Matthew 4:10 (King James Version)
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Within mankind in our very souls is the desire and need to worship. Somehow worship gives us a feeling of significance. It connects us to something greater than ourselves. I could say that we live in a day when our minds are distracted from worshiping only God. Yet throughout history worship of God alone has been an issue. In the Bible we see such idol names like Baal and Ashteroth. Jesus said, "you cannot serve God and Mammon. At Mars hill, where Paul went to evangelize, they were many idols. At Ephesus, Paul and Silas were thrown into prison because the people of that city felt that they threatened the worship of Diana. On mount Carmel, Elijah not only challenged the 450 prophets of Baal, there were also the 400 prophets of Ashtoreth. People actually came to Gideon's home to murder him because he tore down the idols of Baal.
What is the source of idolatry?
1 Corinthians 10:19-22
19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
Absolutely idols were connected to the devil himself. He has, since his fall, tried to steal worship away from God and that is still something he strives for.
God wants our worship of Him to be exclusive. He is a jealous God and He should be. He cares for us. He provides for us. He created us. He offers us salvation. He offers us healing. Every thing that is good and right comes from Him. An idol never demands exclusivity.
Deuteronomy6:13Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.
14Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;
It's not that people didn't worship God. They did not want to worship Him alone. David prayed for a united heart. It was a divided heart that would serve other gods.
Psalm 86
8 Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord; Nor are there any works like Your works. 9 All nations whom You have made Shall come and worship before You, O Lord, And shall glorify Your name. 10 For You are great, and do wondrous things; You alone are God.11Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. 12I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
They Set Up Idols In Their Heart
We have to understand that idols were not statue. The idols had to do with ideals.
Ezekiel 14
1Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.
2And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
3Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?
When God talked to Ezekiel about the elders idolatry, He made a distinction between the idol and their heart and the stumblingblock of their iniquity (the statue). Even the first two ten commandments shows this distinction.
You shall have to other gods before Me
You shall not make any graven images.
Each of these idols stood for an ideal. Ideals such as power, blessing the harvest, fertility, pleasure, victory, prosperity, strength, intelligence, learning and beauty. When we see what these idols really are we have to take a look at our own lives. We cannot let the blessings God gives become our pursuit instead of God Himself being our pursuit. When we spend all our time worrying about these things, God cannot pour out blessings and promises and even worse He becomes jealous.
Ezekiel 14
7 For anyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up his idols in his heart and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, then comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me, I the LORD will answer him by Myself. 8 I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.
Romans 1 Idolatry begins with unthankfulness and thanksgiving is where worship begins.
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
He alone deserves our worship. We must always remember worship God alone. And Matthew 6:33.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
I Worship You Almighty God/There Is None Like You
There Is None Like You
In The Garden / There Is None Like You - Medium key performance track w/ background vocals
You Are God Alone (Not A God)
