What Is Idolatry?
150 Bible Basics
Worship of false gods, often represented by objects carved from wood or crafted from precious metals. God expressly forbade worship of other gods and making or worshiping idols of any kind in commandments #2 and #3 (Exodus 20:3-6).
While Moses was on Mt. Sinai receiving the Law, the people requested a god to worship and Aaron gave in, making a golden calf out of the gold rings the people possessed (Exodus 32).
Israel would continue to fall into this sin throughout the course of their history as they failed to remove idolatrous nations from the Promised Land and became corrupted by those influences repeatedly in the periods of the judges and kings. Baal, Asherah, and Molech (or Moloch) were three prominent gods they served at times.
In Joshua 24:14-15, Joshua said Israel’s fathers had worshiped such gods in Egypt and “beyond the River,” referring to Abraham’s family in Ur beyond the Euphrates River. The Canaanite peoples served various gods as well. Human history shows us that every people group engaged in idolatry.
Many believe these idols were merely blocks of wood or metal set up by nations out of primitive superstition and ignorance. However, in 1 Corinthians 10:19-21 and Revelation 9:20, we see hints that the gods the idols represent are demons.
That is a study well beyond the scope of this book, but God’s showdowns with pagan gods throughout the Old Testament reveal a deep, challenging interworking of the realm of spiritual beings.
This is entry #44 of 150 from my book, Sunday School Catch-Up. You can buy the book on Amazon, or…
By popular request, I’ve added premium subscriptions on this site. With a premium subscription, you get access to a digital version of the book as a token of my thanks!
