Connect Psalm 135:17 with Exodus 20:3-5 on idolatry's consequences. Scripture Connection Psalm 135:17 – “They have ears but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths.” Exodus 20:3-5 – “You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol… You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me.” What Idolatry Really Is • Any created thing—visible or invisible—that receives the trust, love, or obedience God alone deserves • A counterfeit “savior” we hope will meet needs only God can satisfy (Jeremiah 2:13) Why Exodus Starts With This Command • Worship directs all of life; get this wrong and everything downstream is poisoned • God’s jealousy is a holy, covenant love protecting us from slavery to lies • Generational impact: unchecked idolatry forms legacies of unbelief until grace intervenes (Deuteronomy 5:9-10) Psalm 135 Paints the Idol’s True Picture • Mouths: no speech of truth (v. 16) • Eyes: no sight of pain or need (v. 16) • Ears: no hearing of prayer (v. 17) • Breath: no life to impart (v. 17; contrast Genesis 2:7) • Result: “Those who make them become like them” (v. 18)—spiritually deaf, blind, lifeless Consequences Highlighted When the Texts Intersect 1. Personal Deadness – Trusting something that “cannot hear” dulls our own hearing; hearts grow unresponsive to God (Ephesians 4:17-19). 2. Broken Worship Cycles – Bowing to powerless things provokes God’s jealousy, triggering discipline meant to reclaim our hearts (Hebrews 12:5-6). 3. Generational Fallout – Children absorb parents’ god-substitutes; patterns calcify and multiply (2 Kings 17:41). 4. Cultural Decay – A nation shaped by lifeless idols descends into futility, “exchanging the glory of the immortal God” (Romans 1:21-23). The Better Alternative • Jesus embodies the opposite of Psalm 135:17—He hears (Matthew 20:32-34), speaks (John 6:63), and breathes the Spirit (John 20:22). • Turning from idols to the living God brings life, liberation, and generational blessing (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; Acts 3:19-20). Practical Steps to Guard the Heart • Regular self-examination: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). • Scripture saturation: replaces lies with truth (Psalm 119:11). • Corporate worship: reinforces allegiance to the living God (Hebrews 10:24-25). • Immediate repentance when the Spirit exposes a rival love (Psalm 139:23-24). Additional Scripture Witnesses • Psalm 115:4-8 – echoes Psalm 135’s description and warning • Isaiah 44:9-20 – satire of idol-making exposes its absurdity • 1 Corinthians 10:14-22 – idolatry linked to demonic fellowship • Revelation 9:20 – end-times persistence of idol worship underscores its deadly grip |
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