A House Full of Idols

Idolatry is a big deal in the Old Testament. You can’t read very far into it without running into it. The idea of thinking some stone figure or wood carving is an item to be worshiped is seemly absurd to us today. Truth be told it was to people back then as well. As Jeremiah put it, “But they are altogether stupid and foolish In their discipline of delusion—their idol is wood! (Jeremiah 10:8).

So why all the fuss?

Because idolatry still runs rampant today, even if we have just changed the figures. Idolatry is just an attempt to give meaning and control to what we can’t. Something we can fool ourselves into believing is meaningful, even when you should full well know it is not.

For some, it’s the influence and power of money. For others, it is the politician we fawn over when we shouldn’t trust him to hold our wallet much less the control of our country. For some, it’s our lineage or country. For others, it’s our knowledge and skill. Things we make into all-powerful gods but in reality, are just illusions that we think will protect and provide for us.

An idol is whatever we create to take the place that God deserves in our life. When we put it in that context, we might not be so smart after all.

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Ecclesiastes 12:10

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