Idol worship might not come to the forefront of the Christian’s mind as something presenting a great struggle. The pitfalls of sin that get all the attention nowadays rarely include the trap that is idol worship. Idols are relegated to the background, something that people from ancient times were prone to, but surely not modern day Christians. It should be obvious right? Don’t pray to the golden calf or make sacrifices at the altar of Baal.
“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 14:15 (NIV)
But what if there is more to the sin of idolatry than meets the eye? There are several definitions to the english word idol. It may refer to an object worshiped as a deity. It can also mean something or someone that is deeply honored or revered. In the biblical sense, the object of honor supplants the reverence due to the Lord God.
There are several different Hebrew and Greek terms for idol. For example, the Hebrew, “aven” can mean wickedness, iniquity, trouble, vanity, or disaster depending on the context. Or, “eliyl” which means vain, gods, or nothingness.
The nuances in these terms are worth noting. Idolatry is the direct result of vanity or pride. It leads inevitably to disaster, and it leaves one with a hollow sense of nothingness. The only true fulfillment one can find in this life comes from God alone. Every good and perfect gift comes solely from Him. Any effort which seeks satisfaction outside of that which God ordains is fruitless and idolatrous in nature.
Sometimes the idols we encounter don’t look like idols at all. Perhaps, they start out as a genuinely noble desire to serve others or accomplish great things for the kingdom of God. Yet, when the objective becomes more important than the Christian’s relationship with Christ, it insidiously transforms into a kind of idolatry.
The consuming and motivating factor is not the fire of the Holy Spirit, but rather the drive to make the “Ministry” better in some way. The Spirit-fire cools like dying embers in the face of doing this or that for the sake of the “Kingdom” that the Christian envisions in his or her minds eye. The thing is no longer God’s, but the almighty “Mine.”
3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Exodus 20:3-4 (NIV)
Ask God to show you where you might have slipped into idolatry without even realizing it. He can renew your mind and your perceptions to align with His perfect will. If you find yourself in the pit of idolatry, do not despair. Destroy the altars of Baal and shatter the golden calves. Daily ask God to make Himself the only thing that you crave.
Grace and Peace,
A.A. Wordsmith
References:
Selah Vie! 