Idolatry

• We should have no other gods (Exodus 20: 3)-Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Our God is a jealous God.  And He commands His children not to be enticed or lead astray by other gods or anything else that could hurt our relationship with Him, or threaten our salvation.  He is very clear when He instructs us in the very first commandment. 

• Do not be devoted to anyone or anything more than God (Deuteronomy 4: 23)-Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee.

The Lord strictly forbids the creation of graven images, statues, animals, or other things in this verse we read.  The promise that He made as our God is that we maintain our faith in Him, and nothing else.

• Devote your heart to God (Joshua 24: 14)-Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord.

In this passage we see how the Lord instructs His children to serve Him in all sincerity.  We are to forsake any other gods that our ancestors believed in before they came to the knowledge and servitude to Christ our Lord and Savior.  The salvation of the people of Israel at that time came through Moises--a chosen Servant of the Lord our God.  When they crossed the river Jordan, they were instructed to leave behind any gods or beliefs/practices that they had in Egypt to live a new life in Him.  That is what He commands.

• Look to God for your security (Judges 10: 13-16)-Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.  Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.  And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.  And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

When we forsake our God by following other gods or things in this world including our own desires, we also forsake His deliverance, or salvation.  He can no longer save us if we go to other Gods.  We force God to forsake us also.  So clearly, He tells us to look for those other gods to save us when we are in trouble since we left Him.  And as you know, if you forsake God, you have no deliverance, because our God is the true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  He has never failed.  Other gods fail.  Only when we repent, can God deliver us from tribulation.  We need to forsake any idolatry, gods, or other paganism we commit in time of disobedience.  Only then can God save us.

• We give in to idolatry when we forget God (Psalm 106: 19-22)-They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.  Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.  They forgot God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;  Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.

If we forget about God, and give into idolatry by making idols made of gold, silver, etc., we are asking for destruction in many ways.  The Lord cannot protect our souls or lives if we go to other gods.  This lesson is very clear.  It is very sad when people do these things, because God knows very well what the consequences are to these devastating decisions and actions (choices).

• God will not share his glory with anything else (Isaiah 42: 8)-I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

Our God will not allow another to take credit for His creation, works, wonders, or power.  It's not right for another to claim His honor and power.  Only He can.  It's wrong to give glory to another god or person.  We cannot take credit for his awesomeness.

• Christians cannot serve both God and the things of this world (Luke 16: 13)-No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (money).

We cannot say that we love God if we can leave Him to go after money, fame, fortune, or anything that stands between God and us as His children.  We must maintain Him as our priority and trust in Him to sustain our lives according to His will otherwise we put ourselves in danger of idolatry.  And this can be with family, career, fame, anything that takes us away from Him, or His ways.  We need to exercise care in our walk in faith not to give in to idolatry.  Keep your eyes on Him.  And He will provide in due time, and the blessings will overflow.  When we remain in His ways, the blessings outpoured over our lives will be so much, that we will not be able to receive it all at times.  His abundance is more than any abundance we seek on our own.  Until the next study, God bless you and yours.  Take care.