Topical Bible: Idolatry: Objects of, Worshipped in Private Houses

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Idolatry, the worship of idols or images as divine, is a recurring theme in the Bible, often depicted as a grievous sin against the one true God. The practice of idolatry was not limited to public temples or communal altars; it also infiltrated private homes, where individuals and families engaged in the worship of various objects. This entry explores the nature and implications of such private idolatrous practices as depicted in the Scriptures.

Household Gods and Teraphim

One of the most notable examples of idolatry within private homes is the use of household gods, often referred to as "teraphim." These small idols were kept for personal worship and were believed to bring protection, prosperity, or guidance. In Genesis 31:19, Rachel, the wife of Jacob, is described as having stolen her father Laban's household gods: "Now while Laban was gone to shear his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols" . This incident highlights the presence and significance of such idols within family settings.

The prophet Hosea also condemns the use of household idols, indicating that they were a common stumbling block for the Israelites: "For the Israelites must live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or idol" (Hosea 3:4). The mention of idols alongside ephods and sacred pillars suggests their integration into domestic religious practices.

Idolatry in the Time of the Judges

During the period of the Judges, idolatry was rampant, and private worship of idols was prevalent. Judges 17 recounts the account of Micah, who had a shrine in his house, complete with an ephod and household gods: "Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household gods and installed one of his sons as his priest" (Judges 17:5). This narrative illustrates how private idolatry could mimic the structure of legitimate worship, yet it was a direct violation of God's commandments.

The Influence of Foreign Idols

The influence of foreign idols also permeated private homes, as seen in the accounts of Solomon and his many foreign wives. These wives brought their gods into Israel, leading Solomon astray: "For when Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD his God, as his father David had been" (1 Kings 11:4). The introduction of foreign idols into the royal household set a precedent that likely trickled down to the common people, encouraging the worship of foreign deities within their own homes.

Condemnation and Consequences

The Bible consistently condemns the worship of idols, whether in public or private settings. The first and second commandments explicitly prohibit idolatry: "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). The prophets frequently warned of the dire consequences of idolatry, including divine judgment and exile.

In Ezekiel 8, the prophet is shown a vision of the abominations committed by the Israelites, including idolatrous practices within their homes: "Then He said to me, 'Son of man, do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? For they are saying, "The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land"'" (Ezekiel 8:12). This passage underscores the deceptive nature of private idolatry, as it often occurs under the false assumption that it is hidden from God's sight.

Conclusion

The worship of idols in private homes represents a significant aspect of the broader issue of idolatry in biblical times. Despite the intimate and concealed nature of such practices, they were no less offensive to God and carried severe spiritual consequences. The biblical narrative consistently calls for the exclusive worship of the one true God, urging believers to cleanse their homes and hearts of any form of idolatry.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Judges 17:4,5
Yet he restored the money to his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Uproar in Ephesus.
... silver shrines for Diana, who was worshipped in the ... Ephesians placed in their houses
as objects of private ... While the votaries of idolatry and superstition have ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xxiii the uproar in.htm

The People among whom we Labour (Continued).
... stated the arguments by which that idolatry is defended ... is fitting that to these
objects special honour ... character attributed to the gods worshipped under these ...
/.../life and work in benares and kumaon 1839-1877/chapter xxix the people among.htm

The Case of all the Protestant or Reformed Churches, With
... that certain external things, which are objects of the ... whether that object ought
or ought not to be worshipped. (1.) The church of Rome commits idolatry of The ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/disputation 22 the case of.htm

Thoughts Upon Worldly Riches. Sect. I.
... reason is plain; for what is Idolatry but to ... fondly upon such low and mean Objects
as this ... on Sundays, and the eternal Godconstantly worshipped with Reverence ...
/.../private thoughts upon a christian life/thoughts upon worldly riches sect.htm

Acts xix. 21, 23
... See how, wherever there is idolatry, in every case we ... Diana, but, "our city," that
it always worshipped her ... probably used in their homes as objects of domestic ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xlii acts xix 21.htm

Period I: the Imperial State Church of the Undivided Empire, or ...
... Additional source material: Eusebius, Vita Constantini (PNF), II.44 f., 47 f., 54
ff. (a) Codex Theodosianus, IX, 16, 2; AD319. Private sacrifices forbidden. ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period i the imperial state.htm

Matt. v. 27, 28
... had a custom of swearing by these objects, and he ... receiving the laws; since also
to be worshipped with the ... not have led people away from idolatry, but rather ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily xvii matt v 27.htm

The Prophecies
... around them and seen some pleasing objects, have given and ... a great number of the
heathen worshipped this only ... That then idolatry would be overthrown; that this ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pascal/pensees/section xi the prophecies.htm

Christian Cemeteries.
... Christian and anxious to abolish idolatry, left the ... me outlines of figures and objects,
I thought ... saints, Pomponius and his friends worshipped, and celebrated ...
/.../lanciani/pagan and christian rome/chapter vii christian cemeteries.htm

Chapter xxxiv
... the fountainhead of all true religion"idols were worshipped. ... they gave" (nathan)
to Jacob the objects he had ... by Jacob in purging out idolatry by putting ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxiv.htm