Flee from idolatry

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord. We thank God for His great love for us. One thing the Israelites did and we are warned against, was participating in idolatry.

Primary Text

“Do not be worshipers of false gods as some of them were, as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink [the sacrifices offered to the golden calf at Horeb] and rose to sport (to dance and give way to jesting and hilarity).” 1 Corinthians 10v7 (AMP)

Idolatry is the “the deifying of self and other created things instead of God” (Colossians 3v5, AMP). You can imagine that idolatry is a huge insult to God. As humans for example, if we do something, and we are not acknowledged or the praise is given to someone else, we feel it. Now imagine people giving God’s glory to things He Himself created like ourselves, the sun, moon, or things made with hands. We need to be careful to give God all the glory and not to idolize ourselves, some other person, money, or some object of gold, silver, wood e.t.c. Ephesians 5v5-6 (AMP) says “For be sure of this: that no person practicing sexual vice or impurity in thought or in life, or one who is covetous [who has lustful desire for the property of others and is greedy for gain] – for he [in effect] is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one delude and deceive you with empty excuses and groundless arguments [for these sins], for through these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of rebellion and disobedience.” Colossians 3v5 (AMP) also gives an instruction saying “So kill (deaden, deprive of power) the evil desire lurking in your members [those animal impulses and all that is earthly in you that is employed in sin]: sexual vice, impurity, sensual appetites, unholy desires, and all greed and covetousness, for that is idolatry (the deifying of self and other created things instead of God.” (Colossians 3v5, AMP). Indeed, the Bible is clear that idolaters will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6v9), and has even showed us an example with the Israelites.

Supplementary Text

“The people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. After this, they celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry. The LORD told Moses, “Quick! Go down the mountain! Your people whom you brought from the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. How quickly they have turned away from the way I commanded them to live! They have melted down gold and made a calf, and they have bowed down and sacrificed to it. They are saying, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.’” Exodus 32v6-8 (NLT)

Prayer

Father, we thank You for Your Word and Your warnings. We repent and ask for forgiveness of any idolatry on our part. Have mercy on us o Lord. We declare that You alone are our God, and only You will we serve in Jesus name, amen.