No Graven Image: The Curse Of Idolatry Series

God does not share His glory. He alone is to be worshipped, revered, and honored as King and God. The fall of the nation of Israel is a grim reminder of how deeply idolatry offends God. He both exposed and judged their sin.

In J.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings", a scene takes place in which Gandalf warns Pippin about their approaching conversation with Denethor, the steward of Gondor. Denethor had just learned of the death of Boromir, his beloved firstborn son. Gandalf says Denethor "loved him greatly: too much perhaps." For Denethor, Boromir was an idol, an object of his ultimate trust and devotion. Idols are people, experiences, ideas, and objects that we substitute for God. We lean on them, hope in them, and find refuge in them. These can be good things, as in the case of a child or spouse. Or they can be sinful things that we should hate. Instead, the fingers of our heart grab onto them. We trust and hope in them.

The nation of Israel is perhaps one of the saddest historical case studies of idolatry. A long line of kings who did what was evil in the sight of the Lord eventually led to their downfall. God exposed their worship of Baal and Asherah through his prophets, namely Elijah. However, their continual rebellion brought about God's judgment at the hands of Assyria (722 BC). Let's look at how God exposed and judged Israel's idolatry and see how we can learn from their example.

1 Kings 18:20-39, "So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel. 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. Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Therefore, let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it. Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who answers by fire, He is God.”

"So, all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.” Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god but put no fire under it.” So, they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made. And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.” So, they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.

Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So, all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.” Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed. And he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood, and said, “Fill four waterpots with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the wood.” Then he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time; and he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. So, the water ran all around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.

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. 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.” 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. 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!”