Tag Archives: Idols

What Happens When You Commit Idolatry?

10 Thursday Jun 2021

Posted by in Bible, Christian, Christianity, Church, Faith, God, Inspiration, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Life, Love, Religion, Religious, Spiritual, Uncategorized

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Money, fame, fortune, statues, monuments, people, and even oneself. Anyone or anything can be an idol. Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines the word “idol” as the following:

  1. an object of extreme devotion
  2. a representation or symbol of an object of worship

It is quite possible to devote yourself to someone or something to the point where you begin to worship said person or thing. In fact, every single day, idolatry is on full display throughout our world. There are countless forms of gods that humanity has established and engaged in idol worship. We can see the very evidence when we turn on our televisions. Hollywood which is considered to be one of the premier entertainment capitols in the world, it is full of examples concerning idol worship. Or, one can easily engage in idolatry in the form of a romantic relationship.

It is the act of praising, elevating, and even proclaiming that a person or an object maintains our strict adoration and attention. We can do this by how much time we spend thinking about the person or object of our desire. Or, when we speak, our words will often show us exactly what it is that we adore or worship. Whatever has your focus, it has your heart. Matthew 6:21 says (NIV) “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

What you and I treasure the most, that is where our heart will be. That in turn means, that our focus is generally upon the thing or person that we are worshipping. However, what happens when we commit idolatry? Are there any consequences when we worship a person or a created thing? Before examining the consequences of idolatry, it must be made clear, that the Lord God almighty, the one who created the Heavens and the Earth, He is a jealous God.

Exodus 34:14 says (KJV) “(for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),”

God will not tolerate idol worship nor the devotion to anything other than to Him. While yes, we do have things in life that we do, and people that we love, but the key is to place the priority of our love and devotion unto God as #1. If God is not in the #1 position of your life, then there will be consequences for your idolatry. The following is what happens when you commit idol worship:

What you worship you will lose – 1 Samuel 5:1-5 focuses on the Philistines and the people of Ashdod. The Philistines had captured the Ark of God and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. From there, the Ark of God was brought into the House of Dagon (Dagon was a false god/idol) and set it next to Dagon. The people of Ashdod arose in the next morning to find that Dagon was lying face down in front of the Ark of God. So, they put Dagon back in its position as it was before. However, the next day, the people of Ashdod found Dagon lying face down on the ground again. Only this time, the head of the idol, and its hands were found to be cut off, only leaving the trunk or the body of the idol remaining.

The overall point of that scripture is to state that what we worship, we will lose it. God will destroy and remove anything that we begin to devote ourselves to, more than we devote to Him.

God’s hand will be against you – 1 Samuel 5:6 says “The hand of the LORD was heavy against the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and afflicted them with tumors, both Ashdod and its territory. “ The people of Ashdod not only worshipped a false god (Dagon), but they erected their idol next to the Ark of God. When you and I worship anyone or anything other than God, we put ourselves in a position to have God’s hands against us.

This means that anything that we attempt to do, it will result in destruction. That is because, God does not accept any other god, idol worship, or any other form of devotion. All worship belongs to the Lord Almighty. If that does not occur in your life, then you will find that God will be against you and sudden destruction will be the result.

Confusion is present – Isaiah 44:9 says (NKJV) “Those who make an image, all of them are useless, And their precious things shall not profit; They are their own witnesses; They neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed.” This verse makes it clear that those who worship or create idols, they do not have any understanding because they are unable to see. They are blinded by their sin and idol worship, so God puts said individuals into a state of confusion.

Verses 18-20 says (NKJV) ““They do not know nor understand; For He has shut their eyes so that they cannot see, And their hearts, so that they cannot understand. And no one considers in his heart, Nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in the fire, Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals; I have roasted meat and eaten it; And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

The above verses points to what happens when idolatry is committed, and one of those things is confusion. A lack of understanding is produced which makes it difficult to see the coming destruction and even the behavior that one engages in.

In many Bible verses, God establishes the firm foundation that He is a jealous God and that idols are inferior and even illegitimate in His eyes. As a response, God will remove and destroy every idol that we create and worship. You may think to yourself that you have something good in your life. Maybe you are in a relationship or a marriage, and you love the person you are with. To the point that they are your everything.

To be clear, romantic relationships, friendships, family members, and even things that we find momentary pleasure in, they all have their place. God wants us to enjoy our lives within reason and within His parameters. We can do this by ensuring that we are balanced and that the position of our worship is given to God and God alone.

However, God sees even romantic or human relationships in the same way if they portray idol worship. We are not to love anyone or anything more than we love the Lord God. So, if you find yourself committing idol worship, it isn’t too late to eliminate the gods that you are serving. This comes through surrender and reprioritizing the Lord in His rightful position as #1.

This starts with acknowledging your sin and idol worship, and completely releasing what you are devoted to. Repentance means to turn from your sin and to go in the direction that Jesus Christ is calling for. Do you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior? If not, today is a great day to give yourself to the Lord through repentance and surrender. Accept Christ today, lay down your idols and worship the true and living God.

