“Therefore brethren flee from Idolatry.”

‘Idolatry’ has been a problem since the beginning of Adam & Eve’s fall. According to popular belief ‘polytheism’ evolved to become ‘Monotheism’, but the Bible challenges that right in the beginning that ‘God’ created everything. And therefore, it starts with ‘God’ in the Bible. It is interesting to notice that all the nations surrounded ‘Israel’ were ‘Idolaters’. ‘Israel’ was called to worship the true God when everybody was lost in ‘Idolatry’. Has ‘Israel’ lived up to God’s expectations? No. Time and again ‘Israel’ failed to keep God’s commandments which in turn had to pay the price. Should this not become a lesson for us as well?  

           

The very first commandment given to Israelites was ’I am the Lord your God ….,you shall have no other gods before me…shall not make any image or any likeness of anything ….in heaven above…in the earth ..or in the water…..for I the Lord your God is a jealous God..” (Exo 20:2-5)

Having heard, seen and witnessed God’s commandments and His miraculous power, people kept humiliating him by the acts their ‘Idolatry’. (Romans 1: 21- 25).

Coming back to 1^st Corinthians 10:14;

The Apostle reminds them that ’Idolatry’ is dangerous.  Many mighty had fallen thinking that they were God’s own children.

What does ‘idolatry’ does to a person?

1)     It turned the ‘Israelites’ to commit several sins like

a)     Adultery & fornication b) tempting their leader and murmuring against God (1 Cor 10:6-10).

b)     And the reward for doing this was ‘DEATH’. (1 Cor 10:8,Rom 6:23)

And the Apostle reminds the Corinthians not to feel secured or self-confident.

Keeping the dangers that are there by committing the sin of ‘Idolatry’, the Apostle warns the Corinthians to be extra careful.

What is an Idol? An ‘Idol’ is an object of worship; when something or somebody becomes the object of worship, it becomes an ‘Idol’. So it is not just linked with ‘Images’.

What is there right in the centre of your heart becomes your object of worship.