CENTRAL THOUGHT
God hates idolatry, therefore the believer must beware of it.
HYMM: “ Hymn: I need thee every hour”
TEXT: 1 COR.10:1-14; EX. 20:1-5; 32:1-6; NUM. 25:1-9.
INTRODUCTION:
The Almighty God created the entire universe and made man in His own image. God commanded man to worship Him and live in obedience to Him. Man was given control (authority) over other creatures and indeed they were all subject to him. However, man disobeyed God and thus fell from the exalted position given him by God. This loss of fellowship with God created a vacuum in man which yearns for satisfaction. In his attempt to live up with the spiritual or satisfy the vacuum inside of him, (rather than repent and return to God), man has decided to create images (idols) as worship objects and worship the creature instead of the Creator.
Apart from images (idols), other things appear to take the place of God in the lives of men. Anything that takes the place of God in a man’s life is considered an idol in scriptures.
In God’s dealings with Israel, He asked them constantly to do away idols. The same instruction is given to everyone today. The Almighty God is the only one who is to be worshipped. He alone deserves our worship.
This second lesson in the series, “Wilderness Experiences” focuses on idolatry. Israel from time to time, despite warnings from the Almighty God, worshipped (served) the gods of the people they came in contact with. This always brought God’s judgement (punishment) upon them. It is hoped that at the end of the lesson, the believer will appreciate the danger associated with idolatry and set his heart always to wholly serve God, loving Him with all his heart, all his soul, all his mind and all his body that is, with his entire being.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
- To know the meaning of idolatry.
- To know the various ways people worship idols.
- To appreciate the dangers associated with idol worship.
- To understand that idolatry attracts God’s judgement
(punishment). - To know what should be the believer’s attitude toward
idols and worshippers.
BIBLE TRUTH:
QUESTION 1) WHAT IS IDOLATRY AND HOW IS IT EXPRESSED?
The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines idolatry in two ways. Firstly, idolatry is defined as the worship of idols and secondly it also refers to excessive love, admiration or worship of somebody or something. These definitions are very true in the spiritual/Christian context. The worship of any image (carved or graven) or the portrait (photograph) of anyone borders on idolatry. Even if it were possible to have a portrait (photograph) of God and a good sculptor makes an image or a carving out of it and men began to bow before it and worship it, the Bible will still consider such as an idolatrous practice. The Bible says expressly “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” (Ex.20:4-6).
In addition, excessive love, admiration or worship of somebody or something borders on idolatry. That is anything anyone allowed to take the place of God in his/her life becomes an idol to that person. For example some people love sports (football, wrestling, boxing etc.) with a favor that borders on idolatry. In some cases, expression of support for particular teams or players manifests as a form of idolatry. In theory some other persons claim they love God but in practice, they place TV programs, Jobs, businesses, family (wives, children, fathers, mothers etc) above the commitment to God. This amounts to idolatry or worship of these things. Matt 10:37 says “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me”.
Israel while going through the wilderness to the promised land did many if not all of the above. In the same way some Christians today engage themselves in some of these practices. This is the time to repent and desist from such practices to avoid God’s judgement and loss of rewards when He comes.
QUESTION 2) WHAT ARE THE DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH IDOLATRY?
The practice of idolatry implies that there is someone or something else that can take the place of God. In other words, idolatry suggests another creator apart from the Almighty God. It suggests another power, governor or prime minister of the entire universe. It arrogates ownership of the heavens the earth to someone or something else other than God. It suggests that God’s glory can be shared with another person. It implies the worship of satan and the fallen angels (demons) or any other form in which satan manifests. Idolatry also suggests that man has found someone or something in place of the Almighty God and so can do without Him. It also enslaves man (God’s creature in His own image) to someone or something else apart from God. These are very dangerous trends and this was why God declared that He is a Jealous God and that He will punish (judge) every act of idolatry.
QUESTION 3) WHAT SHOULD BE THE BELIEVER’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS IDOLS AND IDOL WORSHIPPERS?
The believer should have nothing to do with idols. The instruction is clear. He must not love them; he must not bow down to them or worship or serve them. He should not consult native doctors, familiar spirits or any such medium or agent of the enemy. His children must not also be introduced or exposed to any idolatrous practice. Idolatrous marks should not be placed on their bodies or those of their children. The Lord warned the children of Israel in the wilderness- “When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. (Deut 18:9-12).
A believer should not in any way promote the cause of idolatry. The Bible forbids believers from doing evil or giving approval to it. (Rom 1:32). Believers therefore should beware of traditional burial, marriage or any other ceremony that borders on idolatry.
While having nothing to do with idols, it is however the believer’s duty to present the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to idol worshippers. Therefore, while hating their acts, he should try not to hate them, love them within the confines of the gospel. His relationship with the idol worshipper should be guided by the Spirit of God. The sole aim of the believer in his relationship with an idol worshipper should be to win him/her to the Lord Jesus Christ.
QUESTION 4) WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF IDOLATRY?
EX.32:27-28; NUM.25:1-9; PS.78:33-35, 58-61.
The children of Israel, as they journeyed through the wilderness were punished each time they engaged in the worship of the gods of the nations they came in contact with. In one instance, three thousand of them died (Ex.32:28) and at another twenty four thousand perished (Num 25:9).
The believer today is warned in 1 Cor.10:7-9 “Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written. The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand….” People may not be falling dead today for leaving God and practicing idolatry but the fact remains that judgement awaits every idol worshipper both in this world and that which is to come. Such judgement in this world manifests in the lack of peace, joy, harmony of heart, etc. and in the enormous waste of financial resources in the attempt to satisfy these gods. Finally, no idolater will inherit the kingdom of God (Gal.5:21). Idol worship grieves God and He must punish every offender.
To avoid God’s judgement, the idolater should repent now and turn to God. Confess the sin of idolatry as well as other sins and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and personal savior.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION:
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matt 22:37). Believers must love God with their entire beings, that is, with our spirit, soul and body. This includes loving God with our time, energy, possessions, intellect etc. God must be prominent in our lives and no one or anything should take His place. The Bible says “ If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Lk 14:26). Biblically, God is not teaching us to hate people or hate ourselves, but the import or implication of this statement is that our love for those persons and ourselves looks like hatred compared to our love for God. According to Dake’s commentary, the expression in Lk 14:26 is “an idiom of preference. One must prefer God or love Him more than all else to be saved. God first is the motto of the Bible” (Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, p.77 (NT) column 4). This certainly is the way the believer will avoid idolatry.
As for the idolatrous/unbeliever, he must repent and turn to God now. The sin of idolatry and other sins must be confessed. He must accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and personal savior and begin a new life in Him (Christ).
MEMORY VERSE:
EX.20:3
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me”.
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Mon: God’s commandment. Ex.20:3-6.
Tue: The foolishness in idol worship Ps 115:4-8.
Wed: Judgement upon idolatry, Num.25:1-9.
Thur: The way out. Acts 16:31; Heb 9:14.
Fri: No one and nothing should take God’s place in your life. Lk 14:25-27.
Sat: Love and serve God fully. Matt 6:24; Matt 22:37 and 1 Thess 1:9.