Idolatry, Part 2

Idolatry, Part 2:

Idolatry, in the strictest sense, represents the worship of a deity in a visible form, whether the images to which worship is paid are symbolic representations of the true God, or of any false divinities which have been made the object of worship. Paul teaches us that idolatry is the result of deliberate religious apostasy; and in the book of Revelation, John predicts in the last days a time of idolatrous apostasy will prevail. He then goes on to describe in detail a period of seven years, a time of great tribulation when a person he calls the antichrist or the Beast will be paid divine honors.

The ancient Jews, and sadly to say, many religious people today claim to fear Jehovah, yet these same people serve their own gods. Many have blended in some strange manner a theoretical belief in the one true God with the external reverence which, in different stages are led to pay homage and honor to idols said to represent some saint; some individual, cult religion or organization.

1 Samuel 15:23, Samuel is speaking to King Saul, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft (divination) and stubbornness is an as iniquity and idolatry.” In ancient Israel, idolatry was a political crime of the gravest character; it was considered high treason against the majesty of God. But it was much more than all this.

While idolatry of foreign nations is stigmatized merely as an abomination in the sight of God, an abomination that calls for His vengeance, the sin of the Israelites was regarded as a more glaring enormity and having a greater moral guilt.

The first and second commandments are directed against idolatry of every form. In Israel every detail of idol-worship was made the subject of a separate enactment, and many of the laws, which in themselves seem trivial and almost absurd, received from this point of view their true meaning. So let’s examine a few of these supposed “absurd points.”

The prohibitions against sowing a field with mingled seed, and wearing garments of mixed material, were directed against the practices of idolaters, who attributed a kind of magical influence to the mixture, Lev.19:19. Also the precepts which forbade that the garments of the sexes should be interchanged, Deut.23:5.

There are allusions to the practice of necromancy (communicating with the dead) in Isaiah 65:4 or at any rate to superstitious rites in connection with the dead. Cutting the flesh for the dead Leviticus 19:28; 1 Kings 18:28, was also associated with idolatrous rites.

The law which regulated clean and unclean meats, Leviticus 20:23-26 may be considered both as a sanitary regulation and also as having a tendency to separate the Israelites from the surrounding idolatrous nations. The mouse, one of the unclean animals of Leviticus 21:29, was sacrificed by the ancient Magi, Isaiah 56:17. Eating of the things offered was a necessary appendage to the sacrifice; compare Exodus 18:12, 32:6, 34:15 and Numbers 25:2.

The Israelites were forbidden “to print any mark (tattoos) upon them” Leviticus 19:28, because it was a custom of idolaters to brand upon their flesh some symbol of the god they worshipped, such as the ivy-leaf of Bacchus, 2 Macc.2:29.

Kissing the images 1 Kings 19:18; Hosea 13:2, hanging votive offerings (those given by vow) in places of worship 1 Sam.31:10. Also soothsaying, interpretation of dreams, witchcraft, magic, and any other form of divination were forbidden.

So ask yourself, “has God changed, or have men changed? Let us consider the light in which idolatry was regarded in the Mosaic code, and the penalties with which it was dealt. If one main object of the Jews legislation and administration of government was to teach the unity of God, the extermination of idolatry was not but a subordinate end. Jehovah was the God of the Israelites, he being the civil head of the State. He was also the theocratic king of the people, who had delivered them from bondage, and to whom they had taken an oath of allegiance. Idolatry, therefore, to a Jew was a state offence, 1 Samuel 15:23, a political crime of the gravest character and high treason against their King.

In the figurative language of the prophets, the relation between Jehovah and his people is represented as a marriage bond,

Isaiah 54:5, “For the Maker (Jehovah) is thine husband; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel” and Jer.3:14, “Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you,” so the worship of false gods becomes the greatest of social wrongs Hos.2; and Jer.3. Regarded in a moral aspect, false gods are called Ezekiel 14:3, a “stumbling-block;” Amos 2:4, “And their lies cause (lead them) to err,” Romans 1:25, “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator;”

1 Kings 15:13, “And also Maachah his (Asa’s) mother, even her he (king Asa) removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.”

Jeremiah 50:38, “A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up; for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon (insane with) their idols.”

Deuteronomy 32:16, false gods are an abomination, “They (the Jews) provoke him (Jehovah) to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.”

1 Kings 11:5, “For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.”

As considered with reference to Jehovah, they are “other gods” Joshua 24:2-16, “strange gods” Deuteronomy 32:16, “new gods” Judges 5:8, “devils – not gods” Deuteronomy 32:17; and as denoting their foreign origin, “gods of the foreigner” Joshua 24:14-15. 

1 Corinthians 10: 20-21, “But I (Paul) say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: you cannot be partakers of the Lord’s Table, and of the table of devils.”

In this generation we are losing sight of Jesus Christ and the finished work of the cross. Many have strayed, or are about to stray off course, they being caught up in the understanding and beliefs of foreigners that have made their way to America bringing with them their false religion and their gods.

Today, the light of the Lord Jesus remains but a struggling ray among the people as a moral and spiritual darkness appears to be overtaking this land. And it is so much more today that is influencing the people, drawing us away from the simplicity and truth of the gospel. Paul urges is not to become careless in this matter. Even though idols are nothing, they still are a tangible expression of demons that stand behind them. We must rely absolutely on the Lord Jesus Christ, stand firm against any and all idol worship, for our Lord is constant and true in contrast to all that is not God.

Galatians 5:22, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness (kindness) goodness, faith (faithfulness.)” 

Phil LaSpino  www.seekfirstwisdom.com