IDOLATRY
WHAT IS IDOLATRY?
Exodus 20:1-5 . . . Then God instructed the people as follows: “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in Egypt. Do not worship any other gods besides me. Do not make idols of any kind, whether in the shape of birds or animals or fish. You must never worship or bow down to them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god!”
Idolatry is worshiping anything other than the Lord himself.
Isaiah 44:17 . . . Then he takes what’s left and makes his god: a carved idol! He falls down in front of it, worshiping and praying to it. “Rescue me!” he says. “You are my god!”
Idolatry is trusting anything other than the Lord for salvation.
1 John 5:21 . . . Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.
An idol is anything that takes God’s place in our hearts.
WHAT KINDS OF IDOLS DO PEOPLE WORSHIP TODAY?
Leviticus 19:4 . . . Do not . . . make gods of metal for yourselves.
People may not make statues, but many people worship man-made objects.
Deuteronomy 4:15-17 . . . Be careful! You did not see the Lord’s form on the day he spoke to you from the fire at Mount Sinai. So do not corrupt yourselves by making a physical image in any form-whether of a man or a woman, an animal or a bird, a creeping creature or a fish.
Even today some people worship pictures, not knowing that it is idolatry.
Deuteronomy 4:19 . . . When you look up into the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars-all the forces of heaven-don’t be seduced by them and worship them. The Lord your God designated these heavenly bodies for all the peoples of the earth.
Romans 1:21-25 . . . Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. . . And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, . . . they worshiped the things God made but not the Creator himself.
Many people worship the creation rather than God himself, the Creator.
2 Chronicles 33:6 . . . Manasseh . . . practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and he consulted with mediums and psychics. He did much that was evil in the Lord’s sight, arousing his anger.
Some worship spiritual powers which are not from God.
Acts 10:25-26 . . . As Peter entered his home, Cornelius fell to the floor before him in worship. But Peter pulled him up and said, “Stand up! I’m a human being like you!”
Acts 14:11-15 . . . When the listening crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in their local dialect, “These men are gods in human bodies!”
Many people make the mistake of worshiping celebrities and other impressive figures.
Colossians 2:18 . . . Don’t let anyone say you must worship angels, even though they say they have had visions about this.
Some people revere their own spiritual experiences.
PROMISES FROM GOD:
Jeremiah 10:11 . . . Say this to those who worship other gods: “Your so-called gods, who did not make the heavens and earth, will vanish from the earth.”
Ezekiel 36:25 . . . Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols.