Is your God an Idol? -- Our Personal Worship Part II

God has gone out of His way to demonstrate how personal He is which can be seen in the presence of His holy name throughout Scripture; as I demonstrated in my last post. How, then, should that truth affect our worship of Him? As God’s personality is demonstrated in the Old Testament the answer to this question can be demonstrated there as well. This begins with the charge God brought against Israel and Judah through the prophets. Both Isaiah and Jeremiah verbalize God’s displeasure with His people, which is because of idolatry. It is also notable, however, that the idolatry Israel practiced affected their approach to God even when they tried to worship Him.

Notice God’s feelings toward idols and His comparison to them. Isaiah, in chapter 40, records this with the question in verse 18 “to whom then will you liken God?” The answer to this question comes as a charge, “an idol!” With a bit of godly sarcasm Isaiah explains both the idol and the idolater. If you can’t afford an idol made of metal, as described in verse 19, then the poor will have a craftsman make him one out of wood. He picks a block of wood that will not be easily knocked over, which is just hilarious. Obviously, this idol will not be able to do anything for the one who worships it. In chapter 44 Isaiah explains further how ridiculous the entire concept of idolatry is. The wood of a tree when the idol is “created” is not just used for the idol. After he cuts the tree down “then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it.”[1]

To prove His point God asks some questions, a challenge to the idols, in Isaiah 41. God gives the idols the chance to “set forth [their] case.”[2] God asks the idols to tell what has happened in the past, or maybe, tell what will happen in the future. After their obvious and expected silence the judgment is given against them; “behold, you are nothing, and your work is less than nothing.” So, why would anyone worship an idol? What sense does it make to ask a hunk of wood or a shaped piece of metal for anything knowing it cannot respond? The answer, of course, it’s ridiculous. The psalmist describes the person who worships an idol. After describing idols as dumb, mute, unable to move and worthless, he states “those who make them become like them.”[3] In other words those who worship idols are just as stupid as their idols.

Needless to say, no Christian will disagree with what Isaiah and the Psalmist have said. But, let me return to my original question. If God has gone through so much trouble for us to recognize that He is a personal, living, loving God, how should that affect our worship? Well, God states that it should have affected the way Israel approached Him, but, it didn’t. This charge is delivered by the prophet Jeremiah. Though God described in minute detail how sacrifices should be made throughout the book of Leviticus, He states through Jeremiah that He did not “command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices.” This is not a contradiction. This is God expressing that if His people come to Him with sacrifices, though they may religiously do everything right, if their heart is not focused on Him as Lord (YHWH) they might as well be cooking steaks on the grill.[4]

So, what does all this have to do with us? There are many different world religions. All of these religions worship idols. Some of them are actually made of wood and metal and some are just false gods. All over the world people religiously bow, pray and offer sacrifices to their idols in order to either receive things like long life, love, fertility and food, or to appease wrath. In order to receive they must follow the religious ritual very closely. Wouldn’t be a tragedy if we approached the living, loving and holy God the same way? Unfortunately, sometimes we do. Anytime we come to God just to receive something, like He’s the preverbal vending machine or Santa in the sky, we are treating Him like an idol. God desires worship from us that connects us as Father to children; Spirit and truth.[5] Anything less and He’s an idol. So, is your God and idol?

[1] Isaiah 44:15
[2] Isaiah 41:21
[3] Psalm 115:8
[4] See Jeremiah 7:21-26
[5] John 4:24