Don't Trust In Idols

Do not be afraid of the nations there, for the LORD your God will fight for you.’ [Deuteronomy 3.22]

This was not the first time this was said.

But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The LORD himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” [Exodus 14.13-14]

God rewards those who sincerely seek Him. Don't be afraid. Just stand still and watch...

What more could anyone want to hear from God? He has offered everything in these revelations of His character in return for allegiance.

I am reminded of Hebrews 11.6:

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. [Hebrews 11.6]

I think a lot of people say they believe in God but don't really believe that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him. If they actually believed that God rewards those who sincerely seek Him, their lives would look entirely different - they would approach difficult situations with a completely different attitude. It's very much like Abraham told Isaac, "God will provide the lamb..."

When people hear, "The LORD your God will fight for you..." today, we can usually expect to hear a response similar to this, "I know God helps those who help themselves... I think the Bible says that somewhere."

The irony of this is found in the context of today's OYCB reading.

So do not corrupt yourselves by making an idol in any form—whether of a man or a woman, an animal on the ground, a bird in the sky, a small animal that scurries along the ground, or a fish in the deepest sea. And when you look up into the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars—all the forces of heaven—don’t be seduced into worshiping them. The LORD your God gave them to all the peoples of the earth. Deuteronomy 4.16-19]

In Moses' day idolatry was a pretty simple sin. What people tended to "believe in" were simple things that were readily recognizable like men, women, animals, birds, fish, the sun, the moon, or stars... Idolatry was the result of people looking to these things (believing in them), instead of to God, for their sustenance, protection or deliverance.

Sustenance, protection or deliverance... Compare these things with money, government and medicine and insurance today - all products of man's ingenuity and advancement. Are we willing today to just stand still and watch the LORD rescue us today? Or are we quick to turn to <uh-hmm> idols for the sustenance, protection and deliverance God said He Himself would provide?

My argument here is that if we were sincerely seeking God, these systems of man would be nowhere as huge as they are today (if they even existed at all). How does "the LORD your God will fight for you" really apply unless we have nothing to do with it whatsoever? How could we be sure it was God who delivered us if we had anything to do with it? The short answer is: we couldn't.

Salvation does not come to man as a supplement to his own efforts! Far too many today are not "standing still" but are instead working like crazy to be saved, hoping God will join their efforts just enough to assure their salvation. But God will have nothing to do with that! He will share the glory of man's salvation - including our sustenance, protection and deliverance - with no one or no thing, including ourselves.

When God said, "I will fight for you," in conjunction with stern warnings against idolatry, He was saying, "I, alone, without yours or anyone else's intervention, will fight for you (you just stand still and stay out of My way)!"

Do you believe it? If our first thought in response starts with, "well..." or "but..." then I am going to warn us as God warns us, "Don't trust in idols!"

Father, help us to stand still and see You fighting for us.