Topical Bible: Idolatry: Led to Abominable Sins

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Idolatry, the worship of idols or the elevation of anything above the one true God, is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, often leading to grievous sins and divine judgment. The Bible consistently warns against idolatry, illustrating its destructive consequences on individuals and nations.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, idolatry is frequently depicted as a betrayal of the covenant relationship between God and His people. The first commandment explicitly states, "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3). Despite this clear directive, the Israelites repeatedly fell into idol worship, often adopting the gods of surrounding nations.

One of the most notable instances of idolatry leading to abominable sins is the worship of the golden calf at Mount Sinai. While Moses was on the mountain receiving the Law, the people grew impatient and demanded Aaron make them gods. Aaron complied, fashioning a calf from gold, and the people proclaimed, "These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!" (Exodus 32:4). This act of idolatry led to revelry and moral corruption, provoking God's wrath and resulting in severe punishment.

The worship of Baal and Asherah, Canaanite deities, also led the Israelites into grievous sins, including child sacrifice and sexual immorality. In 2 Kings 17:16-17 , it is recorded, "They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying." Such practices were detestable to God and led to the downfall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

Prophetic Warnings

The prophets consistently warned against idolatry and its associated sins. Isaiah condemned the futility of idol worship, declaring, "They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand" (Isaiah 44:18). Jeremiah lamented the spiritual adultery of Judah, stating, "My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols" (Jeremiah 2:11).

Ezekiel vividly described the abominations committed in the temple, where idols were set up, and detestable practices were carried out in secret (Ezekiel 8:10-13). These acts of idolatry led to the defilement of the sanctuary and the eventual destruction of Jerusalem.

New Testament Perspective

In the New Testament, idolatry is expanded beyond the worship of physical idols to include any form of covetousness or placing anything above God. The Apostle Paul warns the Corinthians, "Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: 'The people sat down to eat and to drink, and got up to revel in idolatry'" (1 Corinthians 10:7). He further admonishes the Colossians, "Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5).

The book of Revelation also addresses idolatry, depicting it as a characteristic of the end times. The apostle John warns of the judgment awaiting those who persist in idol worship, stating, "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur" (Revelation 21:8).

Consequences and Divine Judgment

Throughout Scripture, idolatry is shown to lead to a host of abominable sins, including sexual immorality, injustice, and violence. These sins provoke God's righteous anger and result in severe consequences, both for individuals and nations. The Bible portrays idolatry as a spiritual adultery that corrupts the heart and leads to a departure from God's righteous standards.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Romans 1:26-32
For this cause God gave them up to vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Acts 15:20
But that we write to them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Who Can Tell?
... the city is wholly given into idolatry, and it is girt ... cities of the present day,
they were abominable beyond description ... have I." Oh that you may be led to do ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/who can tell.htm

A Kingdom's Epitaph
... to the sending of the prophets, and one which led to the ... 16 and 17 the details of
the idolatry follow the ... to us all, saying, 'Do not this abominable thing that ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/a kingdoms epitaph.htm

The Third Part of the Articles.
... What torture, rascality, and idolatry such confession has ... Adam and Eve into enthusiasts,
and led them from ... all kinds of horrible, abominable, innumerable sins ...
//christianbookshelf.org/luther/the smalcald articles/the third part of the.htm

The Divided Kingdom.
... They established idolatrous and abominable worship as a religion ... and whose unhappy
alliance with Ahab, led his son ... him as king to introduce idolatry into Judah ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xiii the divided kingdom.htm

National Apostasy
... living God and adopted many of the practices of idolatry. ... Greatly encouraged by these
words, Asa soon led out in a ... He "put away the abominable idols out of all ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 8 national apostasy.htm

John iii. 35, 36
... were enabled to be delivered from their idolatry, being led ... that the many are not
so much led by the ... who by them was deemed mean, contemptible, and abominable. ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily xxxi john iii 35.htm

Chambers of Imagery
... successors of the seventy whom Moses led up to ... marks, into the midst of the idolatry,
'Hast thou ... as my text says, 'creeping things and abominable beasts,' only ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/chambers of imagery.htm

The Harbinger
... and were willingly directed and led by them ... most civilized, were overwhelmed with
abominable wickedness equally ... The shocking effect of their idolatry upon their ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 1/sermon ii the harbinger.htm

A Miracle of Grace
... section in those days, cultivating idolatry and pouring ... had been his companions,
that led him into ... incredible iniquity, the most abominable transgressions, can ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 62 1916/a miracle of grace.htm

The War of Truth
... THE CHILDREN of Israel were led out of Egypt with a ... Idolatry and infidelity we fiercely
denounce, but the men who debase ... What is this but abominable hypocrisy. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/the war of truth.htm