Thursday. 17th August 2023
Alex Buabeng-Korsah
TOPIC: THE SIN OF IDOLATRY
THEME SCRIPTURE: “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgot the Lord their God, and served Baalim and the groves” – Judges 3:7
PREPARATORY QUESTIONS:
- What does it mean to do evil in the sight of the Lord?
- How did Israel forget her God?
Just like Israel had to coexist with native tribes in the Promised Land, believers live alongside the people of the world. These native tribes worship foreign gods. However, Israel worshipped the living God. God had said to Israel, "You shall not intermarry with them" (Deut 7:3). Why?
Forgetting your God and turning to idolatry doesn’t just happen. It takes time; it is gradual, and intermarriage can easily make it happen.
In Israel during the days of Othniel, it all started with intermarriages with the natives of the land. Israel may have cleverly and persuasively justified these intermarriages. “The laws that prohibit intermarriages were great at the time God gave them to our fathers. But times have changed. These natives are not as terrible as we think”, they may have argued. Others may argue, “By marrying the natives, we will convert them to serve our God.” They may make good wives, but they bring with them their culture and gods. Then will come the argument, “They have been serving idols for many years; it will take time for them to let go of these gods and turn to the living God. It is subtle and gradual.
Beloved, do not underestimate our ability to rationalise or argue around God's commandments.
We often forget that God gave the instructions, not us! When we turn away from His instructions, we do evil in the sight of the Lord, and to forget or abandon His instructions is to forget or abandon God. The issue is that the life we’ve been called to is not founded on right or wrong. It is founded on His word. In Eden, God told Adam and Eve to stay away from the tree of good and evil and live by His word. His instructions help us live completely dependent on God and in His will and character. Good and evil bring independence, and that life goes against God's will and character. This is why we must stick to His instructions unreservedly.
When the Israelites did wrong and forgot God, they began to worship Baalim and the groves. Idolatry is a heinous sin. It makes man serve man-made things instead of the Superior One.
Serving your own creation makes you the most inferior. Today, money has become man's god. Money was created by man, but we serve it more than God. We burn our health for money but rest away from God. Always trampling each other for it. We go where money tells us to go, but we won’t go for God. We stay up late working for money but have never asked, “God, what can I do for you?” To have the reputation "He has money" we sacrifice our families, peace, and joy. Money has become our idol if we cannot do for God and more what we can do for money. No one has succeeded in serving both God and Mammon together. You will either love money and hate (give more excuses) to God and the things of God. In these last days, the love of many (for God and the things of God) is waxing cold. But those who shall endure (in their love for God) unto the end, the same shall be saved. Remain blessed.
FURTHER READING – 1 John 5:21
Call to Salvation: Today is your day if you have not received salvation by turning over your life to Jesus Christ. Click here to do so
QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU MEDITATE ON THE WORD:
- Do you work hard as your service to God or to get money?
- Are your ways a mixture of the world’s culture and Christ’s?
CONFESSION
Precious Lord, Your Word is a light to my feet and a lamp to my path. I yield to the truth of your Word and I choose to live in Your Word and for Your Word. From today, I see money as a means, and not an end to live for. Glory Hallelujah!
1-Year Bible Reading Plan
1 Kings 12; Jeremiah 38; Mark 12
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