Sunday: Idolatry and Oppression
Soon after God led the people of Israel out of Egypt, He met with them at Mount Sinai, giving them the Ten Commandments in written form, including the first two commandments about not worshiping other gods and not making idols (see Exod. 20:2-6). In response, the people promised to do everything they had been commanded and to live as His people (see Exod. 24:1-13).
Idolatry
But then Moses was gone up the mountain for almost six weeks and the people began to wonder what had become of him. Under pressure from the mob, Aaron made a golden calf and led the people in making sacrifices before it, after which “they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry” (Exod. 32:6, NIV). Both the Lord and Moses were outraged at how quickly the people had turned away from God to idol worship—and it seemed that it was only Moses’ intercession that saved Israel from its deserved punishment (see Exod. 32:30-34).
Idolatry, however, was a temptation God’s people fell into way too often. The history of the kings of Israel and Judah is punctuated by periods of idolatry, which include the outrageous acts some of the kings led their people to commit in the worship of these gods. Such unfaithfulness was a recurring focus of the prophets God sent in order to call the people back to Him. Often, too, amid the calls for revival and reformation, were calls for better treatment of the poor, the needy, and the helpless among them.
Read Psalm 115:1-8. What crucial point is the author making there?
It is a human tendency that we become like the thing or person we worship and focus on. So, it was only natural that concern for others and for justice would diminish when God’s people turned from worshiping a God of justice to worshiping the false gods of the surrounding nations, who were often styled as beings of war or fertility. When they chose other gods, the people changed their attitude in a lot of things, including how they treated others. Had they been faithful to the Lord, they would have shared His concern for those in need among them.
| Dwell more on this idea of becoming like what we worship. How do we see contemporary manifestations of this principle? |
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The big sin of the papacy during the dark ages was not that they changed the day of worship, but they changed the whole direction of the church. The church converted people by force, they compelled people to give, they exercised oppression, they used images of hell and purgatory into frightening people to be "good". What went so terribly wrong?
The answer is more complex than can be given in a few short paragraphs of a comment, but in keeping with the theme of today's lesson, they lost sight of who they were worshiping. The church and its hierarchy of rulers became the centre of worship, rather than pointing to Jesus. In other words, the church became the idol. Money that was taken to help the poor but flowed into the palatial homes of the church leaders. People who spoke out (whistleblowers in today's parlance) had nobody in leadership to turn too and were often martyred for their efforts.
I am reminded too that the driving force for justifying apartheid in South Africa was also they church. They used theological arguments to support a reign of oppression under the guise of teaching a different culture a "better way".
Why can Christianity get it so wrong? Once again they have blurred the vision of Jesus, and substituting other worship rather than following in his footsteps. Instead of a religion of invitation, it became a religion of compulsion to support the greed and power of the church hierarchy.
I read this passage this morning and I think it encapsulates the idea of how the church should operate:
And in a little application to ourselves, can we ask what is our own personal view of the way we worship Jesus?
When ever we put our trust on someone or something other than God to guide us or solve our problems, that is idolatry.
As Christians let's learn to remain in the boat which God directed us, not turning against His wish.
The lesson author, "When they chose other gods, the people changed their attitude in a lot of things, including how they treated others. Had they been faithful to the Lord, they would have shared His concern for those in need among them."
When you change your thinking, you change your beliefs. It begins with the mind.
When you change your beliefs, you change your expectations. Our beliefs control everything we do.
When you change your expectations, you change your attitude. Your expectations are going to determine your attitude.
When you change your behavior, you change your performance.
Even when we know that change will be better for us. We don't change because in doing so we feel uncomfortable or awkward.
When you change your performance, you change your life.
There's a tendency to feel isolated and lonely when you're going through the change.
430 years the Israelites were used to a particular life. Change, change, change was constant in their life. They probably felt isolated and different. The change was uncomfortable and awkward. They wanted to be just like every other nation.
How often we want to live like the world and expect the world to choose Christianity.
What is the evidence we are offering of Christ filled life?
It's been quite a while that I have not seen any comments by Shirley de Beer, Tyler Cluthe, Inge Anderson or Hugh Dalhouse...
Wishing all of God's people peace, joy and love.
Hi Paulette, You are right, and I will try to find out what has happened to the ones I don't know about.
Sadly, Tyler Cluthe died some years ago now - we did mention it in the blog when we learned about it. I responded with him for some time after he stopped writing for SSNET and I gathered he was not well before his emails went unanswered.
Inge is busy shifting house at the moment but is still very active ensuring that Sabbath School Net works.
Isaiah 58 If we want to reach vertically to God we first need to reach horizontally to our fellow man.
As a sabbath school teacher i'd like your suggestions on a small project that our class could do to help our fellow man.
Thanks