What Is An Idol?

During Rehoboam’s reign, the people of Judah did what was evil in the LORD’s sight, provoking his anger with their sin, for it was even worse than that of their ancestors. For they also built for themselves pagan shrines and set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree. [1 Kings 14.22-23]

What is an idol?

I think we have been lax in our responsibility to understand the question above. If we do not understand what an idol is, then we are not as likely to examine ourselves for their existence in our lives.

Let me explain...

Every false god, idol, Asherah pole, pagan shrine, sacred pillar, and the like was not just a 'fixture' to worship, but rather a 'power' or 'entity' given credit/praise/worship for some benefit. These benefits were in fact life necessities like food, riches, crops, protection, and the list could go on and on. Not to be overlooked in the plethora of idols were those looked to for the benefits of health, fertility, and direction. In other words, there was an idol to provide almost everything God promised His people He would provide.

God's people committed spiritual adultery when they looked to these idols (for their respective benefits) instead of to Him.

Is the reality of this beginning to sink in?

Idolatry has not gone away today but has simply refined itself in step with man's ingenuity. Idols are no longer primitive carvings or sculptures of wood or stone, but rather very advanced, nevertheless manmade, images that represent some provision (some benefit). The idols of modern society have necessarily cloaked themselves in forms not as easily recognizable as the old wood or stone images but they remain idols just the same.

What are these idols?

Let me avoid a direct indictment upon us but simply ask a few more questions...

What/who do we depend on today for our health?

What/who do we depend on today for our wealth?

What/who do we depend on today for our protection?

What/who do we depend on today for our restoration?

The damning truth upon society today (especially the Church) is that we cannot say that God alone is our source and supply (as He demands). Instead, we boldly make pretentious claims of 'faith in God' but follow those claims of faith with contradictory qualifiers like, "but God uses [insert medicine, my job, security measures, insurance..."] and on it goes.

Lest we feel a bit resistant to what has been said here:

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

But if we were to follow the good kings' examples as recorded in the Bible and destroy all the idols of our time, would we not be going backwards? Yeah, then there's that... I mean, pleasing God is not really all that important, is it?

Church, don't be fooled! God demands our undivided trust in Him alone regardless what it makes us look like to the world. If the world taunted believers in the Bible for their faith, it will taunt believers today for their faith. The problem with modern Christians today is that there simply is no distinction between what they trust in and what the world trusts in (regardless what they say). ALL rely on the same medicine, financial systems, insurance, etc. - it's just that Christians "say" they are depending on God. Well... as James put it, "saying" and "doing" are two entirely different things:

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? [James 2.14]

You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. [James 2.19]

I don't mean offense to anyone here. But I do fully intend to stir up some self-examination according to what the Bible teaches so that we might please God with genuine, unadulterated faith!

God help us.

Father, the one most 'painted into a corner here' is me. Forgive me for my refusal to rid myself of idols with my human reasoning that screams to protect and justify the advancements of man...