Confusion that Comes When Idolatry Is Present

03 Thursday Mar 2016

Posted by in Bible, Christian, Christianity, Faith, God, Inspiration, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Life, Spiritual

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In America, 2016 is an election year for the office of the President of the United States. Just as each election cycle surfaces, so does the 24-hour media coverage. Daily, there are news reports concerning each candidate’s polling numbers in addition to the campaign rhetoric. While America prepares to vote for the next President, the world is also watching to see who will be elected as the next leader of the free world.

In this election, there has been a focus on one particular candidate and his name is ‘Donald Trump.’ Mr. Trump is currently running for the nomination of the Republican party. He has also gained a massive amount of support since he began running for President in 2015.

Donald Trump is known for being one of the wealthiest businessmen in the world, and he is also known for his outrageous statements and the reality show that he starred in called ‘The Apprentice.’ However, what seems to keep many Americans and those in other countries dumbfounded is how it is that someone who is flagrant, uncouth, and an instigator, able to garner so much attention?

Many voters throughout various states have now found themselves supporting Donald Trump despite his inflammatory rhetoric. The question is, how is such a thing possible when such leadership would be bound to fail from the beginning? The answer lies in the word ‘idolatry.’

The Bible is very clear concerning idolatry and the confusion that it brings when individuals are open to a lifestyle that is separate from God. It is the rejection of God and His standards that opens the door to deception and confusion among any group of people. The proof in this is found in the book of Isaiah chapter 44.

In the beginning of this chapter, in verses 1-5, the Lord is speaking and pronouncing His blessings over the people of Israel. God makes it clear in these verses that He has chosen Israel and that He will bring blessings to Israel’s descendants.

Verse 3:

(NKJV) “For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring;”

It was God’s promise that the people of Israel would be blessed. In verses 6-8, God makes further proclamations that only He alone is God which means that there is no other God greater than He. So, in the first part of this chapter, we can see that God has chosen Israel and that He alone is worthy of the praise and worship that humanity can give Him.

At the same time, God gives the people of Israel a snapshot into what can happen when He is no longer the focus of worship, but rather when idolatry begins to take place.

Verse 9:

(NKJV) “Those who make an image, all of them are useless, And their precious things shall not profit; They are their own witnesses; They neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed.”

First notice, that God declares that the idols that are worshiped are useless in their being. It is a waste of time to worship another god because it profits absolutely nothing. God also says in verse 9, that “they neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed.” This means, that there has been a cloud of delusion placed over anyone who chooses idol worship over God.

Verse 10:

(NKJV) “Who would form a god or mold an image that profits him nothing?”

In our world today, we see many examples of idol worship which often times includes self-worship. The question that God asks is, why would someone commit idolatry only to find that it is worthless? The same is happening today. There are so many who chase after fame, money, sex, large homes, and even self-gratification only to find that they are empty on the inside. This is one reason why America and many nations in our world are experiencing a lack of fulfillment and inner turmoil within.

In verses 11-16, God continues by making it known that when idolatry is committed, there is a great deal of work that is spent making and worshiping a false god only to find that it profits nothing. In these verses God gives us the imagery of someone who takes the time to build an idol and in verse 17, this same person begins to worship it.

(NKJV) “And the rest of it he makes into a god, His carved image. He falls down before it and worships it, Prays to it and says,“Deliver me, for you are my god!”

How often do we see idol worship today in the nation that we live in? Many seek the answers to life’s problems from other sources rather than seeking and worshiping God. Even in this election season in America, many are seeking the answers from each politician rather than understanding that it is God’s desire that we seek Him.

In verses 18-20, we can see just what happens when idolatry is allowed to flourish:

(NKJV) “They do not know nor understand; For He has shut their eyes so that they cannot see, And their hearts, so that they cannot understand. And no one considers in his heart, Nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in the fire, Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals; I have roasted meat and eaten it; And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

Notice that in verse 18, God says that they who are worshiping idols do not understand. God says that He has shut their eyes so they cannot see and their hearts so they cannot understand. A major reason why we see many accepting what would normally be considered foolish is because God has blinded the eyes of those who have rejected Him. He has also allowed their hearts to be darkened so that they can no longer understand that what they are doing is foolish.

In verse 19, God says that those who worship idols no longer have the understanding to realize that what they have created is worthless but yet they continue to worship only to find that they are consuming the empty works of their own hands. Finally, in verse 20, God says that it is the heart that is deceived that is turned aside. As a result, anyone who is deceived is unable to save their own soul.

This is why we see confusion running rampant in our world. What seems like it would not make sense logically, many now seem to approve of what was once deemed unacceptable. It is because of idolatry and the sinfulness of humanity that we see a massive delusion that has taken place. However, there is a remedy for this.

