Idolatry is a sin that recurs throughout the history of God’s people. In Genesis, chapter thirty-five, verse two, Jacob said to his household to get rid of the strange gods from among themselves and be clean. In verse four, He went a step further to collect them himself and bury these things somewhere in Shechem. Israel, as a whole, engaged in idolatry to worship the golden calf while Moses was on Mount Sinai. The Israelites were so used to these images that they would default to this behavior. During the time of judges, God’s people frequently turned to idols.
What is the attractiveness of Idolatry for the Israelites? Several factors were involved. The Israelites lived in the pagan nations who believed that the worship of several gods was superior to the worship of a single God. In other words, more was better. God’s people allow the influence of idols from other nations to affect them. The Israelites constantly initiated them instead of obeying God’s command to keep themselves holy and separate.
The gods of the other nations did not require the kind of obedience and moral righteousness that the God of Israel demanded. God requires His people to obey a high righteous standard as defined in His law to maintain the relationship with Him. They had to resist the tendency toward immorality and other sinful practices condoned or blessed by other institutions.
The character of idolatry we may not understand. However, to comprehend, we must know its true nature. Biblically, it states that an idol in or of itself is nothing. It is a mere piece of wood or stone, carved by human hands, that has no power of its own. However, all these idols are devils, spiritual beings controlled by Satan. The forcer behind idolatry is the power activity of demons that demonstrate dominance in this world. Christians know, of course, that the power of Jesus is greater than the power of demons. Yet, Satan as the “god of this world,” exercises tremendous influence in this present evil age. He has the force to produce counterfeit miracles, signs, and wonders and bestow physical and material benefits on people. Undoubtedly, this power sometimes contributes to the prosperity of the wicked.
The New Testament calls coveteousness a form of idolatry. The connection is obvious; because demons can give material benefits to people who are not satisfied with what they have. They are always greedy for more will not hesitate to provide their allegiance to the principles and desires of those spiritual beings who can get them what they want. Though such people may not worship gods made out of wood and stone, they do, in reality, worship the demons that stand behind greed and evil desires; therefore, they are idolaters.
God will not tolerate any form of idolatry. He frequently warned against it in the Old Testament. In the Ten Commandments, the first two take a direct stand against the worship of any other god than the Lord God of Israel. Linked with the command not to serve other gods is a command to destroy all the idols and to break down the images of pagan nations in the land of Canaan.
The history of the Israelites was all too often the idol worship in the past.
The New Testament also warns all believers against idolatry. Idolatry manifests itself in various ways forms today. It explicitly appears in denominations, sorcery, satanism, and other forms of the occult. Idolatry forms wherever men and women give themselves to greed and materialism rather than trusting God alone. Unfortunately, it occurs within the church when people believe that at the same time, they can serve God and experience His salvation and blessings and still participate in the immoral and wicked practices of the world. Consequently, the New Testament admonishes us not to be desirous, greedy, or sinful but rather flee all forms of idolatry. God backs up His warnings with the statement that those who engage in any form of idolatry will not inherit the kingdom of God.