Topical Bible: Idolatry: Making Idols for the Purpose of, Described and Ridiculed

◄ Idolatry: Making Idols for the Purpose of, Described and Ridiculed ►

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Idolatry, the worship of idols or images as divine, is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, consistently condemned and ridiculed by the prophets and writers of Scripture. The practice of making idols for the purpose of worship is depicted as both futile and foolish, highlighting the stark contrast between the living God and lifeless creations of human hands.

Purpose of Making Idols

The making of idols often stemmed from a desire to have a tangible representation of the divine, something that could be seen, touched, and manipulated. In ancient cultures, idols were crafted to embody deities, serving as focal points for worship and as intermediaries between the divine and human realms. This practice is explicitly forbidden in the Ten Commandments: "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 20:4).

Described in Scripture

The Bible provides vivid descriptions of the process of idol-making, emphasizing its absurdity. In Isaiah 44:9-20, the prophet Isaiah mocks the creation of idols, illustrating the irony of using part of a tree to warm oneself and cook food, while fashioning the rest into a god to worship. Isaiah writes, "The woodworker stretches a measuring line; he outlines it with a stylus; he shapes it with chisels and outlines it with a compass. He makes it in the form of a man, like a man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine" (Isaiah 44:13).

Jeremiah also describes the futility of idol-making: "Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm—and neither can they do any good" (Jeremiah 10:5). This passage underscores the impotence of idols, contrasting them with the omnipotent God who speaks, acts, and intervenes in human history.

Ridiculed by the Prophets

The prophets of Israel frequently ridiculed idolatry, pointing out the irrationality of worshiping objects made by human hands. In 1 Kings 18, the prophet Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal to a contest on Mount Carmel, demonstrating the powerlessness of their god compared to the LORD. Despite their fervent prayers and rituals, "there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention" (1 Kings 18:29).

The Apostle Paul, in the New Testament, continues this critique of idolatry. In Acts 17:29, he addresses the people of Athens, stating, "Being then God’s offspring, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination" . Paul emphasizes that the true God transcends material representations and human conceptions.

Theological Implications

Idolatry is not merely a misguided religious practice but a profound theological error. It represents a rejection of the true God in favor of a substitute, a created thing rather than the Creator. This is highlighted in Romans 1:22-23, where Paul writes, "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" .

The Bible's consistent denunciation of idolatry serves as a reminder of the exclusive worship due to God alone. It calls believers to recognize the futility of idols and to place their trust in the living God, who alone is worthy of worship and adoration.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 44:10-20
Who has formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Faustus Rejects the Old Testament Because it Leaves no Room for ...
... One who, after giving up idolatry, worships both the God ... and in the parable of a
householder making a marriage ... on the wind, still embracing the idols of thine ...
/.../faustus rejects the old testament.htm

Origen Against Celsus
... V. Treating of the regulations respecting idolatry as being ... to Celsus, "the Christians,
making certain additional ... that which is offered to idols is sacrificed ...
//christianbookshelf.org/origen/origen against celsus/

Sozomen as Author.
... truth concerning many of those idols, does the ... attempt of Constantine to abolish
idolatry and introduce ... letters, one presbyterial letter, making seventeen in ...
/.../sozomen/the ecclesiastical history of sozomenus/part ii sozomen as author.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... prophets, their struggle against Phonician idolatry, the story of ... throughout with
that unity of purpose and energy ... captors, but while they were making merry at ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... buildings, we shall be led to the conclusion that the ceremony described by the ... a
guarantee of his loyalty, and Nergal-sharuzur for this purpose selected from ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm