The Foolishness of Idol Worship
April 18, 2013
“He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.” Isaiah 44:14.
Imagine if you will a party of men and women at a campout. They’re
sitting around a blazing campfire stoking the coals with what’s left of
some very nice pieces of cedar, cypress, and oak wood. They are busy in
their conversations and preparations of the evening’s meal.
“Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread…” Isaiah 44:15.
As the fire gets hotter they comment to one another on how the evening
has turned damp and cool, but how nice it is to be able to warm
themselves by the fire simply by utilizing a few pieces of old dry wood.
They continue to prepare bread and meat, perhaps roasting hot dogs and
toasting buns. They use the burning wood embers to cook their evening
meal all the while keeping warm and dry by the fire. “He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:” Isaiah 44:16. Then the dinner is ready; they all partake of the meal, and are warm and full.
But there remains a piece of wood sticking out of the embers which was not burned up in the fire. “And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.” Isaiah 44:17.
Suddenly one of the men grabs for the stick, pulls out his carving
knife and begins to form the leftover oak into the image of a man. Once
completed all the men and women at the campout join together in a
semicircle around the newly formed image, they bow down before it, and
begin to worship that small piece of oak now carved into the image of
idol. Just a moment before this same stick was destined to become ashes.
They speak to the carved image as though they were speaking to a living
image requesting that piece of wood to bless them and their endeavors.
“They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.” Isaiah 44:18.
Is the above scenario not the epitome of foolishness? Yet this is the
course that has been taken by many individuals throughout history.
People will go to any length to construct for themselves a god in lieu
of worshipping the one true God of all creation. How can people become
so deluded that they can’t see the foolishness of placing their faith
and trust in a simple half-burned piece of wood? Many people today place
their faith and trust in inanimate objects. Still others will worship
whatever it is that brings them what they perceive to be peace and joy.
Even a moment of joy can lead a person to worship as their god that
thing that brought them that one moment exaltation. “They
that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable
things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not,
nor know; that they may be ashamed.” Isaiah 44:9.
It will profit these foolish people nothing as they bow their heads and
worship graven images. They are their own witnesses to their own
destruction. These idol worshipers haven’t the common sense to be
ashamed of their own foolish actions. The God of all creation views
these people as willfully ignorant.
“Thus
saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I
am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.” Isaiah 44:6. God makes it abundantly clear that He is the first and the last “I
am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which
is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8.
All through the Bible we are told there is only one God and His name is
Jesus and He is the Almighty – the first and last, the Alpha and Omega.
But foolishness abounds and in these extreme last days it seems to be
burgeoning at a phenomenal rate. There are many people who will worship
anything but the one true God.
“And
who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for
me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are
coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.” Isaiah 44:7.
This is a challenge put forth by the One true God of all creation. He
says go ahead bring your god forward and let him make his power known to
all. God says “Let’s see your god tell the future of all creation”. “Fear
ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and
have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me?
yea, there is no God; I know not any.” Isaiah 44:8.
Sun
god (Apollo), moon god (Allah), or created images such as birds,
reptiles, snakes, as well as all inanimate objects have no spirit save
the spirit of demons. God says try every spirit to see if they confess
Jesus as the Christ. “Beloved,
believe not every spirit, but try the spirits where they are of god:
because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye
the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is
come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that
Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of god: and this is that spirit
of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now
already is it in the world.” 1 John 4:1-3. None
of those false gods and idols listed above will confess Christ as
Saviour and Lord. Yes, the spirit of antichrist has been around for a
long time. It was already in the world when John wrote these words, and
it is still causing much grief today.
What
is the result of worshipping false gods and idols? Those who are caught
up in idol worship sometimes seem so wise. But is that really the case?
“Professing
themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the
uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to
birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore god also
gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to
dishonor their own bodies between themselves: who changed the truth of
god into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the
Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.” Romans 1:22-25.
God has given us the freedom to choose wisely and follow Him, or to be
foolish and worship pieces of wood. We can see the result of this idol
worship all around us. The worldly way of lusting after carnal desires
is creeping into the lives of Christians. Instead of worshipping the
Creator, it is the creature that is being worshipped, even by some who
profess to be Christians.
“And none considereth
in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I
have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon
the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make
the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a
tree?” Isaiah 44:19.
Those of us who know the truth should be pricked in our hearts as we
watch these foolish people who can’t seem to come to the conclusion that
what they worship is…nothing. It’s empty. On the other hand, Jesus is
alive! He loves us and died for us. But our God is a jealous God. Take
time to read through the 10 Commandments (notice they are not the 10
suggestions) found in Exodus chapter 20. God does not share His Kingdom,
glory or Throne with demons or snakes, nor does He placate fools.
Make
no mistake, it isn’t only images of creatures that are idols. Anything
that holds a higher place in our life than God is an idol. Anything.
Television, music, jobs, hobbies, the list goes on. There is absolutely
no other God besides the God who created the universe and everything in
it. He is the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. He is the Messiah
of Israel. He is the Saviour of mankind. In the Hebrew He is Yeshua HaMashiach.
He is our brother and He is our friend. He is Jesus the Christ. He is
the only way of Salvation. He is my God. Who – or what – is yours?
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
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