The Lord’s first commandment forbids those who seek Him to have any gods before (beside/in front of) Him. He is a jealous God, as jealous as He is holy (Josh. 24:19). He is equally jealous of His Sabbaths and His place in the life of the salvation seeker. He will allow no other week day to be His Sabbath and no other god to be worshiped by His children. Now notice how the second commandment flows smoothly from the end of the first commandment: “You will not make any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth.” Notice that making such an image (idol) is in and of itself a sin which separates the sinner from the Lord (Isa. 59:2). Relative to a hand-made religious entity, He continues: “You must not bow down to it (a sin), nor serve it (a sin); for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God …” (Lev. 26:4,5). In the eyes of God, three sins are involved in the existence of any man-made item used in the worship of God Himself.

This commandment forbids the use of any physical substitutes or forms man creates and uses in his (man’s) acts of worship of or service to God. He forbids such things as crosses, statues, fish symbols, flags, pictures, steeples, colored windows, beads, candles etc.–ANYTHING MADE BY HAND IS FORBIDDEN IN MAN’S WORSHIP OF AND SERVICE TO THE LORD. THERE CAN BE NOTHING THAT MAN CAN HOLD OR SEE RELATIVE TO GOD THAT IS ACCEPTIBLE.

But there is another type of idol that man sets up IN HIS HEART (MIND) THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MAN’S WORSHIP OF GOD. Because such idols are so readily available and socially acceptable, man, even church man, does not recognize them for what they are. I have had such idols and was unaware that I was idolator. An Idol can be, and often is, unknown to the idolator. For this reason such idols are not recognized. And when they are brought to the idolator’s attention, Satan convinces him that they are in reality not idols, but are harmless entertainment distractions. As a result the modern world, especially the Western World, is filled with idols which we have all worshiped.

One of the most powerful idols used by the devil today is physical beauty. Our Western World idolizes beauty, especially women. For example, notice how many people fawn over movie stars. Advertisers recognize such idol worship and pay the idol much money to tout their items. Some “stars” make fortunes on advertising. An equally famous idol is the professional athlete. Some make more money from advertising than for playing their sport. Why? Because people want to identify with the athlete by wearing, eating, drinking, etc. whatever they advertise. Every year, billions of dollars are spent by idolators. People have even undergone facial rearrangement surgery in order to look like models, etc. Two examples are Barbie and Ken of doll fame. I have seen pictures of these people. They are chilling to look at.

Another idol that many bow down to is money itself and the things it can buy. Recall that Jesus told a wealthy man that his lust for things would prevent him from receiving eternal life (Lk. 18:22). Billions of people have spent their lives in search of money and the stuff it can acquire. God promises those who seek Him and His kingdom that He will supply everything they need. I can tell you from personal experience, He is the God of His Word.

Entertainment is another idol Satan uses to lure masses worldwide into its powerful arms. Sports and other types of entertainment have become idols for billions of people who spend hours watching movies, games, television shows, etc. while giving little, if any time to the study of God’s Word, except on Sunday morning. For most people, prayer is limited to mealtime and a short statement before going to sleep.

God’s way of life is demanding in terms of time and effort. It takes continuous, all-out effort to overcome Satan’s temptations by which he attempts to draw us away from learning about, meeting with and serving the Lord. Read Revelation 3:21 where Jesus makes it clear what He commands of us. Only those who meet God’s demand to overcome as He did will join Him on His throne in the Kingdom of God. He tells us that very few will do so. Overcoming is a major component of God’s command to “walk as He (Jesus) walked” while on earth (1 Jn. 2:6). But what are we told from pulpit and podium?–“YOU CANNOT OVERCOME TEMPTATION. THEREFORE, JUST REPENT” AFTER EACH INEVITABLE SIN.” One woman told me: “Obeying God is just too much trouble.” Why should she go to the trouble. Her preacher assured her that she was already saved and born again. So why bother? And Satan smiles.

Some people turn food and drink into idols. Others have idols such as tobacco, alcohol, etc. Smokers can endure only a short time without a drug fix. However, they can go indefinitely without a private conversation with their supposed Savior, or studying His Word. But its all good. They are repeatedly assured that God does not expect more than belief in Him and church attendance, etc. Oh yes, tithing and repentance are also required. For some, repentance is optional. I heard about one female preacher who says that Jesus, knowing they her congregants are going to sin, has already forgiven them before they do the deed. Truly, Christianity is the world’s most convenient religion. If you don’t like what’s available, create your own brand.

For some people, family is their idol. Some will not come to the Lord for fear of offending their relatives. Some place their professional careers ahead of the Lord. Anything can be a god to us without our realizing what Satan is doing. What we fix our desire on becomes our God. We satisfy our desires first and foremost. If our desire is to know God better and to please Him we will make time to study His Word, pray, fast, etc. FIRST. WHAT WE CHOOSE TO THINK ABOUT IS WHAT WE FOCUS UPON. WHAT WE THINK ABOUT WHEN WE HAVE A CHOICE IS AN IDOL. WHAT WE CHOOSE TO SEE AND HEAR DETERMINES WHAT WE THINK ABOUT. For this reason God says that the eye is the light of the soul (Mat. 6:22). We choose the light we want to see. The average person in the Western World spends six hours each day looking at a screen. Entertainment is one of the most powerful idols known to man. What we choose to look at is where we focus our attention during our free time. For this reason God commands that we “redeem the time” we have in this life. What we do with it will determine our eternity.

“Beloved, keep yourself from idols,” John wrote in concluding his first epistle. Place God first in your life. “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (our needs) will be added unto you” (Mat. 6:33). Make your relationship with the Lord more important than anyone or anything else. Nothing in this life is more important than that.

All negative things that this life brings to man are self-inflicted wounds. Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 make this abundantly clear. Read The “Voices” of God for proof of this present day reality. God’s will is for mankind to be happy, healthy, wealthy, successful, secure, without fear, etc. He has only one caveat for making His will for mankind come true–OBEDIENCE TO HIS LAW. Which includes commandment #4. Churchman has chosen to crown himself god, gather together according to a man-determined set of self-exalting “truths,” give themselves a religious name and claim that they are one with the Biblical God, unlike those hundreds of other groups who claim that they are God’s chosen ambassadors to the world. The apostasy of this Satan-serving, sin-saturated conglomeration of religiousness called “the church” is an abomination to the Lord. Few salvation seekers believe and obey God (Mat. 7:13,14; 22:14). Read Who Are the Sanctified? and For Whom Did Jesus Die? Key words–Sanctified and Whom respectively.

For this reason He commands Truth seekers to come out of that unclean thing and stay out in order to avoid receiving her curses (2 Cor. 6:14-7:1/ Rev. 18:4). AS GOES THE CHURCH, SO GOES THE NATION. The Institutional Church is leading America, and the world, in fleeing from everything God wants for mankind. As a result, He is pouring out His rage on those entities. Read The “Voices” of God. Key word–Voices. As Jesus said in Matthew 24:8, what we are seeing is only “… the beginning of sorrows” if the church and the nation do not embrace Him, believe Him and obey Him. L.J.