Dead Idols
In America we are a nation of Idols. We don’t just have an idol problem, we are immersed in worshipping them from the depths (pretty shallow) of our souls. This idol worship is nothing new to God as He has dealt with the Children of Israel in this very area. In the following Scriptures the Psalmist speaks some great truth about the heathen attitude we have when we worship such idols. Psalm 115:But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases. 4 Their idols are silver and gold, The work of man’s hands. 5 They have mouths, but they cannot speak; They have eyes, but they cannot see; 6 They have ears, but they cannot hear; They have noses, but they cannot smell; 7 They have hands, but they cannot feel; They have feet, but they cannot walk;They cannot make a sound with their throat. 8 Those who make them will become like them, Everyone who trusts in them.
We idolize buildings, statues, music artists, automobiles, guns, golf, DIY Programs, all sports, movie actors, money, pews, plaques, grave markers, and many more things. Idol worship is a reality for each of us and to some of us it is consuming to the point of lunacy. You can be sure it is a problem when we make excuses for doing it. And so many excuses to worship idols exists in our lives and in our world. As the above scriptures states that these idols cannot hear, speak, smell, feel, walk or make a sound. And yet we honor them in a place of honor equal or higher to our Lord. What a shame!! Look at the problem Saul and Barnabas had in Acts 14:8 At Lystra a man was sitting who had no strength in his feet, lame from his mother’s womb, who had never walked. 9 This man was listening to Paul as he spoke, who, when he had fixed his gaze on him and had seen that he had faith to be made well, 10 said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he leaped up and began to walk. 11 When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have become like men and have come down to us.”12 And they began calling Barnabas, Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their robes and rushed out into the crowd, crying out 15 and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In the generations gone by He permitted all the nations to go their own ways; 17 and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” 18 Even saying these things, with difficulty they restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them. They knew all that they were was from God and didn’t want to be mistaken in the least for taking any credit that was due to God. No one or anything can ever take the place of my worship for my Lord. Not music choice, not sermon likes, not personality driven pastor worship, or anything…..
I was watching a documentary about the boy band One Direction and it was incredible to see how the girls acted in every country they travelled to and to the point of injury to the band themselves. They did this just to get a “glimpse” of the boys in the band. We can’t even get people to get out of bed on a Sunday Morning to come and study God’s Word and worship together one day a week. Our world has flipped upside down and the effect is bent on minimizing God’s power and it appears to be working. BUT……. Not so fast my friend!! God is a jealous God and He WILL be worshipped. God and God alone is worthy of this worship and we must do it in spirit and in truth. Go on further in the Psalm and you will see what the Psalmist says as a very sobering reminder. Sober because we are drunk in our worship of idols. Psalm 115: 9 O Israel, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield. 10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield. 11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield. 12 The Lord has been mindful of us; He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron. 13 He will bless those who [f]fear the Lord, The small together with the great. 14 May the Lord give you increase, You and your children. 15 May you be blessed of the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth.
The great I AM is still on His throne and He needs to be on the throne room of our hearts. Come back to God and give up worshipping dead idols. They can’t help you. They can’t compare to God. They will leave you empty EVERY time. Time to grow up and give up your wants for what God wants and live the life of freedom Jesus died for each of us.
The Pilgrimage continues…..
David Warren