Audio transcript
Welcome to 2022 and to the primary episode of our tenth 12 months on the podcast. Superb. I had no concept we had been launching one thing that may final ten years. Right here we’re, Pastor John. The 12 months begins with a query about idolatry, of all issues. It's good too. It's from an nameless man.
“Hey Pastor John. What precisely is an idol? Christians use this time period on a regular basis, particularly in sermons. So I am going to my Bible. I discover that idols had been statues or effigies, worshipers bowing all the way down to 'gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wooden and stone' (Daniel 5:4). Typically the idols appear to have been talisman-like objects that warded off unhealthy issues—trinkets within the type of golden tumors or golden mice. I’m referring to 1 Samuel 5:6-7:2. However right this moment's idols are very completely different. They appear to be the needs of the center for cash, intercourse, energy, and the like. How did this occur? Idols was carved issues; now they’re obsessions of the center. I don't perceive the connection between statues and idols of the center. Actually, once I have a look at the Outdated Testomony idols of tumors and mice, I don't actually perceive them both. Are you able to clarify each types of idolatry and the way they’re associated?
Effectively, I'll strive. Let's begin with a definition. I feel to cowl all instances we must always in all probability outline an idol (and I feel that is the biblical definition) as something we depend on for some type of blessing, assist or steerage as an alternative of relying wholeheartedly on the true and dwelling God. That's my working definition of an idol. So you’ll be able to see that it might cowl, for instance, a rabbit's foot in your pocket, or an image of a saint hanging in your wall, or a relic from some sacred shrine sitting in your mantle, or extra easy photographs taken from Hindu or Buddhist temples, or the golden calf that Aaron made. when Moses was on the mountain.
What makes all these idols is that we flip our eyes away from our wholehearted reliance on the true and dwelling God via Jesus Christ and look to a rabbit's foot, a relic, or a picture for some particular safety or blessing, or steerage or assist that we don't assume we are able to get by simply seeking to God.
Anatomy of an idol
Our pal who posted this query is true, I feel, that the phrase is within the Bible idol is uniformly used for an precise object from nature or, extra generally, man-made. You gained't discover a phrase idolatry used to explain extreme love on your spouse or your lands, your cash or your pockets. So I feel he's proper that within the Bible there’s this distinct give attention to a man-made object or one thing from nature, quite than simply this sturdy want and want for issues.
Proper behind that is the second commandment:
You shall not make for your self a graven picture or any likeness of something that’s in heaven above or that’s on the earth beneath or that’s within the water below the earth. You shall not bow all the way down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. (Exodus 20:4-5)
In different phrases, God is so jealous of our direct, private dependence upon him, our reverence for him, and his worship that he disapproves not solely of rival so-called gods represented by idols, however even of the creation of idols which they consider to signify him – not solely are the false gods reworked into statues, however he himself is represented by some synthetic object that we have a look at. I feel if we ask why — that’s, why are they so jealous of this type of direct, private dependence on reverence and adoration? — then a part of the reply is present in Psalm 96:5: “All of the gods of the nations are nugatory idols, however the Lord made the heavens.
In different phrases, one of many issues with idols is that they contradict the transcendent nature of God as Creator. Any illustration of God made by human arms results in a misunderstanding of God's transcendence. It gives the look, if not the outright declare, that God is in some way in our energy—we are able to carve him or paint him, put him in our pocket or on a shelf or carry him on a cart. And so the psalmist says, “No! The Lord made the heavens.” In different phrases, He’s completely transcendent and you can’t carve Him or management Him in any means.
One more reason why God has such an aversion to photographs, whether or not of so-called gods or of himself, is discovered, I feel, in Psalm 115:4-8:
Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human arms.
They’ve mouths, however they don’t converse;
eyes however can't see
They’ve ears, however they can not hear;
noses, however they don't scent.
They’ve arms, however they don’t really feel;
legs, however not strolling;
they usually don't even make a sound of their throats.
