Even though Israel thought that their intentions were right in cloaking a pagan ritual in holiness, look what God thinks of it:
Ex. 32:1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us 1a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” 2 Aaron said to them, “aTear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, “1This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 5 Now when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.” 6 So the next day they rose early and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
Ex. 32:7 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Go 1down at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 8 “They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. aThey have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and have sacrificed to it and said, ‘1cThis is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’” 9 aThe LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, they are 1ban obstinate people. 10 “Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and bI will make of you a great nation.”
Israel reverted back to the day; idol worship was rampant in the day and they show their true colors. Fortunately, God relented on Moses behalf.
1Cor. 10:21 aYou cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and
the table of demons.