Worshiping Idols
Exodus 20:3&4 You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourselves any carved image … and bow down to them nor serve them.
We should not have idols. God must have first place in our hearts.
God is a jealous God. He is devoted to us so much he sent his only Son to die for us. He wants our total devotion. If we seek first his kingdom and righteousness all these things will be added to us (material provision and blessing). God considers himself married to his people. When people worship idols, to him it is like they commit adultery.
People made idols because they want to worship something they can see with their eyes.
The true God is a spirit and the people that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth. God is looking for those kind of worshipers. This is why it is impossible to please God without faith. He that comes to God must believe he is real and he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.
Idols are powerless. Paul said they are nothing. There is only one true God.
To worship idols is really to worship demons. Sometimes when people worship idols a supernatural event may take place as a result of worshiping that idol. The idol itself has no power. Idols are made of wood, stone or metal, but it is demons that make the supernatural event happen.
You become like the thing you worship.
The more you worship God, the more you will be changed into his image and become like him. People who worship idols can fall into terrible sin. They become totally deceived and tricked by the devil. They may do terrible things believing that they are making the “gods” happy and that they will bring blessings on their lives. There are some sins associated with idol worship ie human sacrifice, adultery, fornication even child prostitution.
The North American culture is not as accustomed to idol worship practices as are some other nations of the world. We do have some things though that we should avoid such as “psychic powers”, “good luck charms” and games that encourage contact with the spirit world. God must be first in our lives and then we will be blessed.
Once on a mission trip to India our group encouraged a man to “have no other gods before God” (he was worshipping idols). His answer was that he worshiped God more than his statues but that he still worshiped his idols too. He believed that various idols give various blessings. According to the bible every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from the Father of Lights. (1 John 1:17)
People can have heart idols.
The prophet Ezekiel told the elders of Israel that they had heart idols, places in their hearts that they put ahead of God. Anything that we love more than God can be an idol to us. We must love Jesus more than any one – athlete, singer, actor or any other famous person. Covetousness, wanting things so much you cannot be content, is idolatry.
Idolaters will be thrown into the lake of fire. Ouch.
Scriptures to Study: 1 Corinthians 10:19-22, Revelation 21:8, Ezekial 14:3-4, 1 Corinthians 8:4-6, Hebrews 11:6, John 4:23, Isaiah 44:15-20, Psalm 115:8