We Will Do Whatever We Want

Then all the women present and all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense to idols—a great crowd of all the Judeans living in northern Egypt and southern Egypt—answered Jeremiah, “We will not listen to your messages from the LORD! We will do whatever we want. We will burn incense and pour out liquid offerings to the Queen of Heaven just as much as we like—just as we, and our ancestors, and our kings and officials have always done in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For in those days we had plenty to eat, and we were well off and had no troubles! But ever since we quit burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and stopped worshiping her with liquid offerings, we have been in great trouble and have been dying from war and famine.” [Jeremiah 44.15-18]

Relative to recent posts leading up to today, I can hardly believe how easily the "Queen of Heaven" can be replaced in the passage above with "science/medicine." It is no surprise that almost any 'idol' can replace the Queen of Heaven because the Queen of Heaven was just that, an idol.

Most idols are 'idols' because of some benefit associated with them. With this in mind, we should be spiritually cautious about anything that brings us a benefit becoming an idol. We have done just that with knowledge (science, medicine, technology, etc...). We have elevated the knowledge of man to idol status today just as God's people elevated the Queen of Heaven to idol status in Jeremiah's day:

But ever since we quit burning incense to the Queen of Heaven [medicine, for example] and stopped worshiping her with liquid offerings, we have been in great trouble and have been dying from war and famine.” 

The "offerings" we give today are 'verbalization of benefit' (praise and acknowledgement) and 'money.' We praise the gods of medicine/science and lavish money upon them in exchange for their protection/benefit.

There is another important revelation in the passage above regarding the people stopping their idol worship and then having "great trouble"... We have no record that they acknowledged God as the reason why they stopped. In other words, they never repented to God, but they merely stopped idol worship. Not surprisingly, "great trouble" continued in their lives. It must be acknowledged here that there WAS evidently some benefit in worshiping idols! It couldn't stop unless it was there!

There are many people today who "try" leaving idolatry but never make the effort to give God all the same attention. These same people reason in their minds then that God, even if He is real, must necessarily use idols to accomplish benefit in our lives. In other words, many people are willing to give God credit for benefits they receive, but categorically reject the notion that God could/would provide those benefits all by Himself (without the aid of the 'idol'). This my dear reader is the very definition of idolatry! Let's remind ourselves of God's First Commandment:

“You must not have any other god but me. [Exodus 20.3]

The root problem for all is actually found early in Jeremiah's quote from the people he addressed: “We will not listen to your messages from the LORD! We will do whatever we want." And, there you have it. Anything we defend in our lives besides God is an idol. Anything that is necessary in conjunction with God is an idol. The people Jeremiah was addressing knew the First Commandment - they were, after all Jews - but they simply refused to let go of their idols. They reasoned among themselves "But ever since we quit burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and stopped worshiping her with liquid offerings, we have been in great trouble and have been dying from war and famine.”

Shouldn't what is said here at least cause concern among God's people today who make the statement, "God can... [do/provide whatever benefit], but uses... [whatever brings the benefit]" Our test to see if "whatever brings the benefit" has become an idol is to ask ourselves, "Are we willing to seek God alone for that benefit refusing that added source - so that God ALONE might be seen as God ALONE?" Have we no concern for the honor of God and His Word?

Question: Does what is being said here really matter? I mean, really, why all the fuss?

Answer: “You must not have any other god but me. [Exodus 20.3]

There is a reason today why the Church is so obviously powerless and does not look anything like Jesus. Jesus said His followers would do the same things He did - so why isn't that seen today? WHY? Shouldn't we care? Perhaps the reason has been recorded for us in all the history of Israel in the Bible: We will not listen to your messages from the LORD! We will do whatever we want.

It was no mistake that Jesus instructed His would-be followers to forsake all and follow Him.

So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. [Luke 14.33 NKJV (Read in context here: Luke 14.25-33)]

God help us all!

Father, once again today, I am convicted by my faithlessness to You alone as, and for, my everything. My human reasoning and the human reasoning of those around me constrain me to give in to idols that promise me the very things You said You would take care of. Even if these idols do provide a benefit, I am convicted that my desire for that benefit far outweighs my desire for You! Oh Father, forgive me. May I be found pleasing You with unadulterated, un-idolatrous, undivided, faith.