Article

Idolatry and Its Remedy
An article by Pastor Wayne Sims
Posted by Joey Kelly

As one reads through the Old Testament, it does not take very long until idolatry shows itself. One of the early examples of idolatry is recounted in the Book of Exodus when Moses is up on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments. The Israelites, who were camped below, begin to get impatient and decide they have gone on long enough without something to bow down to and worship. They collect the jewelry that they had taken from Egypt and melt it down and form a calf to worship. No doubt this was something they had seen in Egypt. Never mind that God had led them out of bondage; never mind that He had been providing for them; never mind that He had set Moses in place as their leader; never mind that they had witnessed amazing miraculous life saving events. They were tired of waiting on Moses and, most of all, tired of following God. They liked the way things were before when they were slaves in Egypt, so they decided to form their own personalized object of worship. They, in effect, said, Since God isn't here and neither is Moses, we need to do it ourselves. Let's just make a god of our own choosing. Let's just make a god that we know, and we're comfortable with. My, they were a pragmatic bunch. They thought that a god they could manipulate was much better than a God they could not. They wanted to make their own decisions. They wanted to be able to do what they pleased, and they also wanted a god that pleased them. They wanted to worship on their terms, and to have a god that they could keep track of. Does this sound familiar? This is a classic case of idolatry.

So, this action begs the question: What is idolatry? Idolatry is the universal human tendency to love or value something or someone in a way that hinders the love and trust that we should have for God. Idolatry is also man's attempt to grab God's glory for himself by working in order to accomplish something only God can do. Idolatry is loving and cherishing the wrong things. In our fallen nature we have affections that were meant to be expressed toward God, but because of sin they are twisted affections that are drawn to lesser things. These fallen affections are akin to a heat-seeking missile that is shot at an airplane. If it misses its intended target, it will seek out the nearest hot target. That's how our affections are. If they miss their intended target which is God they will land on just about anything else that happens to feel warm. That is why Charles Spurgeon continually preached that the human heart is a perpetual idol factory. If our affections miss God, they will land on something else, and what they usually land on is fairly predictable. Fortunately, this is good for us because it is easier to diagnose and treat. Here are some common modern day idols:

Pleasure: This idol takes in drugs, pornography, overeating and activities that take time away from your time with God.

Self image: This idol takes in fear of man, slander and gossip, uncontrolled spending and coveting.

Family or Children (yes, I will go there): This idol takes in placing people in the place of God, and excessive grieving. Oh, and if it is difficult for you to understand how children could become an idol, just stop by just about any soccer field on a Sunday or Wednesday afternoon… you will get the picture.

Money and Possessions: Finding security in things such as a large bank accounts, large wallets, large homes, cars, etc..

Now, it goes without saying that Satan's tactics are very subtle. Many of these things are good if they are practiced or enjoyed in the right amount. However, if you find yourself being obsessively drawn to something and spending way too much time with it, or if there is something that, if it was taken from you, your life would be meaningless and not worth living, then this may indicate an idol. That is why there are multiple warnings about idolatry throughout Scripture. God warns us: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:2-3). Did you ever stop to think that, at the same time God was giving this command to Moses on top of the mountain, the Hebrews were at the bottom breaking it? Humans tend toward idolatry so much that God made this the very first of the Ten Commandments. We should also understand the idolatry is lurking behind every sin committed on the face of the earth.

Jesus warns us: Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law? And he said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment (Matthew 22:36-38). The Apostles warn us: Little children, keep yourselves from idols (I John 5:21). Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry (I Corinthians 10:14). Paul even goes so far as to say do not practice keeping company with those who call themselves Christians and practice idolatry: But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler, not even to eat with such a one (I Corinthians 5:11).

Then there is God's full assessment of idolatry, which is found in Jeremiah 2:4-13: Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. Thus says the Lord: What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless They did not say, Where is the Lord who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells? And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination. The priests did not say, Where is the Lord? Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit. Therefore I still contend with you, declares the Lord, and with your children's children I will contend. For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has been such a thing. Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the Lord, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Notice what the Lord says here. It has never been recorded that a nation had switched their traditional worship practices and their gods. It is just not heard of. God challenges anyone to travel all across the world to see if there is ever a case where a nation has switched deities. God makes one more point. He says that those deities are no gods at all. Nations worship idols or false gods and never switch. But God's people, who have the One True God who had done miracles right before their eyes, are forsaking Him for idols. You can search the whole earth and find only one people who have switched deities and it was the Israelites. It just does not make sense.

In this passage from the second chapter of Jeremiah we see the ever so present realization of who is exalted from the practice of idolatry: man. Ever since the fall in the garden, man has been seeking top billing with the Creator of the universe. It is as if the prophet Jeremiah realizes that his words are falling on deaf ears. The Israelites have basically lost their sanity, and he turns to look up in the heavens and speak, Be appalled, O heavens. But it is more than just a contest for who is most important, it is a spiritual case study in rebellion. You see, idolatry is the opposite of repentance. In repentance we turn from our sin to God; in idolatry we turn from God to sin.

Notice that, recorded within this passage, there are two great evils committed by God's people. First, they have forsaken Him. God says that he is a fountain of living water. He is the source of fresh cool clear drinking water. This water is provided free. This water quenches the thirst like no other water can. This is divine water. The Israelites have turned away from this true God and, in our metaphor, the fountain of free living water. Second, they have turned to their own efforts. Notice the stupidity of sin. They had free crystal clear living water and would rather dig in the dust and try to build a cistern. Then they get it built and it is cracked. It will not hold water. So, they dig and dig in the mud and drink from filth rather than drink pure water. I know that this is not a very attractive picture, but it is an accurate picture of a sinful nature and faulty thinking. Rather than drinking the pure living water God provides, we would rather drink the mud that we provide. Rather than drinking pure water and praising God for it, we drink polluted water and praise ourselves. Idolatry is nothing more than man's way of getting the glory for himself.

Do you see how idolatry is insanity? Do you see just how it says, I will do anything in order to be credited with accomplishing something on my own, no matter if it's drinking mud? Do you see how far the fall has taken us? It is rebellion, and the results are nothing more than the destruction of our world, both materially and spiritually. But coming to the realization of what idolatry is and how dangerous it is not the most important thing to take from this article. The most important thing is knowing what the remedy for idolatry is.

If idolatry is turning from God to something else then repentance is the remedy. If Idolatry is man's attempt to grab God's glory for himself by working in order to accomplish something only God can do. Then it logically stands to reason that the remedy must not be something we do apart from God. If we attempt to remedy this great evil, then we are right back where we started. What I mean is that it was our futile attempts at trying to accomplish something without God in the first place that got us into trouble. The answer is not to try to remedy it ourselves. Satan is so deceptive, he would even have us repent without God, thereby keeping us in idolatry. We must understand that genuine repentance does not come from within us or by our power. Only God can grant it. We must pray that true repentance will be granted or given to us by God. He is the only source. It is like the living water that He provides. True repentance is a gift from God. If you truly seek it, He will grant it. Repentance is the will of God for His people. It is the message John the Baptist preached. It is the message Jesus preached. God will forgive us for desiring muddy water when we could have had pure clear living water that He provides freely. Our thinking is fallen and sinful, and our logic is illogical. Satan deceives us so easily, but God will grant us repentance from finding security and hope in things other than Him. Through His Word, He reminds us continually that we are extremely susceptible to chasing after other things rather than Him. That is why the Word of God is so important in our lives.