Topical Bible: Idolatry: They Who Practise: Inflame Themselves

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Idolatry, the worship of idols or false gods, is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, often depicted as a grievous sin against the one true God. Those who engage in idolatry are described as inflaming themselves, a vivid metaphor illustrating the fervor and passion with which they pursue false deities, often to their own detriment.

The prophet Isaiah provides a poignant depiction of this behavior. In Isaiah 57:5 , it is written, "Who inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree, who slaughter the children in the ravines, under the clefts of the rocks?" This passage highlights the intense zeal and misguided devotion of idolaters, who engage in abominable practices, including child sacrifice, in their pursuit of false gods. The imagery of inflaming oneself suggests a self-destructive passion, a burning desire that leads to moral and spiritual ruin.

The practice of idolatry is often associated with the surrounding pagan nations, whose customs and rituals the Israelites were repeatedly warned against adopting. In Deuteronomy 12:2-3 , the Israelites are commanded, "You must completely destroy all the places where the nations you are dispossessing have served their gods—on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree. Tear down their altars, smash their sacred stones, and burn up their Asherah poles." This directive underscores the seriousness with which God views idolatry and the lengths to which His people must go to eradicate its influence.

The New Testament continues to address the issue of idolatry, warning believers of its dangers. In Romans 1:21-23 , the Apostle Paul writes, "For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. 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." Here, idolatry is portrayed as a fundamental exchange of truth for falsehood, leading to a darkening of the heart and mind.

The fervor with which idolaters pursue their false gods is contrasted with the devotion that should be directed toward the true God. In Jeremiah 2:11-13 , the prophet laments, "Has a nation ever changed its gods, though they are no gods at all? Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols. Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror," declares the LORD. "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns—broken cisterns that cannot hold water."

The Bible consistently portrays idolatry as a betrayal of the covenant relationship between God and His people. It is an act of spiritual adultery, a turning away from the Creator to worship the created. Those who inflame themselves in idolatry are depicted as engaging in a futile and destructive pursuit, one that ultimately leads them away from the life-giving presence of God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 57:5
Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Paul and Barnabas in Lystra.
... in temples under the command of priests, who could securely practise there the arts
of ... The men of Lystra were addicted to idolatry, in which they had been ...
/.../dick/lectures on the acts of the apostles/lecture xv paul and barnabas.htm

Authority and the Adventurer
... social vigilance and tireless pursuit of practise, we cannot ... carved Artemis, the
Romans when they robed the ... has flung itself into a generous idolatry of sexual ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/chesterton/orthodoxy/ix authority and the adventurer.htm

part i
... hate others torture and tyrannise over themselves; therefore they ... at last from their
extreme dryness they take fire ... Devil only knows how to inflame the passions ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part i.htm