Day 59 - Deuteronomy 4

ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE

Day 59 - Deuteronomy 4 (Are Carved Images of Idols Harmless?)

(To View Past Posts Click: http://tonyvicreyes1-yearbible.blogspot.com/)

"’Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female,….Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you.   For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. ”  (Deuteronomy 4:15-24)

To ask the question as I did on the title of this post is like asking “Is murder harmless?” or, “Is stealing harmless?”  Why?  Because making a carved image of God or of a “saint” to bow down and pray to it, as are murdering and stealing, are all forbidden in the Ten Commandments which God wrote with His own hand on the tablet stones that He gave to Moses.

Sadly, most people who are in some form or another involved in idolatry, rationalize it by saying any of the following arguments, all of which cannot hold any water:

“I only have it so I can meditate better when praying.”

(So, you’re saying God will disregard two of His ten commandments so you can better meditate in your prayer to this idol?)
“I pray to so and so because he or she is close to Jesus and so my request stands a better      chance of being granted.”

(So, you’re saying God will listen to so and so but not to you?  I understand you may not feel worthy to approach Christ but all people, without exception, can approach Christ only on the basis of having been forgiven through His shed blood.  Also, the Bible teaches that there is only one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5).

“My church teaches that there is nothing wrong in praying to the saints and that all who belong to our religion should do so.”

(So, you’re saying that the authority of your church/religion takes precedence to the Word of God, the Bible?  Answer this: which authority will judge you when you stand before God on judgment day - the Bible or your catechism literatures?  There can only be one authority and be sure you you choose the right one to answer to.)

I can give a few more reasons that people have in justifying idol worship but the above are the most common ones.  Moses points out the fact that the congregation of Israel “saw no form God when God spoke in their hearing at Horeb in the midst of the fire lest lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female” - the very reason why God hates and forbids carving an image of God!  God warned the Jews over and over again concerning His terrible judgment for disregarding His command against idolatry and the reason is because “the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”

People have not changed much from the time of Moses - we are still as rebellious as those Israelites in the wilderness.  God has not changed either - He is the same God who hates idolatry and He will judge all those who disregard and disobey Him just as He did the Jews whom He scattered throughout the earth jjust as He warned that He would because of their idolatry and disobedience.  Only the wise learn from the mistakes of others and they avoid the disaster that befalls the foolish.