Idolatry: It still flourishes, even without statues

Suppose you found a friend carving a small statue out of a piece of wood. "What are you going to do with that?" you ask. "I'm going to worship it", they say. "I've got a nice spot in my house where I can kneel down and ask it for things".

To moderns, idolatry is as weird as cannibalism; we're not tempted to try it. But since part of the Old Testament is concerned with idolatry, we need to get some idea of what people saw in it--and why God condemned it.

Mixing Religions

In Jeremiah's day [one of the Old Testament prophets], practically everybody practiced idolatry. Israelites had a hard time seeing that a few statues interfered with their relationship with the one true God. They would go to worship God right after burning incense to Baal (Jeremiah 7:9-10).

They built shrines on top of many hills and under the tallest trees so that worship could be carried out conveniently without a trip to Jerusalem. They ignored the prophets' warnings that God hated this 'mixed religion'.

Judah's neighbors believed in many gods, each having its sphere of influence. The Jews had begun to wonder: Why should their God be so different? Why should He want to destroy these gods? If idols were a fraud, mere carvings, why should God worry about them?

"The images he makes are a fraud;
    they have no breath in them." Jeremiah 10:14 (b)        

What the evil idols stood for

The idols were far from innocent. They stood for vile, angry gods who could hurt you unless you bartered for peace. The highest sacrifice? Slaughter your own son! The Jews had adopted this practice.

"They have built the high places for Baal to burn their sons in the fire as offering--something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind". Jeremiah 19:5        

According to these idol-worshipping religions, success came through the fertile power of nature and the gods. You could obtain such power by having intercourse with temple prostitutes, either male or female.

"He also tore down the quarters of the male shrine prostitutes, which were in the temple of the Lord and where women did weaving for Asherah". 2 Kings 23:7        

These ideas disgusted the God of Israel. By mixing such practices with their devotion to Him, God's people were becoming confused about His true character.

Idolatry today

The New Testament broadens the definition of idolatry so that it applies to us, even though Christians worship no statues. Paul said that greed is idolatry [Ephesians 5:5; Colossians 3:5]. The things people get greedy for are;

Money, power, fame, sex, even food.

When we feel depressed, we turn to them for comfort. When we are happy, we give them the credit. We gradually become their slaves. But this is exactly the place of God in our lives, and God alone. If something else takes His place, we are guilty of idolatry.

God cannot share us. He is either the only God, or not God at all.

Jealousy is an ugly emotion. But, in some situations, it is the only appropriate response. A father is jealous of his children; that is, he will fight to never give them up to another family. A husband is jealous of his wife; he will not share his most intimate lover with anyone else. God is a jealous God and feels this about His people. They belong to Him and Him alone.

Where do you turn to when you're troubled? Do money, success, popularity, or other factors serve as substitutes for God?