Idols Cannot Compare

December 12, Second Thursday of Advent

Light first (Hope) and second (Peace) purple candles

“Idolatry occurs when anything created to point you to God replaces God in the thoughts and desires of your heart.” -Paul David Tripp, New Morning Mercies

As I am beginning to work with new clients, individually or as a couple, I often ask them to join me for a quick study of Psalm 115 and complete a brief Idol Assessment. This helps us see which of five idol categories they tend to instinctively engage with to meet their desires and assuage their fears in place of looking to and trusting God. The idol categories include security, acceptance, comfort, achievement and control. None of them are bad in and of themselves, but become bad when we want something or someone too much and they eclipse God who alone deserves our worship. Often we are unaware of how idolatry is affecting us because what we are pursuing isn’t a negative thing. For example, it’s natural to want approval from parents, spouses and friends, but when getting approval from others becomes too important to us, it overshadows our love for God. The idea is that we become like what we worship. 

In today’s short reading from Isaiah 40, the prophet Isaiah uses sarcasm to illustrate the utter ridiculousness of our attempts to create God’s peer. If you have time, read through Psalm 115 as well.

• Read Isaiah 40:18-20 and Psalm 115

“With whom will you compare God? What likeness will you set up for comparison with him?” Isaiah 40:18

God’s people had been instructed from early on to have no other gods beside Yahweh. The first two of the Ten Commandments spoke directly to this: 

1. Do not have other gods besides me.

2. Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or the earth below or in the waters under the earth. Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them.

It’s like God knew what we would struggle with…rebelling against trusting in and worshiping the One True God who created and sustains all things and instead creating images of little gods that we can manipulate into our own image, for our good pleasure. He communicated warnings in the law to keep us safe and to remember that He alone is God!

What’s an Idol?

In the time when Isaiah was prophesying, idols were prevalent in the nations surrounding Israel and Judah and had slowly but surely infiltrated their own culture. According to Isaiah 40:19, idols were made by skilled craftsmen, plated with gold and secured with silver chains. These god-statues were valuable, shiny and distracting. If you were poor and couldn’t afford the full set of silver chains, you could have a pedestal fashioned from mulberry wood to keep the idol in place in that special wall niche in your home. 

God Alone is God

Just like God’s people of Isaiah’s day, we continue to create idols that we can manufacture and manipulate, worshiping how and when we choose. Idols look like they should be able to do something for us but are in fact lifeless, empty, void...they cannot create, sustain or save us!  Psalm 115 describes idols as having mouths yet unable to speak, ears without hearing, hands but no ability to feel, feet but unable to walk. They cannot make a sound with their throats. “Those who make them are just like them, as are all who trust in them.” (Ps 115:8)  We become like what we worship - ineffective, unfulfilled, dead inside, without meaning or purpose.

God is beyond comparison! Instead of that fact causing us to try and create replacements for Him, may we today rest in this good word, that God is God and we are not…and we don’t even have to try!

• Reflect on the idols that you have intentionally and unintentionally set up in your life to meet your own needs and assuage your fears, rather than trusting in God and God alone.

• Sing both verses of Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus: 

Come, Thou long expected Jesus

Born to set Thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us,

Let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel's strength and consolation,

Hope of all the earth Thou art;

Dear desire of every nation,

Born Thy people to deliver,

Born a child and yet a King,

Born to reign in us forever,

Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit

Rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all sufficient merit,

Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

• Pray for the Spirit, and perhaps a trusted biblical counselor or pastor to help you identify any idol categories that you move towards trusting in.  

Blessings,

Gay B Brown