Topical Bible: Fools: Worship of, Hateful to God

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In the biblical context, the term "fool" often refers to individuals who reject wisdom and understanding, particularly in relation to the knowledge and reverence of God. The worship of fools is depicted as detestable and offensive to God, as it is rooted in a heart that is far from Him and His commandments.

The Psalms provide a clear depiction of the fool's disposition towards God. Psalm 14:1 states, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good." This verse highlights the fool's denial of God's existence and the resulting moral corruption. The fool's worship, therefore, is not directed towards the true God but is often characterized by idolatry and self-deception.

Proverbs further elaborates on the nature of fools and their worship. Proverbs 1:7 declares, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." The fool's rejection of divine wisdom and discipline leads to a form of worship that is self-centered and devoid of true reverence for God. Proverbs 15:8 states, "The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight." This contrast underscores that the worship of fools, being wicked, is abhorrent to God.

The prophets also address the issue of foolish worship. In Isaiah 44:9-20, the prophet ridicules the folly of idol worship, where people craft idols from wood and then bow down to them, failing to recognize the absurdity of worshiping the work of their own hands. This passage illustrates the foolishness of idolatry, which is a common manifestation of the fool's worship.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul addresses the folly of those who reject God in Romans 1:21-23 : "For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles." This passage highlights the foolishness of idolatry and the resulting darkening of the heart, which leads to worship that is hateful to God.

The worship of fools is ultimately characterized by a lack of true knowledge and reverence for God. It is marked by idolatry, self-deception, and a rejection of divine wisdom. Such worship is not only ineffective but is also an affront to the holiness and majesty of God, as it fails to honor Him as the Creator and Sustainer of all things.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ecclesiastes 5:1
Keep your foot when you go to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Faustus Repels the Charge of Sun-Worship
... 5. Augustin replied: O hateful mixture of ignorance and ... themselves to be wise, they
became fools, and changed the ... As regards the worship of a plurality of gods ...
/.../faustus repels the charge of.htm

Messiah Worshipped by Angels
... We fools counted his life madness, and his end to ... heaven; that He should look upon
the worship of sinful ... holy, and therefore evil is unspeakably hateful to Him ...
/.../newton/messiah vol 2/sermon xxviii messiah worshipped by.htm

As in a Race Saw I the Disputers, the Children of Strife, [Trying] ...
... orthodox teachings, and subverted them; he saw hateful things, and ... the rebellious
one hath given, to fools is sweet ... God, and also a copy from the worship of Apis ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn vii as in a.htm

The Doctrine of God
... of God that the Apostle Paul says "they became fools"? ... 9""Exalt the Lord our God,
and worship at his ... The gods of the heathen are angry, hateful beings, and ...
/.../evans/the great doctrines of the bible/the doctrine of god.htm

Passion.
... lest he be, indeed, one of those fools who "rush in ... to whom song and supplication
are worship, indeed, will ... but for those whose life and character are hateful. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/jackson/the message and the man/chapter vi passion.htm

Of True virtue; and of the Estimation of a Good or Bad Citizen.
... Is justice so hateful to you, O abandoned minds, that ... we are speaking generally with
those who worship gods, let ... are not so foolish as to envy fools; but from ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xii of true virtue and.htm

Mongrel Religion
... were not like those whom David calls "fools," who said ... truth, half error, and a mongrel
worship half dead ... May God save us from such hateful doublemindedness. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 27 1881/mongrel religion.htm

Answer to the Objection of the Heathen, that it was not Right to ...
... Who worship Jove's fierce-eyed daughter, [986] the working goddess,. With fans duly
placed, fools that ye are ... and also of deadly plagues and hateful images, has ...
/.../clement/exhortation to the heathen/chapter x answer to the objection.htm

Andromeda
... horde, without law, unrighteous and heartless, Hateful to gods ... jewel Cast on the
wayside by fools, would not ... her heart new life was enkindled, Worship and trust ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/andromeda and other poems/andromeda.htm

False Profession.
... and the circumstances that attend his worship, especially those ... hypocrites, whited
walls, painted sepulchres, fools, and blind ... is found to be hateful; and now ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xx false profession.htm