Worship vs Idolatry

As worshipers, we need to make no room in our hearts for idols. The Lord calls us to love Him and worship Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength.

An idol can be defined as:

-an object of worship

-an image used as an object of worship

-a false god

-one that is adored, often blindly or excessively

-something visible but without substance

-the worship of a physical object as a god

-the immoderate devotion or attachment to something

Ex. 20:3 You shall have no other gods before me. [First Commandment]

Ex. 20:23 You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold.

Ex. 23:24 you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do

“make” - Idolatry is directed at manufactured objects.

“bow down” - Idolatry involves making symbolic gestures which honor the thing they are directed to.

“serve” - Idolatry is like serving someone (a master, a King).

1Kings 18 gives us the story of Elijah when he confronted the weak king Ahab, his wife Jezebel and the prophets of Baal. These were all a part of the idolatrous Amorite nation.

The Amorites may have come from the northern mountains beyond what is now modern Iraq or around the Caspian Sea. Their name comes from the god they worshiped. These were the most difficult nation for Israel to deal with - an evil and sinful people whose wickedness surpasses that of any other, and whose life was cut short on earth. They used black art, witchcraft and impure mysteries, by which they contaminated Israel.

When the children of Israel are summing up their victories (Josh. 24:18) they said, “And the LORD drove out from before us all the people, including the Amorites who dwelt in the land. We also will serve the LORD, for He is our God.”

The Amorites got special mention because they were so difficult to deal with, and they caused such trouble for Israel.

1Kings 18:21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.

36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word.

 37 “Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that You are the LORD God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.”

 38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.

 39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”

If God had permitted it, Satan could have sent fire to the altar of the false prophets. He would have done it to support the prophets of Baal and to bring confusion to God’s people. Satan has the power to make fire come down from heaven (Rev. 13:13-14). God would not allow the devil to do it, however, because the trial of his Divine title and supremacy was put to the test by all present.

We might think that we don’t have idols in our lives. We tend to think that idols are only for less “sophisticated” people than us…but…answer these questions, and you will see what captures your heart, and who, or what you worship:  

•  What is it that demands your utmost commitment?

•  What is it that you give the majority of your heart and effort to?

•  What is it that controls your behavior?

•  What is it that causes joy and sorrow in your life?

•  What is it that you want the most?

•  What do you do with your leisure time?

•  What do you think about the most?

•  What do you love the most?

•  What makes you laugh and cry?

•  What is the caliber of friends you surround yourself with?

•  How do you spend your money

•  Whom and what do you admire

Answer these questions honestly - they will show you who/what you worship.

It is possible to worship sports, people, money, TV, shopping, cars, music, art(s), work, substances - almost anything.

Tell me what you love and I will tell you what you are.

Arsène Houssaye

Crossing Over

The Lord loves to take us on to new places in dramatic ways. There are so many occasions when God's promises can only be attained when we press through one last test of faith. For many great people in the Bible this test of faith is represented by a body of water. They crossed over and enter the promise. Here are 3 of these:

Moses crossed the red sea with a miracle – into the wilderness – Old Covenant. (Exodus 15)

Joshua crossed the Jordan with a miracle – into the Promised Land – New Covenant. (Joshua 3-4)

Elijah and Elisha crossed over the Jordan with a miracle – into a double portion (2 Kings 2)

1. The place of crossing represents the final great barrier to God's promise. Like Joshua who sent the Ark of the Covenant over the Jordan first, we have to follow the presence of God - don't ever take your eyes off the Lord.

2. No matter what we have been through, we still need  to see our journey through to the end and cross over God's final test. There are times when we are stepping into things we don't understand - but our eyes remain on the Lord.

3. It is possible that the final "crossing over" will involve some of the hardest things we encounter on the journey towards the promise. Our faith will move us forward

4. Somehow the waters become a place of cleansing. Testings will often do that to us - they bring us through great things to receive God's great approval; they clothe us in new layers of holiness if we find God in the test.

5. The "crossing over" brings with it a new anointing and greater fruitfulness

6. The "crossing over" indicates that we have a past that we must leave behind and a future to claim.

7. The "crossing over" affects every area of our lives - spirit, soul and body; mind, will and emotions. In the end all of these must submit to the will of God, the cross of Christ and the leading of the Holy Spirit

Deut. 9:1

Hear, O Israel:
You are to cross over the Jordan today,

and go in to dispossess nations
greater and mightier than yourself,

cities great and fortified up to heaven.

Josh. 4:5 and Joshua said to them: “Cross over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and each one of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel,

           

Josh. 4:7 “Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel forever.”

Each tribe contributed to the story of God’s glory in this place

In Scripture, times of the radical in-breaking of God in the lives of His people were memorialized with altars. To the uninitiated, the pile of stones had no meaning.  But the markers were there so that when the children asked, “what do these stones mean,” a suitable history lesson would follow.