ESOCS Devotional 12 July 2024 – Beware of Idolatry
MEMORY VERSE: “Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of anything, which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee.” Deuteronomy 4:23 KJV
TEXT: DEUTERONOMY 4:14-24
14 And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that you might observe them in the land which you cross over to possess.
15 “Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, 16 lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female, 17 the likeness of any animal that is on the earth or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, 18 the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground or the likeness of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth. 19 And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage. 20 But the Lord has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day. 21 Furthermore the Lord was angry with me for your sakes, and swore that I would not cross over the Jordan, and that I would not enter the good land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance. 22 But I must die in this land, I must not cross over the Jordan; but you shall cross over and possess that good land. 23 Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the Lord your God has forbidden you. 24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
Read Other ESOCS Devotional here
The power and love of God to Israel are here made the ground and reason of a number of cautions and serious warnings; and although there is much reference to their national covenant, yet all may be applied to those who live under the gospel. What are laws made for but to be observed and obeyed? Our obedience as individuals cannot merit salvation; but it is the only evidence that we are partakers of the gift of God, which is eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Moses charged particularly to take heed of the sin of idolatry. He showed how weak the temptation would be to those who thought aright; for these pretended gods – the sun, moon, and stars – were only blessings which the Lord their God had imparted to all nations. It was absurd to worship them. Shall we serve those that were made to serve us? Take heed lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God. We must take heed lest at any time we forget our religion. Care, caution and watchfulness are helps against a bad memory.
In verses 21-22, having alluded to the incident that prevented him from possessing Canaan, Moses strongly declared, “So watch yourselves, that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything.” The Israelites were to be watchful to observe all the stipulations of God’s covenant in order not to make any graven image to represent Him. Doing so would reduce the Creator to the level of His creatures. Such an act would be inappropriate because it would bring dishonor the LORD.
The warning given to Israel was strong because Moses knew God’s discipline can be fatal. In fact, having already experienced God’s judgment by being excluded from those who would possess Canaan, Moses did not want the people to fall under a similar judgment. For this reason, he told them that Yahweh is a consuming fire, and a jealous God. The phrase “consuming fire” refers to God’s holiness and judgment.
Not only is the LORD a consuming fire, He is also a jealous God. The adjective “jealous” does not mean that God is envious of what belongs to others. Rather, it means that God wants to preserve what belongs to Him. In such a covenant relationship where the superior God redeemed His vassals out of the iron furnace from Egypt, it is clear why He would demand exclusive love and faithfulness from them (Deuteronomy 6:5). God had chosen the Israelites to be His “own possession” and had set them apart just for that purpose (Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 7:6).
Therefore, since Yahweh alone is sovereign, He did not want to share His “glory” with anyone else nor His “praise to graven images” (Isaiah 42:8). That is why He required exclusive loyalty from His servants.
- Have you been involved in any custom and/or tradition that indirectly constitute idolatry?
- Sovereign Lord, order my steps and help me keep your covenant through Christ our Lord.
Further Reading: Ezekiel 32:17-end; Mark 14:10-25; Acts 6:1-end
ESOCS Devotional 12 July 2024
