those 70 elders who had sat in God's presence. In Exodus 33:20, God says that no one may see God directly and live. God allowed these men to see God and live, and yet, in a few days, they allow or help the people to worship a god that is not God. AAron looked at the LORD, he knew the the LORD did not look like a calf, but he made a calf and told the people they would hold a festival to the LORD. I am stunned when I think of this. Moses went back to the mountain because God had more instructions for him to give the people. It seems that the people would have been in good hands while Moses was gone, with leaders who had just spent time with God. Spending time with God is necessary, and without that we don't have any hope to hear Him speak and to obey Him, but we cannot just walk away.
It is frightening to think that I can enter into God's presence, worship Him, enjoy Him, really see Him in my Spirit, but still go out and disobey.
...just my thoughts this week.