Miniature idols are small enough to carry around with us each day. Perhaps some of us feel a Bible Bite on “Idol Worship” is not relevant to our lives. But don’t be so sure about that. This would be a good time to do some introspective housecleaning. It’s quite possible that I need to break free from the idols that have been claiming my attention and causing my knees to bend more often than I wish.
Jeroboam, a king of Israel, strayed miserably from Israel’s God. Yes, it’s true he had a major army of 800,000 men, but an appearance of strength is not enough. And it’s true – he paid close attention to religious rituals – albeit significantly modified ones. But devotion to rituals and faithfulness to routines are far different than devotion to God.
At the very core of the nation, there was a certain rottenness which would result in their defeat. King Abijah of Judah was the one who tackled the issue head-on and told it like it was. King Abijah said:
You are indeed a vast army and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods…” 2Chronicles 13:8
Why the golden calves? How could the people of Israel have ever felt comfortable having golden calves in their lives again after the dreadful fiasco in the wilderness with Aaron centuries earlier? Shouldn’t history have convinced Jeroboam that the further he stayed away from golden calves, the better things would be? And yet, when he was in charge, he deliberately introduced golden calves, incorporating them into his new worship centers and rituals. (1Kings 12:25-33)
By the time the war sirens were blasting out over the land, it seems the golden calves that Jeroboam had originally stationed at Bethel and Dan were now literally being carried by his troops. How warped our thinking can become! The very physical representation of sin and rebellion against God (golden calves) – is now being carried along by the troops themselves. Had those golden calves really taken such a hold on their lives that, rather than fleeing from them, they gravitated to them – their comfort zone?
You can do your own study of Jeroboam, King of Israel and gather more details, gain more insights and learn more lessons – but today, let’s just ask ourselves if we have golden calves in our own lives. Are we transporting sin around with us?
Am I carrying some portable idol – that comes with me wherever I go – if not a physical thing, one in my heart and very much a part of my thought life?
Jeroboam initially established Dan and Bethel as worship ‘access’ centers to the idols of sin, but eventually, they became portable to enable even greater access. Is there something in my life that I have increasing access to – something that is rotten and will do me in – just as it brought about Jeroboam’s downfall?
Is there something in your life that you openly or secretly love and find yourself drawn towards throughout the day and in your plans – something other than what the Lord values? Then, call it what it is – an idol! Your golden calf. My golden calf.
Do you have the courage and spiritual conviction today to deal with it, with strength from the Lord, to purge it from your life? To continue on with ‘it’ in your life will bring about your certain demise.
Before we conclude, think about what the Lord said in Exodus 20:3, the Lord said: “You shall have no other gods before me.” In the New Testament, Jesus said it this way: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ Matthew 22:37
May we search our hearts today and deal with what needs our urgent attention.
Don’t hesitate to share a thought from your personal experience in the comment section below. Or, if you would like to reach out privately, click below.
