The LORD, not Idols

June 25, 2020

In the middle of his prophetic word to Israel, the prophet Isaiah includes this piece of satire. He mocks the practice of idolatry and urges the people of God to see the worship of idols as not only sinful, but also as foolish. Look for insights about idolatry in this satire and see what it has to say about our idols today. 

SCRIPTURE

Click her to read from Isaiah 44:6-20

Study the passage using this Bible Study method.

REFLECTION

A Heart Divided

By Kelsey Bacon

Idolatry is such an ancient concept that it's almost funny that we still struggle with it today. You'd think that we as followers of God would have learned by now, with the knowledge and history we have of God's people. But there's a reason this is such a well-known sin: because it is still just as pervasive today as it was in the Israelites' time, it just looks different.

When I read the first verse of this passage, I see, "I am the first and the last, apart from me there is no God." And I wholeheartedly agree and I feel the bold, strong dedication to my God. Then, as I continue reading this long, detailed description of idol makers, I think Wow, you must be pretty dumb to work so hard to make an idol to worship. Then, as I keep reading, certain things jump out at me and I begin to feel uncomfortable. Phrases like, "he gets hungry and loses strength; he drinks no water and grows faint," and, "he shapes it in the form of man, of man in all his glory," and, "He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow." 

All of these details tell me things about this idol maker: 1) He is dedicating so much time and energy to his idol that he is neglecting to care for himself. 2) His idol is an image that reflects himself or those like him. And 3) he had to wait a long time to build his idol, had to wait patiently while the tree grew so he could use its wood. That's how much he cares about this idol.

As I read these things, I cannot help but feel a little twist in my gut. Although we might not have gold, stone, or wood statues that we bow down to nowadays, idols have only taken different forms in our lives. An idol is merely an object of our devotion. And even though as Christians we say we are wholly devoted to Christ, we know that our hearts are often divided, that there are things we often put before God in our lives. These are our idols.

Think about your idols, those things in your life that you sometimes put before God. Is it something that you dedicate so much time and energy toward that you neglect to care for yourself or those around you as God calls you to? Is it something that is to your glory, rather than God's? Is it something you are waiting on, something you are anxious about, something that fills your mind and heart more than God does?

Sometimes, the things we idolize aren't bad things at all. In fact, they're often gifts that God has given us, like our jobs or our relationships. But the place we put them in our hearts is what matters. And the very end of this passage is key. Isaiah writes, "he cannot save himself." Our hearts are malleable, bendable, easily swayed. It is part of being human. But part of being a child of God is that we are not on our own when we stray. Jesus comes after us and brings us back to him. We cannot save ourselves, but we can keep our devotion in check, and ask the Lord to renew our hearts.

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