Idolatry, in the biblical context, refers to the worship of idols or the elevation of anything or anyone to a status that rivals or replaces the worship of the one true God. It is considered an abominable act throughout Scripture, as it directly contradicts the first and second commandments given by God to the Israelites. The Bible consistently portrays idolatry as a grievous sin that leads to spiritual adultery and separation from God.

Old Testament Context

The Old Testament is replete with warnings against idolatry. In the Ten Commandments, God explicitly commands, "You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath" (Exodus 20:3-4). This command underscores the exclusivity of worship that God demands from His people.

Idolatry is often described as an abomination in the Old Testament. For instance, Deuteronomy 7:25-26 warns the Israelites, "You must burn up the images of their gods. Do not covet the silver or gold that is on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it, for it is detestable to the LORD your God. And you must not bring an abomination into your house, or you will be set apart for destruction like it. You must utterly detest and abhor it, for it is set apart for destruction."

The prophets frequently condemned idolatry, equating it with spiritual unfaithfulness. Isaiah 44:9-20 ridicules the absurdity of idol-making, emphasizing the futility and deception involved in worshiping man-made objects. Jeremiah 10:14-15 declares, "Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud; there is no breath in them. They are worthless, a work to be mocked. In the time of their punishment, they will perish."

New Testament Perspective

The New Testament continues to affirm the abominable nature of idolatry. The Apostle Paul, in his letters, frequently warns against the dangers of idolatry. In 1 Corinthians 10:14, he exhorts believers, "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry." Paul further explains the incompatibility of idolatry with Christian worship in 2 Corinthians 6:16, "What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God."

In Romans 1:22-23, Paul describes the descent into idolatry as a result of humanity's rejection of God's truth: "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 exchange is seen as a fundamental error that leads to moral and spiritual decay.

The book of Revelation also addresses idolatry, portraying it as a characteristic of those who oppose God. Revelation 21:8 lists idolaters among those who will face the second death: "But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death."

Theological Implications

Idolatry is not merely the worship of physical idols but extends to any form of allegiance or devotion that supplants God’s rightful place in the believer's life. It is considered abominable because it distorts the truth of God's nature and His rightful sovereignty. The biblical narrative consistently calls for the exclusive worship of God, emphasizing that He alone is worthy of honor, glory, and praise. The abominable nature of idolatry lies in its capacity to lead individuals and communities away from the truth and into spiritual bondage.1 Peter 4:3
For the time past of our life may suffice us to have worked the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, parties, and abominable idolatries:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

948. bdelussomai -- to detest
... abhor, abominable. From a (presumed) derivative of bdeo (to stink); to be disgusted,
ie (by implication) detest (especially of idolatry) -- abhor, abominable. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/948.htm - 6k

946. bdelugma -- a detestable thing
... Definition: an abominable thing, an accursed thing Definition: an abominable thing,
an ... From bdelusso; a detestation, ie (specially) idolatry -- abomination. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/946.htm - 7k

8441. toebah -- abomination
... properly, something disgusting (morally), ie (as noun) an abhorrence; especially
idolatry or (concretely) an idol -- abominable (custom, thing), abomination. ...
/hebrew/8441.htm - 6k

Whether the Cause of Idolatry was on the Part of Man?
... part of guilt, because, according to Wis.14:27, "the worship of abominable idols
is the cause and the beginning and end of all evil." Therefore idolatry has no ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the cause of idolatry.htm

He Then Clearly and Skilfully Criticises the Doctrine of the ...
... of it to express creation, he at once sets up his idolatry, and fraudulently ... mouths
they confess Him as Lord, are corrupt and became abominable [666] , as the ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 7 he then clearly.htm

The Return of the Holy Family from Egypt
... The people there practiced an abominable idolatry, sacrificing deformed children,
and even thinking it an act of special piety to offer healthy ones to be ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/xvii the return of the.htm

V. ...
... the lust and the act also follow. Thereupon there succeeds such idolatry
as is abominable. And we may easily bring all this upon ...
/.../the epistles of st peter and st jude preached and explained/chapter iv v .htm

Thyatira
... Ahab was the first king who officially introduced and organised he most abominable
form of heathen idolatry that the human mind ever conceived (1 Kings 16:33). ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bullinger/commentary on revelation/thyatira.htm

All Association with Idols is to be Avoided.
... wicked one will enter into him. An Admonition Instructing Men to Avoid the
Abominable Sin of Idolatry. XI. You are also forbidden to ...
/.../constitutions of the holy apostles/sec ii all association with idols.htm

John Knox.
... He abhorred the mass as an 'abominable idolatry and profanation of the Lord's Supper,'
and popery as the great anti-Christian apostasy and Babylonish harlot ...
/.../creeds of christendom with a history and critical notes/ 88 john knox.htm

Epistle Lxvii. To the Clergy and People Abiding in Spain ...
... and a defender of the truth, signifies in his letter, Basilides and Martialis have
been contaminated by the abominable certificate of idolatry; and Basilides ...
/.../cyprian/the epistles of cyprian/epistle lxvii to the clergy.htm

The Eleventh Proposition. Concerning Worship.
... prayers conceived extemporarily, by the natural strength and faculty of the mind,
they are all but superstitions, will-worship, and abominable idolatry in the ...
/.../the eleventh proposition concerning worship.htm

Knox in St. Andrews Castle: the Galleys: 1547-1549
... Vicar of Bray, Knox being understood to maintain that no bishop who did not preach
was really a bishop; that the Mass is "abominable idolatry"; that Purgatory ...
/.../lang/john knox and the reformation/chapter iii knox in st.htm

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