Idol Worship

Every believer knows that idol worship is detestable to God. Much of the Old Testament prophets’ criticism was directed at the nation of Israel’s repetitive turning to the idols worshipped by the other nations around them. Those idols were physical representations of created beings which the people identified with non-physical powers they believed controlled their existence. Paul refers to those powers at one point as demons. Michael S. Heiser in Unseen Realm clearly shows that they were created beings who rebelled against God, and they were attempting to act as gods and usurp the power of the one true God.

There are very few people in our modern times who would bow to a golden calf or a statue of a human body with the head of a bird. This does not mean we don’t have our idols. At its essence, an idol is anything that takes center place in our lives, forcing the rightful occupier, God, out of place. If you have been in the church for any time at all, you have heard someone identify the idols of our day: career, hobbies, entertainment, convenience. If any one of these becomes more important than God in our lives, it becomes as much an idol as the Ashtaroth that ancient Israel worshipped when they turned from Yahweh.

I recently met a dear saint who has been in Christian ministry for the better part of half a century. As we compared life notes we discovered that we had both spent time delving into the “Charismatic Movement” as it was called back in the 1970’s. He made a statement that rang so true that I wondered why I hadn’t thought of it before. He mentioned that although he had enjoyed the experience fostered by the spiritual songs of worship that were being written at the time, he soon became uncomfortable. It occurred to him that he was making the ecstatic feeling of worship his idol: he had begun to worship worshipping.

This resonated with me because I too have had an uncomfortable feeling during “worship” when I was supposed to be thrilling over the ecstasy of God’s presence. I think there are two reasons for my disconnect. First, watching someone who may be truly worshipping is not worship for me. I may take voyeuristic pleasure in seeing someone rapturously taken into God’s presence right in front of me, but that becomes a performance that is external to me; it may be healthy for the worship leader, but I cannot ride anyone’s coattails into the throne room of the Almighty.

The second possible reason for my discomfort during worship may be explained by my new friend’s revelation. When the people up front begin to beg, cajole, even chide the audience to join in “worship” with them, I think they may inadvertently be placing the experience of God (so-called) ahead of the actual presence of God. Don’t misunderstand; I have had tears streaming down my face while reaching my arms toward Heaven and reveling in a closeness to God that cannot be denied or explained. I am not saying that experience is wrong; I am saying that making that experience the goal is wrong. It makes worship an idol.

It is just like the enemy of our souls to take one of the most beautiful, intimate aspects of being human and twist it into something that is distasteful to God. The enemy has certainly done this with human sexuality. Every sexual perversion that has ever been practiced is a mockery of the beauty that God intended to be shared by a husband and wife. One man. One woman. Forever. Our society has clearly made human sexuality an idol. Sadly, certain branches of the church may have done the same thing with worship.

Jesus told the woman at the well in Samaria that God is spirit, and He was seeking people who would worship Him in spirit and in truth. We often struggle to get out of our flesh where the intellect and emotions rule and get into the spirit where God is. Spiritual worship is a must; Jesus said so. In the same way, our worship must be “in truth.” True worship is directed at the God who is Truth; worshipping the feeling of worship is idolatry. As I wrote in an earlier article, “If I rely on my feelings, I am falling prey to a soulish religion that lacks the power to save anyone.” If we invite God to take the throne in the center of our being, the attendant feelings will follow. We must resist the urge to find the feeling and focus entirely on finding God. We have a divine promise that that effort will never be in vain: seek and you will find.

Related posts: Understanding the Book of Job: The Heiser Effect; The Presence of God;  To Be Content (on Sunday) Whatever; Worship His Majesty