Jesus Christ was born to die on the cross for the sins of the world. As long as God is rejected in the heart of man, then confusion and deception lead to a life that is spent living in sin. However, Christ died and was resurrected so that you and I may have life and life more abundantly. The blood of Jesus breaks the power that sin has over humanity but it is a conscious decision to accept this gift of life.

Will you accept Jesus’ sacrifice and make Him your Lord and savior? Until you do, you will find that your life will be empty and lacking meaning. God desires that you have life abundantly and it can only be done through Christ. Accept the gift that God has given by giving your life to Jesus in repentance and acceptance of His sacrifice on the cross.

Are You Committing Idolatry? – The Principle of the “Unknown god”

04 Thursday Jun 2015

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Idol worship is a practice that has occurred for centuries.  To create an idol is to esteem a person or a thing far above anyone else.  Idolatry can occur in the form of spending too much time in an activity, or worshiping a person with a high level of devotion. Anyone and anything can be a god or an idol.  For some, money is an object that is worshiped, while for others their home or vehicle is their god. However, when we as humans commit idolatry, we are essentially putting something or someone before the one and true God.

In the book of Acts chapter 17 verses 16-31, we see that the Apostle Paul travels to the city of Athens.  At that time period, Athens was known for its idol worship and institution of Greek gods.  In verse 16, it says that Paul was distressed by the worship of idols in the city.  So, he begins to make a plea concerning Jesus Christ and His resurrection to those who would listen. However, he is challenged by Greek philosophers in verses 18 – 20:

(NIV) “A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.”

The philosophers were curious as to who Paul was referring to. In their minds, Jesus was a foreign god who they had never heard of.  However, here is what Paul says in verses 22-23: 

(NIV) “Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship.”

The issue with those in Athens was that they were so insistent on their idol worship that they erected an idol which was marked, “to an unknown god.” Who was the “unknown god”? Notice that Paul says in verse 22 that the Athenians were“religious” meaning they have a form and fashion of rituals without truly knowing who God is.  Which then results in Paul saying in verse 23 that the Athenians who are practicing idolatry are ignorant of the very thing that they worship.

What Paul is alluding to is that the Athenians were so caught up in their idolatry of other gods, that they failed to recognize God for themselves.  So, in their error they erected a statue among many other gods, without truly knowing the Lord through relationship. The Athenians were so ritualistic that they worshiped and instituted every idol they could think of, including the one they did not know. There are a couple of principles that we can take away from this:

1. God desires to be known – It is clear that the “unknown god” is that of God almighty.  In verses 24-25 Paul says the following:

(NIV) “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.”

What Paul is saying is that what distinguishes God almighty from the idols that the Athenians erected is the fact that God is a living God.  God desires that we know Him in the pardon of our sins through Jesus Christ.  He is a living God who wants to have a relationship with us, but when we are insistent upon worshiping and serving idols in our lives, we cannot know Him in His fullness.

The problem with the Athenians was that they were thrown into confusion because they allowed idolatry to rule.  Not only did they worship idol gods which is a sin before God, but they attempted to worship God in their ignorance without knowing who He was.  As long as we remain in our sinfulness and disobedience, we cannot see the truth of God for who He is. Unknowingly, the Athenians erected an idol which represented the one and true God, however, it was a part of God’s plan to reach out to the Athenians through their error and through Paul.

2. God will not tolerate idolatry – Paul not only expresses the fact that God is the giver of life, but he also makes it clear that God expects us to lay down our idols and repent:

Verses 28-30: 

(NIV) “For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

Notice the words “repent” and “judge.” God not only desires to know us and that we know Him, but he wants us to turn from our sinfulness and idolatry. There are many in today’s world that have erected their own idols which are an attempt to replace God. Truthfully, we were made to worship God the creator, but because we all have a need to worship, in our sin we choose other things or people to replace God.

However, we must repent and turn from our wicked ways.  Not doing so, will bring judgment as Paul mentions.  If you were to look at scriptures throughout the old Testament, you will see examples of nations that were destroyed because of idolatry and sin.  Sodom & Gomorrah is a prime example of a city that paid a heavy price for its sinfulness and idolatry.  In our current time, there are many nations that have erected false gods, in an attempt to replace God almighty. However, God promises to judge each person and nation based on their behaviors and sin.

God who created the Heavens and the Earth deserves our worship.  We all have a choice in the matter because God wants us to love Him by choice. Some will choose to worship God, and others will worship their own gods. However, the key difference between the gods we create and the God that is self-sufficient is that there is a peace and love that surpasses all understanding when we are in God’s presence.

God’s presence is unlike anything you and I could ever experience.  Even if we choose to worship our own gods, the gods that we create cannot match the awesome power of God almighty.  Satan wants us to be blinded by our own desires and to create idols. However, he does not tell you the judgment that comes when we serve created gods. If you haven’t chosen Jesus Christ as your savior, you have an opportunity to know God in the pardon of your sins. God wants every human being to know Him.  Choose Christ, and serve the one and true God.