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Thou Shall Have No Other Gods Introduction: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" Genesis 1.1. The 4th word in the Bible is the word God. The creator of the universe and mankind. God is described in a number of ways in the Bible. One way is "zealous" Exodus 20.3-6; Deut. 4.24; 6.14-15. The very first of the 10 Commandments shows God's jealousy and desire for man to worship Him and only Him. Yet we know man has always had a problem of idolatry. I) Problem of Idolatry A) Rachel had stolen the household idols, Genesis 31.19 1. Man in his vain imaginations had felt a need to create gods. 2. This was a problem with Jews and Gentiles despite God's revelation with both groups. B) Israel never really put away their idols 1. Worshipped the golden calf, Exodus 32.1 "Come, make us gods that shall go before us". Notice the plural word "gods." 2. Exodus 32.4 "This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt." Notice the singular. 4. God forbid the making if images to represent Him, in essence the attempt of man to remake God in man's image, according to man's likeness. 5. God forbid the worshipping and serving of other gods (plural). Here we find the sharing of God with other gods. Exodus 20. 3-6. 6. Yet Israel played the harlot, committed spiritual adultery, and went after other gods, 1 Kings 11.5-7. In particular these were the gods of the nations around them. a. Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians b. Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites c. Chemosh the abomination of Moab d. Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon. e. We know they worshipped Baal. 7. We see the total ridiculousness of idolatry in 1 Kings 18.27. a. Perhaps their god was in deep thought and could not hear b. Maybe he was too busy c. May be he was on a journey, out of town. d. May be he was taking a nap, a sleep 8. One problem with idolatry is that idols are the product of man's imagination 8. God's message in Isaiah. a. Identification, Isaiah 42.8 b. There is no other god, Isaiah 45.5, 18, 22 II) Today's Problem With Idolatry A) Those who affirm there is no God 1. Very rare but the belief that God does not exist. 2. I will explain what I mean by very rare but there are some who truly do not believe in the God of the Bible and have no other gods. B) Man making himself his own god. 1. Pharoah and the leaders of other nations were often considered to be "gods". Acts 12.22. 2. Caesar worship became very prominent in the Roman Empire. The bowing down to, praying too, offering sacrifices to. 3. The problem today is man elevating himself in the position of God. a. Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice? b. Man must save himself 4. There is no other god besides men. C) Man worshipping other gods, 1 Corinthians 8.4-6; Jeremiah 10.14 1. Think of the new age religion: worshipping of crystals, the stars, nature, etc. 2. Other religions: Muslim god of Allah, Mormon's and their gods, Confucianism, Taosim, Shinoism, etc. 3. All have their own gods, doctrine, worship. III) Other gods We Might Worship and Serve A) Covetousness, Colossians 3.5. 1. Greed, the desire to have more and more, often without concern about how one obtains. 2. Often associated with immorality, not covet your neighbor's wife. 3. This can also be associated with materialism and making money. B) Sports and recreation 1. I like sports and watching games. But some place their sports and recreation before God. 2. Movie "Bull Durham" speaks of the "church of baseball." a. Forsake the assembling of the saints to go to a ballgame. b. Do you, we, I show as much concern for our soul and serving God as we do our recreation? C) One's family 1. Our family is important and should be important to us but we must understand that God comes first. 2. He comes before our spouse and children, Matthew 10.37 a. Some will change their beliefs when it condemns their children or parents b. Some will give up their God in order to have a marriage (leave their spouse for someone else, or in order to marry someone). 3. We are to place God first, Matthew 22.37ff. Seek His kingdom first, Matthew 6.33. 4. Family traditions and religion, think of the Apostle Paul. D) Self worship, Acts 12.23 1. We called to take up our cross and serve God. 1 Thess. 1.9; 1 John 5.21 2. In order to serve God we must be willing to die, Galatians 2.20. Conclusion: We often think of idolatry as so old fashion and out of date that we don't have that problem now. But the old gods have been re-named or replaced with new gods. But there is still the one true God. John 17.3 |