Idols Among Us
Dave Faust
In his classic book, Knowing God, J. I. Packer wrote, “Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you.”
How do we view God? Some deny his existence altogether (atheists) or think it’s impossible to know him (agnostics). Some distort the nature of God and view him as a bland bearded grandpa in the sky, a cosmic policeman, or a genie who capriciously grants wishes if we rub the magic lamp and pray the right way. Still others simply disregard God. They affirm that he exists, but in actual practice they ignore his authority and view him as irrelevant to daily life.
Taken into Exile—and Still There
The book of Second Kings reminds us what happens to a society that denies, distorts, and disregards God. Remarkably, God’s judgment fell upon the very people who had received some of his greatest blessings. Thanks to God, the people of Israel had become a prosperous nation. They had received God’s law through Moses. They knew the commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). They inherited a land flowing with milk and honey. God favored them with miracles and protected them from their enemies. But over time, their culture degenerated in numerous ways:
Second Kings 17:15 summarizes the situation with these sad words: “They followed
worthless idols and themselves became worthless” (v. 15). What a tragic outcome for a nation that had been so uniquely blessed by God! As a result, “the people of Israel were taken from their homeland into exile in Assyria, and they are still there” (v. 23).
Taking God Seriously
Many of us have been greatly blessed. We live in a land of plenty, with easy access to God’s Word. But do we take God seriously? Are there idols among us?
More and more Americans worship at the altar of religious tolerance while around the globe Islam, Hinduism, and other religions hold multitudes in spiritual darkness and the false god of secular humanism continues to gain acceptance. Some alternatives to God are less obvious. The quest for money and material comfort can become an idol. So can obsession with work, sports, success, popularity, beauty, and entertainment. Millions today are enslaved by drugs, drink, and sexual addictions. Only the true God can set us free.
We tread on dangerous ground whenever we deny, distort, or disregard our Creator. Israel’s exile illustrates the tragic consequences for individuals and cultures that push God to the margins. That’s why another biblical writer warned, “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).
QUESTIONS:
This column first appeared in The Lookout on Jun 28, 2015.