The First and Second Commandments – Idolatry

1. The children of Israel knew the reality of idolatry.

1) They came out of Egypt where there were hundreds of idols.

2) The 10 plagues each demonstrated God’s superiority over idols.

3) The pharaoh of Egypt was himself considered a god.

4) The land of Canaan also had hundreds of idols.

5) Chief in their idolatry was Baal and Ashteroth.

6) Polytheism was the dominate religion of the day.

7) Idolatry was still a problem for Israel.

8) While Moses was in the mountain, they turned back to idolatry (Exodus 32).

9) Aaron made a golden calf out of their jewelry and said that it was the gods that brought them out of the land of Egypt.

2. Idolatry was a problem in the time of Paul.

1) Acts 17:16 – the whole city of Athens was given to idolatry.

2) The church at Corinth still had problems with idolatry. 1 Corinthians 10:14 – flee idolatry.

3. Idolatry is still a reality in the religious world today.

1) There are those who worship idols in the east.

a. Hinduism

b. Buddhism

2) And there are those who call themselves Christians who worship idols as well.

3) Catholicism, for example, is heavily involved in idolatry.

4. We also have the problem of idolatry of material possessions as well.

1. Idolatry undermines God’s authority.

1) It is a competing standard to God’s word.

2) Consider the confrontation of Elijah and the priests of Baal.

a. The contest was to see who the people would follow.

b. 1 Kings 18:21 – halting between two opinions

3) Consider Joshua’s challenge to the children of Israel.

a. Joshua 24:15 – choose whom you will serve.

b. They could serve Jehovah or the idols of the land, but not both.

2. Idolatry steals God’s glory.

1) We have an obligation to glorify and worship God alone.

2) Revelation 19:10, 22:9 – “worship God.”

3) Romans 1:23 says that the gentiles sought to give God’s glory to man made images.

4) Isaiah 42:8 is a key verse in this regard. “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”

3. Idolatry erodes morality.

1) Once God’s standards are removed, they can only be replaced with man made standards.

2) When that is done, morality is soon undone.

3) We learn this lesson in the book of Judges.

4) In the darkest of times when morality was almost non-existent, the writer says of the people, “every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6, 21:25).

5) We learn what happened to the morality of the gentiles when they embraced idolatry.

6) Romans 1:21-32.

1. Part of the command is not to have any graven images.

1) Any object fashioned by men’s hands as an object of devotion or worship.

2) Deuteronomy 4:15-19 – no manner of similtude.

3) Deuteronomy 27:15 “Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.”

2. There is also idolatry of the heart.

1) Consider Ezekiel 14:3-4 “son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;”

2) Ephesians 5:5 “For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”

3. Anything that comes before God becomes our idol.

1) Matthew 6:33 gives us our priority.

2) Matthew 22:37-38 – loving God is the first commandment.

3) Jesus said that we can’t serve/worship God and mammon (Matthew 6:24).