Sermon Central
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Why God Hates All Forms Of Idolatry
Contributed by Paul Fritz on Mar 15, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: A person seldom considers that his own selfishness can be an idol, as "self" is more important than God. Very few consider that anything, which is more important to a person than obeying God, may be considered an idol.
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Why God Hates All Forms of Idolatry
A person may not consider that an automobile, house, certain possessions, a hobby, a person, a political party, a cause, a job, a sport, an addiction, lusts, pleasures, or some other thing, can become an idol.
A person may not consider that stubbornness is as idolatry in the eyes of God. Covetousness is also considered idolatry in the eyes of God.
A person seldom considers that his own selfishness can be an idol, as "self" is more important than God.
Very few consider that anything, which is more important to a person than obeying God, may be considered an idol.
Astrology, money, gold, silver, investments, success, popularity, pride, and many other such things, are also idols to people.
Idols are an abomination to the Lord. God is a jealous God.
1. Those that make, possess, or worship idols are cursed.
To put anything before God, or to esteem any created thing more than God the Creator, is wickedness and a form of idolatry.
God’s warning is clear: do not do it.
Following are a few of the many verses in the Bible, relating to the subject of idols and idolatry.
2-GOD’S WARNING: HIS COMMANDS
Ex 20:3-6-THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME.
4-THOU SHALT NOT MAKE UNTO THEE ANY GRAVEN IMAGE, OR ANY LIKENESS OF ANY THING THAT IS IN HEAVEN ABOVE, OR THAT IS IN THE EARTH BENEATH, OR THAT IS IN THE WATER UNDER THE EARTH:
5-THOU SHALT NOT BOW DOWN THYSELF TO THEM, NOR SERVE THEM: FOR I THE LORD THY GOD AM A JEALOUS GOD, VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN UNTO THE THIRD AND FOURTH GENERATION OF THEM THAT HATE ME;
6-AND SHEWING MERCY UNTO THOUSANDS OF THEM THAT LOVE ME, AND KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.
Ex 20:23-YE SHALL NOT MAKE WITH ME GODS OF SILVER, NEITHER SHALL YE MAKE UNTO YOU GODS OF GOLD.
Ex 23:13-AND IN ALL THINGS THAT I HAVE SAID UNTO YOU BE CIRCUMSPECT: AND MAKE NO MENTION OF THE NAME OF OTHER GODS, NEITHER LET IT BE HEARD OUT OF THY MOUTH.
Deut 4:16-18-(Take heed) LEST YE CORRUPT YOURSELVES, AND MAKE YOU A GRAVEN IMAGE, THE SIMILITUDE OF ANY FIGURE, THE LIKENESS OF MALE OR FEMALE,
17-THE LIKENESS OF ANY BEAST THAT IS ON THE EARTH, THE LIKENESS OF ANY WINGED FOWL THAT FLIETH IN THE AIR,
18-THE LIKENESS OF ANY THING THAT CREEPETH ON THE GROUND, THE LIKENESS OF ANY FISH THAT IS IN THE WATERS BENEATH THE EARTH.
Deut 4:23,24-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.
24-FOR THE LORD THY GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE, EVEN A JEALOUS GOD.
2 Ki 17:35-THE LORD HAD MADE A COVENANT, AND CHARGED THEM, SAYING, YE SHALL NOT FEAR OTHER GODS, NOR BOW YOURSELVES TO THEM, NOR SERVE THEM, NOR SACRIFICE TO THEM.
This warning, in Deut 4:16-18,23,24, also extends to the wicked sin of astrology. God has destroyed whole nations for such wickedness. It is written, Deut 4:15,16,19,24,26-TAKE…HEED…LEST YE CORRUPT YOURSELVES…AND LEST THOU LIFT UP THINE EYES UNTO HEAVEN, AND WHEN THOU SEEST THE SUN, AND THE MOON, AND THE STARS, EVEN ALL THE HOST OF HEAVEN, SHOULDEST BE DRIVEN TO WORSHIP THEM, AND SERVE THEM, WHICH THE LORD THY GOD HATH DIVIDED UNTO ALL NATIONS UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN. FOR THE LORD THY GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE, EVEN A JEALOUS GOD. I CALL HEAVEN AND EARTH TO WITNESS AGAINST YOU THIS DAY, THAT YE SHALL…UTTERLY PERISH FROM OFF THE LAND.
Deut 7:25,26-THE GRAVEN IMAGES OF THEIR GODS SHALL YE BURN WITH FIRE: THOU SHALT NOT DESIRE THE SILVER OR GOLD THAT IS ON THEM, NOR TAKE IT UNTO THEE, LEST THOU BE SNARED THEREIN: FOR IT IS AN ABOMINATION TO THE LORD THY GOD.
26-NEITHER SHALT THOU BRING AN ABOMINATION INTO THINE HOUSE, LEST THOU BE A CURSED THING LIKE IT: BUT THOU SHALT UTTERLY DETEST IT, AND THOU SHALT UTTERLY ABHOR IT; FOR IT IS A CURSED THING.
Yet despite God’s commands, people do what they wish. They will perish, unless they repent.
3-MAKING AN IMAGE OR IDOL AND WORSHIPPING IT AS GOD
Isa 44:6-20-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.
7-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.
8-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.