Don’t Be “Idle” Concerning Idols…

God’s word is so clear about the danger of idols in our lives.  God is the only One worthy of worship in our lives and He makes this abundantly clear in His word.  Yet, the pull of idol worship is so strong.  In the Old Testament we read of many cultures who served gods of stone and wood.  God had called His people out from such worship and yet they continued to slip back into idolatry.  In 2 Chronicles 25 we read about King Amaziah of Judah.  He had just led Judah to a great victory (with God’s help of course) against the people of Edom.  Then we read the following verses:  ¹⁴ Now it was so, after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up to be his gods, and bowed down before them and burned incense to them. ¹⁵ Therefore the anger of the Lord was aroused against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people, which could not rescue their own people from your hand?”

Why would Amaziah do such a foolish thing?  He knows the prohibitions against idols.  These particular “gods” didn’t help the Edomites anyway.  Why would he set these gods up to worship them?  We don’t have the details in this particular instance but I know that idol worship has always been a struggle for the human heart.  There is something in our human nature, our flesh, which longs to give allegiance to someone or something other than the one true God.  That is why God so clearly and repeatedly warns us against it.  I doubt that any of you reading this have any statues around that you are offering incense to.  But the dangers of idolatry are still there for all of us.  Alcohol, drugs, sex, sports, hobbies….all of these things can be idols in our lives if we place them before God.  All of us know people who have continued to serve destructive idols, even after these “idols” have proven to be of no benefit.  The remedy?  Turn to God.  It is as simple and yet as profound as that.  God will take you back.  God will reestablish Himself as “first” in your life if you will, in genuine repentance and faith, turn back to Him.  It often helps to bring someone else into your struggle to walk with you on your journey.  Whatever it takes, don’t follow king Amaziah…Don’t be idle concerning idols.