This is an excerpt adapted from the Fire Bible Study Notes. Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. The first clear recorded instance was when Jacob renamed Israel, Ge commanded members of his extended family to get rid of their foreign gods just before he arrived in Bethel Ge The first time the Bible describes the entire nation of Israel engaging in idolatry was when they gathered to worship the golden calf while Moses was on Mount Sinai Ex Though there is no evidence of idolatry during the time of Saul or David, during the latter years of King Solomon there is a continuing pattern of idolatry in Israel 1Ki After the division, all of the rulers of the northern kingdom of Israel engaged in idolatry, as did many of the southern kings of Judah.
Only after the exile did the worship of other gods cease among the Jews. The pagans believed that worshiping several gods was superior to worshiping one God. That is to say, they felt that more was better. For example, many of the pagan religions included sexual immorality with temple prostitutes as part of their religious rituals. This practice became appealing to many of the Israelites.
But God required His people to obey the high moral standards defined in His law in order to maintain a saving relationship with Him. They had to resist the pull toward immorality and other sinful practices accepted and practiced by the pagan religions.
The demonic powers were able to provide temporary material and physical benefits for the worshipers. The problem arises when wellness shifts from a tool to an object of our worship. Which do I think of more — my weight or my Savior? Do I more readily clear my schedule for a gym workout or Bible study meeting?
Our schedules usually reveal where our deepest love and loyalties lie. As our intimacy with Him grows, all the fears and insecurities that fuel the idol of health diminish. Chocolate reveals the heart of our good, loving Father. Instead, He blessed us with a banquet filled with the sweet, tangy, salty, and savory and granted us tongues with 10, taste buds that enable us to enjoy every bite. Scripture tells us every good and perfect gift comes from God and is designed to bless us and draw us closer to the Gift-giver.
Unfortunately, our hearts are fickle and easily swayed so that we trade intimacy with our Savior for the momentary rush of a sugar high. We are far too easily pleased. For years, I not only wanted to be smart but wanted others to think I was as well. But over time, this God-given drive to learn morphed into pride and self-elevation. Soon, even my Bible reading, which was supposed to draw me closer to God, turned into more of an academic pursuit.
I cross-referenced and digested numerous verses and commentaries, filling my head with knowledge while starving my heart. God gave us intelligence and the curiosity to make use of it — for a grace-filled purpose. When surrendered to Him, our studies become acts of worship that bind us intimately with our Creator. Intellectual pursuits apart from Him, however, are not only futile, but dangerous.
Whenever we seek truth more than its embodiment, Jesus, we slip into idolatry. The solution? I like my large, almond milk, vanilla-flavored latte. I love soft pillows and air conditioning and easy access to the Internet.
I enjoy eating ice cream while watching Netflix. Many times I choose these modern comforts over crossing the street to initiate a conversation with a neighbor. I prefer an extra hour of sleep over getting up early to serve in the nursery on Sunday morning. I prefer beach vacations to participating in disaster relief efforts, and sitting with my friends during church over enduring the social awkwardness to reach out to a stranger. In short, I often elevate my comfort over my obedience—over the gospel, and whatever holds higher priority in my heart than Jesus.
This then becomes an idol. Jesus is the anecdote for every idol that infiltrates my heart. As the founder of Wholly Loved Ministries , she and her team love to help women discover, embrace, and live out who they are in Christ. Many have placed their hopes and dreams in money. They trust it to provide for them, care for them, and protect them. Money has become the ultimate thing for many of us. We are obsessed with being entertained. And it comes in many forms- from Netflix to vacations and video games to podcasts.
We love entertainment in all forms. It can be a good thing. I would argue that entertainment is good and a gift from God, but we should worship the giver not the gift.
We are obsessed with sex in our culture. It is everywhere. It might be the only thing we think about more than money. We have taken a gift from God and made it into the god of our lives.
And for many, their lives are controlled by sex. To even question the sexual ethic in our society will bring a slew of accusations, showing how tied to our idol we actually are. Our sexual identity, sexual practices, and sex lives are sacred to us. The church has some blame for this. Rather than portraying sex as a good gift from God, in recent history, they have heaped guilt and shame. You could argue this is one of the factors that brought the over-exaggeration of sex.
But regardless of how we got here, for many today, sex is an idol. We value it more than we do God. There is an endless list of products promising to simplify and add comfort to your life. We have made our lives much easier and much more comfortable than at any other time in history.
Tasks that used to take all day can be done in minutes. Many menial tasks are now automated. Jesus tells a very different narrative for his followers.
When you are denied what you want, do you accept it or does it make you rage on the inside or even on the outside? If you are so determined to get what you want that any contrary result sends you into a tantrum, that item or result is most likely an idol in your life.
Someone cuts you off in the parking lot and grabs your spot. When someone hurts your feelings, do you pause and wait until you can respond calmly or do you lash out in anger at them?
And that sin can lead us to allow our schedule or clean house or budget or any other good thing to become an idol. Why do your thought matter so much? In Romans Paul explains that in order not to be like the world, your mind has to be renewed in Jesus and that will lead to a life transformation. If what you are thinking about, reading, watching, or listening to is is not pushing you closer to God, the question must be asked: Is this necessary? Is it, perhaps, an idol? Only you can know this, but ask the Holy Spirit to clearly show you.
Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. What else does justifying the presence of these behaviors cost you? So I, the Lord , will give them the kind of answer their great idolatry deserves. I will do this to capture the minds and hearts of all my people who have turned from me to worship their detestable idols. When we worship idols, our minds and hearts are the prices we pay.
And yet God will answer our idolatry. I want to fix my thoughts on Jesus and His Word, and let the Bible change my life.
Related: Is Your Heart Idolatrous?
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