Topical Bible: Idolatry: Consists in Sacrificing to Other Gods

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Topical Encyclopedia

Idolatry, in the biblical context, refers to the worship and veneration of idols or deities other than the one true God, Yahweh. This practice is explicitly condemned throughout the Scriptures, as it represents a direct violation of the first and second commandments given to the Israelites. The act of sacrificing to other gods is a central aspect of idolatry, as it signifies allegiance and devotion to entities other than the Lord.

Old Testament Context

The Old Testament provides numerous accounts and warnings against idolatry. In the Ten Commandments, God commands, "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3). This foundational decree underscores the exclusivity of worship that God demands from His people. The Israelites, however, frequently fell into the sin of idolatry, often influenced by the surrounding nations.

One of the most notable instances of idolatry is the worship of the golden calf, as recorded in Exodus 32. While Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the law, the Israelites grew impatient and asked Aaron to make them gods. Aaron fashioned a calf from gold, and the people declared, "These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!" (Exodus 32:4). This act of idolatry provoked God's wrath, demonstrating the severity of turning to other gods.

The book of Deuteronomy reiterates the prohibition against idolatry, emphasizing the importance of exclusive worship: "Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you" (Deuteronomy 6:14). The Israelites were warned that idolatry would lead to their downfall and exile, as it did during the Babylonian captivity.

Prophetic Condemnations

The prophets of Israel consistently condemned idolatry, calling the people to repentance and a return to the worship of Yahweh. Isaiah, for instance, ridicules the futility of idol worship, stating, "They lift it to their shoulders and carry it; they set it in its place, and there it stands. It does not move from its place" (Isaiah 46:7). The prophets highlighted the impotence of idols compared to the living God.

Jeremiah also speaks against the practice, warning of the consequences: "Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the heavens, though the nations are terrified by them. For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel" (Jeremiah 10:2-3). Such passages underscore the folly of idolatry and the need for faithfulness to God.

New Testament Perspective

In the New Testament, idolatry remains a significant concern. The Apostle Paul addresses the issue in his letters, urging believers to flee from idolatry. In 1 Corinthians 10:20-21, Paul warns, "No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons."

Paul's teachings highlight the spiritual implications of idolatry, equating it with participation in demonic activities. The early church faced challenges from pagan practices, and the apostles consistently called for separation from such influences.

Theological Implications

Idolatry, as sacrificing to other gods, is fundamentally a breach of the covenant relationship between God and His people. It represents a rejection of God's sovereignty and a turning away from His commandments. The biblical narrative portrays idolatry as spiritual adultery, a betrayal of the exclusive devotion owed to God alone.

Throughout Scripture, idolatry is depicted not only as a physical act of worship but also as a heart issue. It involves placing anything or anyone above God, whether material possessions, power, or other deities. The Bible calls believers to examine their hearts and ensure that their worship is directed solely to the Lord, who alone is worthy of praise and sacrifice.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 22:20
He that sacrifices to any god, save to the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

General Remarks on the History of Missions in this Age.
... in which alone the dignity of man consists, and to ... Greeks and barbarians were given
to idolatry, men waged ... he saw labouring with such self-sacrificing love and ...
/.../neander/light in the dark places/general remarks on the history.htm

Covenanting According to the Purposes of God.
... other effect of that true wisdom which consists in the ... of the world."[524] The sin
of those is idolatry. ... it, by believing in the Lord, by sacrificing unto him ...
/.../the ordinance of covenanting/chapter viii covenanting according to.htm

Exposition of the Moral Law.
... The grossest vice here prohibited is external idolatry. This commandment consists
of two parts. ... The other particulars I pass, as requiring no explanation. ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 8 exposition of the.htm

Impiety of Attributing a visible Form to God. --The Setting up of ...
... profess who are most desirous to clear themselves of idolatry. ... the source of the
whole evil consists in a ... by those who are praying or sacrificing, though they ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 11 impiety of attributing.htm

Though in Almost Every Age There have Indeed Been in the Heathen ...
... produced, allowed men to continue the idolatry of their ... Hence those divers ways of
sacrificing, and numberless ... of which the whole scheme consists: But this was ...
/.../vi proposition vi though in.htm

City of God
... What Hermes Trismegistus Thought Concerning Idolatry, and from ... the Blessed Life,
Which Consists in Partaking ... a Spiritual Sense Without Sacrificing the Historic ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/

On the Theophany, or Birthday of Christ.
... in clothing soft and flowing, whose beauty consists in its ... first and last of all
evils, idolatry and the ... hills, on which thou wast then sacrificing, and found ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xxxviii on the theophany.htm

Faustus Repels the Charge of Sun-Worship
... sacrifices; as we see in the word idolatry, which means ... which is a different thing
from sacrificing to God ... vestal virginity is great, yet it consists wholly in ...
/.../faustus repels the charge of.htm

Period iv. The Age of the Consolidation of the Church: 200 to 324 ...
... have been contaminated by the abominable certificate of idolatry. ... maintain, sir,
that there is no other repentance than ... man; not the Church which consists of a ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period iv the age of.htm

A Traveler's Note-Book
... to define in what this law consists, he fell ... the prophets laid the disaster to the
idolatry or other ... the priesthood, and the utter rejection of all other gods. ...
/.../merriam/the chief end of man/iii a travelers note-book.htm