Topical Bible: Idolatry: They Who Practise: Provoke God

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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, consistently depicted as an abomination that provokes the Lord to anger. The practice of idolatry is not merely a rejection of God’s commandments but a direct affront to His sovereignty and holiness.

Biblical Instances and Warnings

The Israelites, chosen by God to be a holy nation, frequently fell into the sin of idolatry, despite clear warnings and commandments against it. In the Ten Commandments, God explicitly forbids the making and worshiping of idols: "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). This command underscores the exclusivity of worship that God demands from His people.

The consequences of idolatry are severe, as seen in the history of Israel. When the Israelites turned to other gods, they provoked the Lord to anger, leading to their downfall and exile. In Deuteronomy 32:16, it is written, "They provoked His jealousy with foreign gods; they enraged Him with abominations" . This verse highlights the emotional response of God to idolatry, portraying it as a personal betrayal.

Prophetic Condemnations

The prophets of the Old Testament frequently condemned idolatry, warning of the impending judgment that would result from such practices. Jeremiah, for instance, speaks of the futility and danger of idol worship: "Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands. Then I will do you no harm" (Jeremiah 25:6). Here, the prophet emphasizes that idolatry is a deliberate act that provokes God, contrasting it with the peace and protection that come from obedience.

Similarly, the prophet Isaiah ridicules the absurdity of idol worship, pointing out the foolishness of creating gods from wood and stone: "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). This critique underscores the spiritual blindness that accompanies idolatry, further provoking God’s wrath.

New Testament Perspective

In the New Testament, idolatry remains a significant concern. The Apostle Paul warns the early Christians against falling into the same trap as their ancestors. In 1 Corinthians 10:14, he advises, "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry" . Paul’s exhortation reflects the continuity of God’s disdain for idolatry and the need for believers to remain vigilant against it.

Moreover, idolatry is expanded beyond the worship of physical idols to include any form of covetousness or placing anything above God. Colossians 3:5 states, "Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry" . This broader definition serves as a warning to Christians to guard their hearts and priorities, ensuring that God remains supreme in their lives.

Divine Jealousy and Righteous Anger

The practice of idolatry provokes God because it challenges His rightful place as the sole object of worship and devotion. God’s jealousy, as described in the Bible, is not petty or insecure but is a righteous demand for the loyalty and love of His people. In Exodus 34:14, it is declared, "For you must not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God" . This divine jealousy is rooted in God’s covenant relationship with His people, who are called to reflect His holiness and glory.

Throughout Scripture, the provocation of God through idolatry leads to judgment, yet it is also met with calls for repentance and restoration. God’s desire is for His people to turn from their idols and return to Him, as seen in His repeated invitations to repentance and promises of forgiveness for those who abandon their idolatrous ways.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Deuteronomy 31:20
For when I shall have brought them into the land which I swore to their fathers, that flows with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn to other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 65:3
A people that provokes me to anger continually to my face; that sacrifices in gardens, and burns incense on altars of brick;
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Jeremiah 25:6
And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.
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Library

section iii.
... and so easily seduced to the Idolatry of their ... betrayed, are able, and do emperically
practise without his ... unto ours, though as ministring Spirits they do, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/browne/religio medici/section iii.htm

Concerning Worship.
... For this kind of idolatry, whereby man loveth, idolizeth ... as that which they were
to practise during his ... This they call invention, which themselves have made up ...
/.../proposition xi concerning worship.htm

Treatise on the Priesthood. Book ii.
... If thou lovest me practise fasting, sleeping ... fornication, adultery, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred ... truth, and that they may recover ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/treatise on the priesthood book 2.htm

Knox -- the First Temptation of Christ
... destroying His ordinances, and building up idolatry, which did so ... by the three wise
men, that they had learned ... things mark, what hath been the practise of the ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons volume i/knox the first temptation.htm

Peaceable Principles and True: Or, a Brief Answer to Mr. D'Anver's ...
... not; lest you countenance their idolatry; and nourish ... the justification of his own
practise is, 'suppositions ... and strong presumptions,' things that they laugh at ...
/.../the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/peaceable principles and true or.htm

The Treatise
... of God, the other only makes worse idolatry and the ... to the ban, accurse, rob, murder,
and practise all their wickedness, in whatever way they please and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/luther/a treatise on good works/the treatise.htm

part iii.
... to overthrow the temples of idolatry, and bring ... becomes parched, and verdure withers;
if they descend frequently ... the conviction, that I must practise great self ...
//christianbookshelf.org/clark/the faithful steward/part iii.htm

Seasonable Counsel: Or, Advice to Sufferers.
... evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry (Colossians 3 ... For since they
are sent of God, they must needs ... our sins to remembrance, and provoke us to ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/seasonable counsel or advice to.htm

An Exhortation to Theodore after his Fall. Letter I.
... temple, and caused the deceit of idolatry to flourish ... to our favour household slaves
when they have often ... evils we have once perpetrated cannot provoke Him so ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/an exhortation to theodore after.htm

A Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity: Or, an Exhortation to ...
... off, though they do hear and look on, and practise lesser things ... Of their silver
and their gold have they made them idols.' The sin of idolatry threw their ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a holy life the beauty.htm