I remember one time telling a Hindu person about Christ and what He could do for them, and without hesitation they said yes to Jesus. But I soon realized that they didn't quite understand the message that I was presenting. To them, he was just another "god" to be placed upon their mantle. In their thinking - the more gods they had, the more they would be protected, the more they would prosper. It wasn't about exclusivity, but it was about about accumulating as many gods as they could just in case one was weaker than the other.
Chapter 10 of Jeremiah is a message to people about the "idols" in their lives. God refers to them as decorated pieces of wood that couldn't talk or walk. He compares their power to His power and He questions why people would choose to follow such "stupid" things.
Since the beginning of time the devil has been trying to get man’s allegiance diverted from Almighty God to whomever or to whatever he could. That was really the problem in the Garden of Eden as his ploy to Eve was that if she would eat then she too would be like God, thus taking away from God’s supremacy.
God knows that man is easily distracted by the things that surround him and especially those things involving his fleshly nature. Self-indulgence has always had a stronger pull than self-discipline for mankind.
I suppose that is why when God gave the Ten Commandments He listed as Number One –
“You shall have no other gods before me.”Exodus 20:3 NLT
He then followed that with the Second one which clarified the prohibition of the first -
“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.”Exodus 20:4-6 NLT
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you are going to put God first in your heart, soul and mind, you do not have any “wiggle room” for anything or anyone else to supplant the place of God in your life or actions. But we know it isn’t that simple for we are bombarded with conflicting allegiances and through the ages man has succumbed to some form of idolatry.
Idolatry has reared its ugly head in every generation because, as I said in the beginning, the devil wants to divert attention away from God Almighty, the true creator of mankind.
Although we may not have idols and images such as they had in years past, we still have those things or practices that are every bit a form of idolatry as they had. We abound in things which would and do push aside our allegiance to God in some form or another.
Our nation is on a fast track to destruction because it has forgotten its roots in the things of God.
George Washington in his farewell address said, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who would labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens…” “Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion.”
One does not have to look too far to see that many of our political leaders have moved far away from the thinking of George Washington and other such leaders that were a part of the founding of this nation.
Jeremiah in our text clearly points out that God will eventually destroy all idolatry. Whether they be the idols – graven images of the past or the indulgences of the present – all are worthless and the objects of mockery. When judgment comes all forms of idolatry will perish.
One might ask about idols in today's world. The truth is that they are all around us. We put many things in front of God - TV, money, people, prestige, pride, and the list could go on and on. It is time for us to let go of those useless idols and truly become a people that is putting God first in everything in our lives.
“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:33 NLT
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