Those that create them resemble them;
so do all who belief them. (Psalm 115:4-8)
“Not solely do photographs distort the character of God, they destroy the character of man.”
In different phrases, photographs not solely distort the character of God, they destroy the character of man. They flip human beings into soulless, helpless lumps of soulless flesh. We change into like these statues. The nothingness of idols turns human beings into nothingness.
Exchanging God's glory for photographs
So now we come to our pal's query. Effectively, if the Bible considers it idols, then “right this moment's idols,” he says, “are very completely different. They appear to be needs of the center or for cash, intercourse, energy, and the like. How did this occur? Idols was statues, not simply obsessions of the center.'
And I say, “Excellent query.” How did this occur? Right here is the very first thing I might say – particularly that this transformation of focus in defining idolatry is because of the truth that we within the West reside in cultures the place the direct use of photographs for spiritual worship is much less frequent than in another cultures. So the query arises: Effectively, do these biblical teachings about idolatry have any which means for these of us who reside in cultures the place the usage of photographs that individuals truly bow all the way down to and worship is much less frequent? Does it have any relevance in any respect?
The reply is sure. I don't assume the usage of the time period idolatry to check with the God degrading love of cash, intercourse, energy is a misuse of the time period idolatry when one presses into the essence of what actually occurs with the idol within the Bible. Listed here are some New Testomony pointers alongside these traces that present why I feel it's okay to make use of idolatry as he says, trendy folks have a tendency to make use of it.
First, Romans 1:21-23 refers to individuals who wouldn’t have direct data of the gospel, however have the final nature of revelation, in order that they will know God on this means and be answerable for glorifying and thanking Him. It says right here:
For although they knew God, they didn’t honor him as God, nor give him thanks, however had been useless of their pondering, and their silly hearts had been darkened. They claimed to be smart, they grew to become fools and he exchanged the glory of the immortal God for photographs resembling mortal man and birds and beasts and creeping issues.
Now I feel this textual content factors to the essence of the issue beneath the outward look of idolatry; for we change the glory of God for photographs. The primary type of picture that Paul mentions are photographs resembling man, and I don't assume it might be a stretch to say that the foremost picture of man that threatens to interchange God is the picture we see in a mirror. We’re lovers of self-exaltation, which continuously threatens our love of exalting God. I feel it’s truthful to name this change a type of idolatry.
Defend your self from Idols
So again to my broad definition. It went like this: something we depend on for some type of blessing, assist, or steerage, as an alternative of relying wholeheartedly on the true and dwelling God. If we start to want, love, depend on, and belief within the reward of males to extend our self-aggrandizement, cash, energy, intercourse, household, productiveness, or something aside from God Himself for the best blessing, assist, steerage, and satisfaction, then we’re primarily doing , which idolatry has at all times accomplished.
“Something on the planet that efficiently competes with our love for God is an idol.”
Let me offer you yet another passage from 1 John 5:21. It’s the final verse of John's letter and it says this: “Kids, preserve yourselves from idols.” Why does John finish his letter like this? He by no means even talked about idols in your entire ebook. He by no means talked about idols in his total gospel. Out of nowhere comes this remaining sentence with the phrase itself idol this normally means a statue of one thing that we exchange God with. “Don’t give in to idols; preserve yourselves from idols.”
Why did he find yourself like that? Right here is my remaining suggestion. In 1 John 2:15-16 he stated, “Don’t love the world or the issues on the planet. If anybody loves the world, the Father's love shouldn’t be in him. For all that’s on the planet—the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the delight of life—shouldn’t be of the Father, however is of the world.”
The apostle John might have been referring to literal materials photographs when he stated, “Preserve yourselves from idols.” However I feel he additionally means the extra basic mortal drawback that something on the planet that efficiently competes with our love for God is an idol. So keep away from idols – that’s, love God and all that’s to us in Christ greater than anything.
