What does the golden calf have to do with American history? If you understand Jewish history and culture, you will learn a lot more from American history. Is the US in the Bible? Yes!

Fifty days after God delivered the children of Israel from their enslavement in Egypt, millions of Hebrews arrived at Mt. Sinai. Moses went up to the top of the mountian with God on the 6th of Sivan (Weeks/Pentecost). The people got impatient about his return and decided to create a golden calf to worship. After forty days, Moses comes down from the mountain, sees the golden calf, gets really angry, throws the tablets down and breaks them. The day of the golden calf was on the 17th of Tammuz.

Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand. And it came to pass, as soon as he came near to the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount (Exodus 32:15, 19).

God gave Israel a second chance and Moses a second set of tablets starting on the first of Elul (Teshuvah). Moses returned forty days later on the 10th of Tishri (Atonement).

The Lord said unto Moses, Hew two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which you broke. And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present yourself there to me in the top of the mount (Exodus 34:1-2).

Other historic events happen on the 17th of Tammuz. In 587-586 BC, the Babylonians breach the walls of Jerusalem. In 70 AD, the Romans breach the walls of Jerusalem. Both empires destroy the temple on the 9th of Av, the rebellion at Kadesh Barnea. See Calendar, Jewish Calendar.

Jewish feast and fast days have become our historic events. On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress voted to declare independence but on July 4, 1776, they adopted the Declaration of Independence. Look up the 4th of July on the Jewish calendar and it is the 17th of Tammuz, the day of the golden calf. In Daniel 7:4, the eagle was torn from the lion (United Kingdom). See Daniel's Dream.

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epocha in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore.
----John Adams

John Adams got the day wrong in his letter but we celebrate on the right day. Not by coincidence but by the design of a sovereign God, we celebrate America's independence on the day the eagle was born.

The Three Weeks from the 17th of Tammuz at Mt. Sinai through the 9th of Av at Kadesh Barnea are Israel's Days of Decision.