“But our ancestors were proud and stubborn, and they paid no attention to your commands. They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them, even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, ‘This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!’ They committed terrible blasphemies. [Nehemiah 9.16-18]
In this section of Nehemiah, a backstory of God's people is given. This backstory is actually included in a prayer following three hours of God's Word being read to the people followed by three hours of confession of sins and worship of God. The text indicates the people stood this entire time.
I discovered information today contained within the text of Nehemiah 9.16-18 that provides a huge revelation in regard to understanding "blasphemy."
...even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, ‘This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!’ They committed terrible blasphemies. [Nehemiah 9.18]
It was blasphemy to attribute "God-accomplishments" (Israel's miraculous deliverance from Egypt) to the calf idol Israel made.
How does this relate to us today? Most Christians, including myself, don't want to hear the answer... But. let's explore the facts anyway...
Man made the industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology just like Aaron made the gold calf. Man has increasingly grown to trust and rely on these industries for the benefits they provide - benefits God said He would provide...
There is no irony whatsoever that while Israel was making their calf idol, Moses was on Mt Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments from God.
THINK! There is a very good reason the 3rd commandment follows the 2nd Commandment! In His infinite wisdom, God gave the 1st Commandment to establish that He ALONE is God. From there, God knew that when man failed the 1st Commandment, he would begin to manufacture idols thus, God gave the 2nd Commandment. Then, knowing the way it would go, God gave the 3rd Commandment because He knew that man would then attempt to justify his idols by claiming they are gods, or worse, claiming that they are the works of God (in misuse of God's name), when in fact, they are purely the works of man.
“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. “You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God. The LORD will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. [Exodus 20.2-7]
"God's people" today vehemently defend man's idol industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology (just to name the most obvious ones) in pure blasphemy. It is stubborn and rebellious violation of the 3rd Commandment.
It is blasphemy when man claims that his man-made industries are God's way to provide him with benefits.
Here is an excellent question: when have you ever heard one of man's major idol industries declare that they are a gift from God? Or, how about this: when have you ever heard one of man's idol industries give glory to God? In fact, it is only God's people who make these silly blasphemous claims!
The reality in all of this is that, in God's people's vehement and blasphemous insistence that their idols are not idols, God's miraculous blessings are withheld (as the 2nd Commandment warns) and they perceive and therefore justify that they need their idols only that much more.
No amount of "faith teaching" can overcome the curses for idolatry because faith in God will not fight against faith in idols. Jesus revealed this universal principle:
But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. [Matthew 12.25-30]
What's more, in Matthew chapter 12, Jesus addressed blasphemy against the Spirit of God which, in context, was the religious people's claim that the power of the Holy Spirit seen in Jesus' works were instead the works of Satan. The principle Jesus taught was that faith in God cannot share space with faith in Satan and neither can faith in Satan share space with faith in God.
“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. [Matthew 12.33]
And, speaking of "fruit" how can God's people even begin to attribute the benefits of man's industries of finance, insurance, medicine and technology to God and His power when, in their public advertisements, they all openly depict homosexuality, transgenderism, and the likes (that God detests) as normal behavior?
God NEVER suggested or even hinted that man should look anywhere but to Him ALONE for provision, protection, health, or knowledge. But, in man's impatient and insatiable appetite for self-preservation, he created his own gods to provide benefits for himself and then, in the same guilt Adam and Eve revealed in the Garden of Eden, God's people blasphemously justify "covering themselves."
For the record, every mention of God's people here is a mention of me. I find myself waiting on a wave of God's people to see the truth of God's Word ridding themselves of their idols before I "jump in" myself... What I really need to be doing is reconciling with Jesus:
If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24]
Father, once again, I find myself at an impasse with myself as Your Word reveals my true self. Your Word could not be more clear - You detest idols - You detest Your people trusting in anything to any degree instead of or in addition to You. You detest and strictly forbid Your people claiming that our man-made idol industries have anything whatsoever to do with You. Jesus was just as clear in demanding that I give up my own way, take up my cross, and follow Him. May I be found following Jesus even if I am found alone so doing. May I be found methodically giving up every idol that I have intentionally or unintentionally become beholding to. So be it.
