Idols Cause Sin

Then some of the leaders of Israel visited me, and while they were sitting with me, this message came to me from the LORD: “Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests? Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: The people of Israel have set up idols in their hearts and fallen into sin, and then they go to a prophet asking for a message. So I, the LORD, will give them the kind of answer their great idolatry deserves. I will do this to capture the minds and hearts of all my people who have turned from me to worship their detestable idols.’ “Therefore, tell the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Repent and turn away from your idols, and stop all your detestable sins. I, the LORD, will answer all those, both Israelites and foreigners, who reject me and set up idols in their hearts and so fall into sin, and who then come to a prophet asking for my advice. I will turn against such people and make a terrible example of them, eliminating them from among my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD. “‘And if a prophet is deceived into giving a message, it is because I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet. I will lift my fist against such prophets and cut them off from the community of Israel. False prophets and those who seek their guidance will all be punished for their sins. In this way, the people of Israel will learn not to stray from me, polluting themselves with sin. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!’” [Ezekiel 14.1-11]

The leaders and the people had set up idols in their hearts. These idols caused them to sin.

If one reads the context of all this passage and surrounding scripture, he or she will realize that the "sin" being done here is faithlessness to the Sovereign LORD.

Toward the end of this passage, we see that the punishment will teach God's people "not to stray from me." Clearly the punishment is for unfaithfulness. Unfaithfulness is not honoring God as God. Honoring God as God is trusting Him alone and looking to no other source for that which God has said He provides (everything).

Idols are anything to which we devote ourselves and our faith instead of God. Idols are anything we depend upon instead of God.

The New Testament is clear that whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Furthermore, it teaches that without faith it is impossible to please God. If we then trust anything besides God for anything God said He would provide (again, everything), then we have misplaced our faith thus betraying our trust in God alone and we are in grave sin. Ezekiel, speaking for God, compares it to prostitution and worse. In fact, he indicates in following scripture (in today's reading) that this unfaithfulness (idolatry) is worse than the sin of Sodom.

So then, our task is to evaluate what it is that we trust in instead of God and, in repentance, break our faith-bonds to those things and restore our faith in God alone for everything He said He would provide.

It is time to evaluate...

Father, I know the list of things I trust instead of You is great. Please forgive me for this betrayal of trust and help me to rid myself of the idols in my life so that my faithfulness to You is evident. May You and only You be glorified in and by my life.