Topical Bible: Idolatry: Objects of Described as New Gods

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In the biblical context, idolatry refers to the worship of idols or images as gods, which is strictly forbidden in the Scriptures. The concept of "new gods" emerges as a recurring theme, particularly in the Old Testament, where the Israelites are often warned against turning to deities other than Yahweh, the one true God.

Biblical References:

1. Deuteronomy 32:17 · "They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they had not known, to newly arrived gods, which your fathers did not fear." This verse highlights the Israelites' tendency to adopt the worship of foreign deities, described as "newly arrived gods," which were unfamiliar to their ancestors. These new gods are equated with demons, emphasizing their false and malevolent nature.

2. Judges 5:8 · "When they chose new gods, then war was in the gates; not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel." This passage reflects the consequences of Israel's idolatry, where the choice of new gods leads to vulnerability and conflict. The absence of weapons symbolizes the nation's weakened state due to their spiritual infidelity.

3. Jeremiah 2:11 · "Has a nation ever changed its gods, though they are not gods at all? Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols." Here, the prophet Jeremiah laments the foolishness of Israel in abandoning their glorious God for worthless idols. The rhetorical question underscores the absurdity of replacing the true God with new, impotent deities.

4. Psalm 81:9 · "There must be no strange god among you, nor shall you bow to a foreign god." This command reiterates the prohibition against adopting new gods, emphasizing the exclusivity of worship that belongs to Yahweh alone. The term "strange god" denotes any deity that is foreign to the covenant relationship between God and Israel.

Theological Implications:

The introduction of new gods into Israelite worship is consistently portrayed as a breach of the covenant with Yahweh. It signifies a departure from the foundational commandment to worship God alone, as stated in the First Commandment (Exodus 20:3). The allure of new gods often came from neighboring cultures and was associated with practices that were contrary to the laws given to Israel.

Idolatry, particularly the worship of new gods, is depicted as spiritual adultery, a betrayal of the exclusive relationship between God and His people. The prophets frequently used marital imagery to describe this unfaithfulness, portraying God as a husband who is deeply grieved by His people's infidelity (e.g., Hosea 2:2-13).

Historical Context:

Throughout Israel's history, the temptation to worship new gods was a persistent challenge. The surrounding nations, such as the Canaanites, Philistines, and later the Assyrians and Babylonians, had their own pantheons of gods, which often enticed the Israelites. These deities were associated with fertility, prosperity, and military success, making them appealing alternatives during times of crisis or cultural exchange.

The worship of new gods often involved rituals and practices that were abhorrent to the God of Israel, including child sacrifice, temple prostitution, and divination. These practices not only violated the moral and ethical standards set by God but also led to societal decay and divine judgment.

Moral and Spiritual Lessons:

The biblical warnings against idolatry and the worship of new gods serve as a timeless reminder of the importance of faithfulness to God. They call believers to examine their own lives for modern forms of idolatry, which may not involve physical idols but can manifest in the elevation of material possessions, power, or personal desires above God.

The call to reject new gods and remain devoted to the one true God is a central theme in Scripture, urging believers to uphold the purity of their worship and maintain their covenant relationship with God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 32:17
They sacrificed to devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Judges 5:8
They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Impiety of Attributing a visible Form to God. --The Setting up of ...
... how aid is implored from dead and senseless objects, by beings ... pretexts in defence
of the execrable idolatry in which ... in the very way which has been described. ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 11 impiety of attributing.htm

On Idolatry
... gods of foreign nations as objects of worship ... of God concerning that species of idolatry
which is ... execution of these threats, are described generally throughout ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/disputation 23 on idolatry.htm

The Preface to the Commandments
... [2] God is described by his ... Because we are led much by visible objects, and love
to have our ... In this your fathers have blasphemed me.' Idolatry is devil worship ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/the ten commandments/1 3 the preface to the.htm

Chapter xxxv
... taken by Jacob in purging out idolatry by putting ... these monuments were doubtless
originally objects, of worship ... Though Bilhah was heretofore described only as ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxv.htm

A Jealous God
... In Ezekiel we find the false god described as "the image ... other, but when we carry
love to idolatry, and put ... persons who continue to live for objects other than ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 9 1863/a jealous god.htm

The So-Called Letter to Diognetus
... The Stupidity of Idolatry. ... latter think that they are offering something to objects
which in ... In the rite of baptism described in Hippolytus' Apostolic Tradition ...
/.../richardson/early christian fathers/the so-called letter to diognetus.htm

CHAPTER III.
... any figurative covering, the effect is described which will be ... With regard to the
other two objects mentioned in ... belong to the side of idolatry; for, wherever ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/chapter iii.htm

Chapter xxxiv
... seventeen years old at the time there described, which again ... they gave" (nathan)
to Jacob the objects he had ... taken by Jacob in purging out idolatry by putting ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxiv.htm

Oration on the Holy Lights.
... but even divine, taking refuge in the objects of his ... punished covetousness, which
is a second idolatry; but he ... and practices are too shameful to be described. ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xxxix oration on the.htm

The Era of Persecution
... to retain their traditional forms and objects of worship ... statue of the emperor was
wicked idolatry and entailed ... be a repetition of the horrors described above. ...
/.../brittain/women of early christianity/iii the era of persecution.htm