Idolatry is the worship of an image or object as a deity. It is having an extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something other than God. Simply put, an idol is anything we value or revere above God.
‘But in your hearts set Christ apart [as holy—acknowledging Him, giving Him first place in your lives] as Lord’. 1 Peter 3:15a (AMP)
Idolatry: A Case Study
A helpful way to discuss and understand what idolatry means and why this is relevant today is by looking at an example in the bible.
In Exodus chapter 32, we see the interaction between God, Moses, Aaron, and the people of Israel in the wilderness. In previous chapters, God had worked wonders through Moses and had delivered the people of Israel from over 400 years of slavery under the rule of Pharaoh in Egypt. They had cried out to God for help, and He sent them Moses as a deliverer. The Lord dealt severely with Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt, visiting them with plagues until they were destroyed. The people of Israel came out victorious and grateful to the God who had delivered them.
In Exodus 32, Moses went up the mountain to be with God to receive instructions about the next steps and how they would live as a people. God was still speaking to Moses when the people got tired of waiting and said to Aaron:
‘Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.‘ Exodus 32:1b
They knew Moses had gone to talk with the Lord. They knew God had done miracles and had delivered them, yet they asked for ‘gods’ to go before them.
The wilderness was a bit too quiet. They became impatient. So, they asked for an alternative.
Taking shortcuts leads us into idolatry.
What has God promised you? What has God spoken over your life? When you received the promise, you were so sure and excited it was God. Then time passes, and you ask ‘Did God really say this to me? How long will I wait? Does God mind if I take another route or make this happen for myself?’
Like the Israelites in the Bible, you say ‘Come, make us gods who will go before us’
Be certain, that our ways are not God’s ways, and His timing is never late. Trying to make things happen for ourselves and doing things outside of God’s will creates idols and sets us up for failure, which never ends well.
‘There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death’. Proverbs 14:12
To worship the gift instead of the Giver is idolatry.
Let’s go back to our passage in Exodus 32:2
‘Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”
It is very easy to love and idolise the things God has given us. Our money, our jobs, our family, and even our ministry can all become idols if we place more value on them than we do on God.
The Bible says in James 1:17
‘Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.’
Everything we have has been gifted to us by God. But God wants us to seek and worship Him for who He is, not for the gifts He has given us. When the Israelites were leaving Egypt, God gave them so much favour that the Egyptians gave them gold, silver, and clothing (Exodus 12:35-36), but they turned around and used the same gold God gave them to make an idol for themselves to worship.
Worshipping a man-made version of God is idolatry.
‘He (Aaron) took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.“‘ Exodus 32:4
They said, this idol they had just made, with their gold jewellery, was the god that had brought them out from Egypt. Yet, in earlier passages, they had seen the Lord as a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire who led them and protected them in the wilderness.
‘By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light so that they could travel by day or night.’ Exodus 13:21
When God wanted to reveal himself to them in Exodus 20:18-20, they declined,
‘And (the Israelites) said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”
Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”
The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.’
They felt God’s presence was too powerful, his voice too terrible, and his glory too awesome, for them to behold. Soon after, they made for themselves an image they were comfortable with, an image that would not speak or move.
They created a god they could control.
Today, many people worship a version of God that they are comfortable with. They worship god, just not the God of the bible. They love the Jesus they have created in their minds not the real Jesus, the Saviour of the world. They worship a god that does not demand consecration, one that condones all sin. They worship a god that is eager to entertain but does not call anyone to account. A god that does not speak or move. They are deceived and yet do not know it.
‘Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but they cannot smell; they have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but they cannot walk.’ Psalm 115:4-7
‘For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.’ 2 Corinthians 11:4
Let’s be very clear. If you do not know God for yourself, if you do not study the bible and learn who He is from the scriptures and the Holy Spirit, you will end up worshipping a man-made version of Him. And that is idolatry.
Depending on a ‘man of God’ alone will lead you into idolatry.
‘When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.” So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward, they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.’ Exodus 32:5-6
Not only did Aaron build the golden calf as an idol, he also built an altar for them to worship the idol. Note that Aaron was Moses’ brother, and he was genuinely called by God. In fact, while he was making the idol, God was telling Moses how to anoint Aaron and his sons as priests unto him. Yet, when Aaron saw what the people wanted, he chose to keep them happy by indulging their request rather than being true to the God who had called Him.
A man who has been genuinely called by God can still lead you to idolatry if you do not know God for yourself.
Today we have many Christians who are so dependent on pastors, prophets, and men of God that they do not read the bible, pray, or wait on the Lord. Do not wait for others to hear from God on your behalf, you can hear from God yourself. The Holy Spirit seeks to fellowship with us and teach us.
‘The people who know their God will be strong and do exploits’. Daniel 11:32
Knowing the Lord makes us strong!
Idolatry: The cause and effect
Now that we know what idolatry is, let us consider the consequences of idolatry.
Idolatry robs us of a relationship with God.
As a husband is jealous over his bride, and will not share her with other men, even more so our God will not share us with anyone or anything else.
To enjoy a relationship with God, we must set Him in our hearts as our only God, our only desire. He will not share space with anything else or take second place to our idols.
‘Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.’ Exodus 34:14
Idolatry brings God’s punishment.
‘If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you.” Joshua 23:16
The scriptures are clear, idolatry brings certainty of punishment and cuts us off from the blessing and goodness of God we are meant to enjoy in Him.
The link between idolatry and our desires
Idolatry makes us elevate our wants and desires over the authority of God in our lives. We were created to worship God and reflect who He is, but idolatry corrupts this and gives us an image that aims to fulfil our inner desires outside of God’s pattern and will.
‘But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.’ James 1:14-15
At the core of idolatry is a lack of trust in God. It is man’s way of creating solutions and forging paths for himself because he does not believe God is who He says he is.
Dear friend, what have you exalted in your heart and made your idol? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal them to you. Repent and turn away from these idols and seek God’s face. As the scripture says,
‘If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.’ 2 Corinthians 7:14
This just reminded me of Jeremiah 101:5 and in verse 23 it says “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps”.
One thing I’ve discovered and also very concious of is that these idols we created unknowingly subtly creep into our lives, especially the ones that have to do with our wants and needs.
Yes, it can be very subtle, which is why we constantly need the help of the Holy Spirit. Thanks for commenting!
A very spirit filled article.
The part that stood out to me is “Depending on a ‘man of God’ alone will lead you into idolatry”. That was literally me in 2022. I didn’t truly believe I could hear God for myself.
Thank God for His grace, bringing us to Himself and not holding our faults and flaws against us. Amen.
I’m glad the article resonated with you! Yes, God is so gracious, and constantly seeking to pull us to Himself. That’s how good He is.