That's What Idols Do

Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed, for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in. [Mark 6.51-52] 

How many times have we read or heard the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 - the miracle of the loaves?

Do WE understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves?

Mark records that their hearts were too hard to take it in. What does that mean?

What indeed does that mean? Are our hearts also too hard to take it in?

It appears the Gospel writer Mark had picked up on something, and so, added his commentary to the account of the miracle of the loaves, Their hearts were too hard to take it in. Historically speaking, Jesus had already made the following statement about hard-heartedness as recorded by Matthew (and it was a quote from Isaiah):

For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’ [Matthew 13.15]

And here is the Isaiah passage Jesus was referencing: 

And he said, “Yes, go, and say to this people, ‘Listen carefully, but do not understand. Watch closely, but learn nothing.’ Harden the hearts of these people. Plug their ears and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, nor understand with their hearts and turn to me for healing.” [Isaiah 6.9-10] 

Then, to understand where Isaiah 6.9-10 is coming from (its context), we can go back to where we find the indictment at the root of God's harsh words through Isaiah:

Their land is full of idols; the people worship things they have made with their own hands. [Isaiah 2.8]

Imagine that! Hard-heartedness is birthed in idolatry. Idolatry is a blinder and deafener to the Truth that sets people free (their ears cannot hear - their eyes cannot see). In broad, general definition, idolatry prevents miracles.

Jesus' disciples came close on many occasions and even saw results in others, but at this point in time that Mark records, they were not quite "there" yet: Their hearts were too hard to take it in.

If we find ourselves "clueless" when it comes to Jesus' miracles, and consequently fearful and powerless in our own lives, shouldn't we at least consider the possibility that idols might be the problem? Yes, idols in our own day and time that have so permeated our lives and culture that they are undetected by all but those who allow the Bible to reveal them.

So ingrained in society - so "normal" -  have idols become today that not even churches are decrying their existence. Whether religion and religious people ever acknowledge it or not, however, idolatry remains the prevailing antithesis to God. Could idolatry then be the culprit behind the overwhelming powerlessness of the Church today among civilized cultures worldwide?

Are we not understanding and therefore not healed because of our grip on idols?

Jesus' life and message of "faith" is no mistake. Only faith pleases God. Faith defies all reason and logic - all science and academia. Jesus' example of simple faith puts our modern religious ideas of it to shame - whether we make it powerlessly "abstract" with all manner of complicated explanations, or to the contrary, hail it as "real" going so far as to "confess it" when, in reality, nothing is or has happened. Jesus NEVER sent anyone away unhealed telling them to just keep confessing it! Jesus spoke in real simple words and circumstances changed. 

Can we not see the truth of this for what it is? Or, are our hearts hardened because idolatry has effectively made us blind and deaf to the Truth of God's Word - Jesus?

Debt, insurance, medicine and technology are all modern-day idols. They handily fit the Bible's repeated and numerous descriptions of idols. But, instead of seeing how they fit the Bible's descriptions of idols, we go to great lengths to justify their existence with damnable religious nonsense.

Confused? Yeah, that's what idols do...

Father, may Your Light shine the Truth on our present-day idolatry. No, it won't be popular, but what else should we expect? May there be a revival of Biblical Truth among Your people today. May we see how little we actually look like Jesus but how much we actually look like idolaters... May a wave of repentance sweep over Your people - the Body of Christ - and may Your undeniable power return to us as is fitting for children of the King! So be it.