To review what was presented in part 1, the first commandment demands No other source of supernatural guidance be consulted, other than God. Keith also shared what scripture says about:
- Witches, mediums, and familiar spirits.
- Wizard or spiritists.
- Necromancers and invoking thee dead
- Charms, charmers and spells
Today’s focus is on idols and what idolatry is. Instead of seeking insight from supernatural sources, it concerns worshiping inanimate objects. Items that can include:
- A pole, log, stone, metal or any physical thing.
- Carved or cast images
The Command
The command against idols is very clear, as covered in two scripture references. Exodus 20:4-5 and Deuteronomy 5:8-9 are identical in prohibiting idol worship, and describes making any image resembling things in, on, or under the earth. Warnings are given. As with any sin, just doing it can lead to starting patterns of sinful behavior that extends to future generations. Deuteronomy 4:25-26 makes it clear that being comfortable and settled is no guarantee that blessing will last. In fact, curses are in store for that man, See Deuteronomy 27:15.
The wealthy, Prominent or Wise Are Immune, Right?
Looking in on David before he was king, he had become a prominent man. A hero in the army, married to Michal, the kings’ daughter. Yet we find he had household idols. 1 Samuel 19:13,16 portrays how his wife helped David escape the anger of king Saul by disguising the household idol as him. Ironically, this kind of idol was used for healing, and David was supposed to be sick in bed.
Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived, and maybe the wealthiest one as well. According to 1 Kings 11:5,7, we find him falling prey to the foolishness of idol worship. He brought idols from some of the surrounding nations right into the temple. Idols that are described as disgusting or filthy.
Descriptions of Idols
An idol could be a plain pole but is referring to 2 Chronicles 33:7,15 idols could be carved. They have altars and have no place being included in the worship of God. Pointing back to the commands, the carved images might be anything, and in Isaiah 40:19,20 the materials and craftsmanship ranged from expensive and artful, to those made of more simple material.
Idols make you stupid
The downfall of the ancient Hebrews found them scattered, but when the call came to have them return, Isaiah 45:20 tells how they carried their idols along with them. The prophet said they did not know. They had to carry their idols. Gods who could not save.
It’s the kind of thing God warned about in prophecies. He acts in the open, and his prophetic warnings serve to let his people know it was him all the time, not their lame idols. See Isaiah 48:5.
How different is that from the almighty, invisible God who created the universe, who delivered their ancestors from slavery in Egypt?
Proper Worship of God
Isaiah 66:1-3 NASB
1 Thus says the LORD, “Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?
2 “For My hand made all these things, Thus all these things came into being,” declares the LORD. “But to this one, I will look, To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.
3 “But he who kills an ox is like one who slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb is like the one who breaks a dog’s neck; He who offers a grain offering is like one who offers swine’s blood; He who burns incense is like the one who blesses an idol. As they have chosen their ways, And their soul delights in their abominations,
Let’s briefly unpack the concepts here. God can’t be contained. Human hands can never build an adequate temple or home for him.
Even if we tried, the everyday building blocks we might use to house god were created by him. They are good for our homes and purposes, but not for his home. The one acceptable thing to him is a humble heart. The person who fears and loves his word.
Notice the contrasts of holy and profane things in verse 3. One concept is that when left to self-choice always ends up in detestable idolatry. According to Expositors Bible Commentary, even the best we can do is symbolic. Without a humble heart and spirit, the holy offerings are compared to detestable practices, as far as God is concerned. Put another way, if the best of practice is done by the letter of the law and not the essence of the law, it is compared to idolatry.
Idols, Not A Thing
Paul declares to the Corinthians that idols are nothing. Not the meat on the idol’s altar, not the idol, and not any god associated with it. There is nothing to an idol, other than any weak conscience of a man. See 1 Corinthians 8:4,7 and 1 Corinthians 10:19 What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols*8 is anything or that
Here are some references from Strong’s Dictionary that describe how the word idol is sometimes used in these passages.
1
H6459
pecel — pronounced: peh’-sel
from 6458;
an idol:
KJV — carved (graven) image.
See Hebrew No. 6458
2
H8544
tªmuwnah — pronounced: ten-oo-naw’ or tªmunah team-oo-naw’
from 4327;
something portioned (i.e. fashioned) out, as a shape,
i.e. (indefinitely) phantom, or (specifically) embodiment,
or (figuratively) manifestation (of favor):
KJV — image, likeness, similitude.
See Hebrew No. 4327
3
H4541
maccekah — pronounced: mas-say-kaw’
from 5258;
properly, a pouring over, i.e. fusion of metal (especially a cast image);
by implication, a libation,
i.e. league;
concretely a coverlet (as if poured out):
KJV — covering, molten (image), vail.
See Hebrew No. 5258
4
H8655
tªraphiym — pronounced: ter-aw-feme’
plural form 7495;
a healer;
Teraphim (singular or plural) a family idol:
KJV — idols(-try), images, teraphim.
See Hebrew No. 7495
5
H8251
shiqquwts — pronounced: shik-koots’ or shiqquts Shik-koots’
from 8262;
disgusting, i.e. filthy;
especially idolatrous or (concretely) an idol:
KJV — abominable filth (idol, -action), detestable (thing).
See Hebrew No. 8262
6
H5566
cemel — pronounced: seh’-mel or cemel say’-mel
from an unused root meaning to resemble;
a likeness:
KJV — figure, idol, image.
7
H6091
`atsab — pronounced: aw-tsawb’
from 6087;
an (idolatrous) image:
KJV — idol, image.
See Hebrew No. 6087
8
G1494
eidolothuton — pronounced: i-do-loth’-oo-ton
neuter of a compound of 1497 and a presumed derivative of 2380;
an image- sacrifice,
i.e. part of an idolatrous offering:
KJV — (meat, thing that is) offered (in sacrifice, sacrificed) to (unto) idols.
See Greek No. 1497
See Greek No. 2380
9
G1497
eidolon — pronounced: i’-do-lon
from 1491;
an image (i.e. for worship);
by implication, a heathen god, or (plural) the worship of such:
KJV — idol.
See Greek No. 1491
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NASB.
Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”
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“Scripture is taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®,
Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995
by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.”
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