Recognizing idols
Things people adore come in all shapes and sizes
Many people think that idol worship is bowing yourself down before a gold or silver image of a heathen deity.
The true definition of idolatry goes much further and deeper than that. When God delivered Israel from the bondage of Egyptian slavery, they were a people who had lived under the influence and darkness of idolatry for 400 years. They needed to be re-educated and rebooted spiritually because multiple gods were the norm for their environment. That is why the very first commandment from God was such a revelation and a shock to them. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
The sin of idolatry has impacted this nation in many ways that people are unaware of. We commit idolatry when we excessively devote ourselves to anything or anyone other than the one true God of glory who has revealed himself in the face of Jesus Christ. There can only be one God. James 2:19 says “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”
Cleary the devil has a personal stake in convincing people of something that even he doesn’t believe. This is why God hates idol worship so much because it replaces the real thing with a counterfeit and tries to rob him of the glory and praise that he alone deserves. This is what Paul said about Jesus in Colossians 2:9 “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Multiple gods is not a Bible doctrine. When Philip asked Jesus to show him the father in John 14 the answer was “you’re looking at him.”
There is a long list of idols in this generation that promise you everything you want but nothing that you need. They include wealth, success, fame, looks, power, sports, drugs, sex, entertainment and even cell phones. When Moses was up on the mountain talking to God in Exodus 32 the people convinced his brother Aaron to make them golden calf so they could have something to worship. They danced around it naked and blasphemously stated that “these be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” They sacrificed unto the idol and rejoiced in the work of their own hands. We might ask why in the world anyone would do such a foolish and ungrateful thing after all God had done for them.
What is the allure and attraction of idol worship that makes people commit such dangerous and spiritually harmful actions? The answer is that an idol is a god without demands. I can worship my idol without feeling that I have to make any changes in my life. I can dance naked around it and party all night knowing that it won’t ask me for a single thing. It won’t ask me to repent of my sins or get baptized for the remission of those sins. My idol won’t demand that I live a holy life or be filled with the gift of God’s spirit. My idol doesn’t expect me to pray or read the scripture. Paul warned Timothy of a day when people “would be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” Friends we are living in that day.
Idol worship is rampant, but the party is about to come to an abrupt end. People resist the one true God because he demands things of us, and he has every right to do so. For Israel the party ended when Moses came down off the mountain and three thousand men died that day. If it were not for the intervention of Moses God would have wiped Israel from the face of the earth and made of him a great nation. That is how much God hates idol worship. All of this begs the question: “What is taking the place of God in my life?” Who or what are you depending upon, worshipping, giving to, reverencing, or loving? When you answer these questions you will realize that perhaps your life needs to be rebooted spiritually as well.
Jesus Christ desires to be the centre of our lives and the first one we call upon when we have a need. You might be able to claim that there are no gold images or statues in your house. But please remember this; an idol is whatever we habitually seek in our time of need instead of seeking God. In Daniel chapter five the king of Babylon threw a huge drunken party for a thousand people and they praised the gods of gold, silver, brass, wood, and iron. But that same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand and began to write words of judgement against the king on the palace wall. That night he lost his kingdom and his life. The party is almost over friends. Are you living for Christ or is there another god in your life?
Exodus 20:3 “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” 1 Corinthians 10:14 “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, ƛlee from idolatry.”
Rev. D. Blair Sorrey is minister at the United Pentecostal Community Chapel, Lower Montague. Website is http://upccmontague.ca/. A guest sermon runs regularly in Saturday’s Guardian and is provided through Christian Communications.