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It Aint What We Think It Is- Idolatry

Maddog

Maddog

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In my previous life as a pastor and pretty good Bible thumper I read and taught that idolatry was rampant in our society and that the evidence of that was "stuff". Normal christians were guilty of idoltry because they had their stuff that stopped them from going to Sunday School at 10am and Church at 11am and Sunday evening church at 6pm and bible study wednesday at 730pm. I mean REALLY FOLKS- they liked to be on their boat or RV or mansion rather than being in church when the doors were unlocked- what a terrible state of affairs! Or not...
Then I reread again II Kings 17: "... ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them..."
What was I thinking? Did I actually worship my stuff and did that stuff take on the status of idol? Well I didn't but certainly other Christians did.
The Summary: I nor others did NOT worship the "idol" because there was no graven image nor fear of crossing them nor serve them nor sacrificed to them.
What then was it? I enjoyed the blessings of our God- period!
I had employed manipulation to guilt others(and indeed myself) into coming to the religious club. If we really study the idolatry of the past we would find the hideousness of following an idol and it's repugnant results not limited to but including a bloody disgusting DISPLAY of child-sacrifice (passing through the fire). We might call that today a "post-birth" abortion. But I digress-
Are we placing an undue burden of performance on our fellow sojourners?
Idolatry is not what we think it is.
What say you and why?
-M
 
The interesting thing about idolatry and the worship of false gods is that without understanding the worship of the true God, you don't see idolatry.....even when it is everywhere and participated in on a national level.
YHWH should be Judge, King, and law giver to all those believing in Him. If you acknowledge any other Judge, King, or law giver you have to constantly judge the actions and rulings. The real trouble with that is that IF everything this other authority does is aligned with YHWH's law and moral standard obeying that IS obedience to Him, but if anything required is not in alignment it is idolatry and disobedience.
Maddog said:
Then I reread again II Kings 17: "... ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them..."
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Bow invokes images of kneeling or prostrating oneself on the floor, but another meaning and usage is to submit or yield. Paul said who you yield yourself to obey his servant you are.
Maddog said:
The Summary: I nor others did NOT worship the "idol" because there was no graven image nor fear of crossing them nor serve them nor sacrificed to them.
What then was it? I enjoyed the blessings of our God- period!
Click to expand...
I agree on the intent of believers to just enjoy blessings, but I also see taxes and fines as sacrifices.
Maddog said:
I had employed manipulation to guilt others(and indeed myself) into coming to the religious club. If we really study the idolatry of the past we would find the hideousness of following an idol and it's repugnant results not limited to but including a bloody disgusting DISPLAY of child-sacrifice (passing through the fire). We might call that today a "post-birth" abortion. But I digress-
Click to expand...
When any authority gets set up in a land it tends to go one way until it self destructs.
When a competing value system is created ... an idol and false god exist.
 
We were created to yield our allegiance to someone or something. Whatever is first in our lives is our god, even if that is ourselves.
The premise that an idol actually has to be physical is an assumption. Yes, they most often were in Bible times, but I see no specific limitations spelled out.
 
steve said:
Whatever is first in our lives is our god, even if that is ourselves.
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Reminds me of the verse that describes the mystery of iniquity (lawlessness) and also this passage

2 Thes. 3-4 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

I think this whole chapter is very sobering. ....especially verse 11. If the truth makes us free, I don't want to ever be deluded and believe a lie!

10And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
 
steve said:
We were created to yield our allegiance to someone or something. Whatever is first in our lives is our god, even if that is ourselves.
The premise that an idol actually has to be physical is an assumption. Yes, they most often were in Bible times, but I see no specific limitations spelled out.
Click to expand...

Idolatry can be the worship or veneration of a degenerate lifestyle. Or like so many on the left who worship "The State" as their god and they bow down to it, pay it tribute, and demand that everyone else bow down to it as well.
 
Maddog said:
The Summary: I nor others did NOT worship the "idol" because there was no graven image nor fear of crossing them nor serve them nor sacrificed to them.
What then was it? I enjoyed the blessings of our God- period!
Click to expand...
One other factor.....

in my opinion, people who acknowledge that their blessings come from YHWH are (perhaps) less likely to have an idol in their hearts. Just like some children lose track of where eggs and milk come from, too many now on government aid lose track (if they ever knew) of the actual SOURCE of the food that sustains them.

When one receives "blessings" from uncle Sam, I doubt they fully appreciate their Father in heaven, or see Him as the loving provider He is.
 
steve said:
We were created to yield our allegiance to someone or something. Whatever is first in our lives is our god, even if that is ourselves.
The premise that an idol actually has to be physical is an assumption. Yes, they most often were in Bible times, but I see no specific limitations spelled out.
Click to expand...
"Thou shalt not have any other gods before me" it is a matter of the will and is nor accidental. "Thou shalt not make any graven image" is something tangible, physical, and not ethereal.
 
Don't forget about the books burned in Corinthians

Edit: should have said Acts^
 
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Maddog said:
?? Refresh me plz.
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Sorry for the misunderstanding, its should have said acts.

Acts 19
18Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices.

19And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fnfifty thousand pieces of silver.


Quite the hefty amount of silver
 
A piece of silver was about a half ounce so that was 25k ounces of silver.

A normal days' pay back then was 1/10 ounce of silver (or a dime).
So 250k days of labor was the value of the books.

In today's money that's around fifty million dollars.
 
Idolatry is whatever men place ahead of YHVH in their lives, as a replacement for worship of the One True Elohim. I.e., things that "provoke Him to jealousy".

It could be a fake of rock or stone (now, that seems to include silicon - I suspect the Great AI 'God' is at hand) or a bunch of idols in a shrine (including little images of saints, or other 'intercessors' - or even an image on a stick) and, sadly, for far too many, it includes "another jesus, whom we have NOT preached," who did away with his own 'law' and comes between those who fail to worship the Real Risen One 'in spirit and in Truth'.
 
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Mark C said:
Idolatry is whatever men place ahead of YHVH in their lives, as a replacement for worship of the One True Elohim. I.e., things that "provoke Him to jealousy".

It could be a fake of rock or stone (now, that seems to include silicon - I suspect the Great AI 'God' is at hand) or a bunch of idols in a shrine (including little images of saints, or other 'intercessors' - or even an image on a stick) and, sadly, for far too many, it includes "another jesus, whom we have NOT preached," who did away with his own 'law' and comes between those who fail to worship the Real Risen One 'in spirit and in Truth'.
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As a replacement of or for worship is my point. That is idolatry. This raises a tangent question, what about materialism versus just having stuff? To look at maddog's house and posessions some might think that i am materialistic whereas i just enjoy my 2 boats, 2 RVs and 4 other vehicles. I felt guilty in the past because you cant be comfortable and be spiritual.
 
Maddog said:
As a replacement of or for worship is my point. That is idolatry. This raises a tangent question, what about materialism versus just having stuff? To look at maddog's house and posessions some might think that i am materialistic whereas i just enjoy my 2 boats, 2 RVs and 4 other vehicles. I felt guilty in the past because you cant be comfortable and be spiritual.
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Not an issue. I thank God for the blessing and respond accordingly when my brothers are in need of something He has given me. Its when I think that I own them and have a say against what He asks me that I start worshipping the stuff and not the creator.
 
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