March 13, 2025 -What Makes an Idol

DEUTERONOMY 3:21-5:33

Chronological Bible Readings

Deuteronomy 4:15 You saw no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, 16 so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, 17 or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, 18 or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. 19 And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.

Deuteronomy 5:8 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Today as I read these verses I think about the cross. Of course we are not supposed to make an image of a person or animal and worship it but it says do not make "an image of any shape". I know that the cross is a reminder to us that Christ rose from the dead and we will also, but I wonder if the cross can become an idol for some people. I wonder if placing a cross that can be looked up to or knelt before encourages idolatry. Idolatry is a condition of the heart. Which means that one person can kneel down at the foot of a cross and be truly worshiping God because the cross reminds them of Christ's death and resurrection. But it also means that another person can kneel down at the foot of cross because they think that doing that action is what matters. As though the cross is the important part of equation. Some churches have even more than a cross to represent things of faith and I have always felt that was a form of idolatry but those things as well depend on the heart. I guess what it comes down to is anything in our church can become an idol even people like a pastor or a sacrament like communion. It doesn't matter if it was created to be that or not because idolatry as a condition of the heart. That means that an idol is only an idol if you make it one. I think that these scriptures are speaking more to the body to say do not make an image and encourage or instruct people to worship it because then you are creating it as an idol. Thinking this out has been very helpful to me. Thank you Lord.