Wednesday: Prevailing Idolatry
Read Genesis 34:30-35:15. What lessons can we take about true worship from what happened here?
Immediately after Jacob’s complaint that his peace with the Canaanites had been compromised (Genesis 34:30), and after his two sons were rebuked (Genesis 34:30), God urges Jacob to leave Shechem and return to Bethel in order to renew his covenant. Indeed, the Lord tells him that, once he gets there, he needs to build an altar.
Image © Krieg Barrie from GoodSalt.com
Meanwhile, the first thing recorded after God’s command is Jacob’s telling his people to put away the Canaanite idols, which had been taken in the plunder of the city of Shechem and the household gods that had been stolen by Rachel (Genesis 31:19, Genesis 31:32). All this, too, is crucial to the idea of the covenant with God.
These idols had been kept and, probably, worshiped in spite of Jacob’s commitment to God. It was not enough for Jacob to leave Shechem in order to escape Canaanite influence. Jacob had to get rid of the idols within the camp and in the hearts of his people.
The process of repentance consists in more than a physical move from one place to another, or a move from one church to another. Most important, it is that we seek by God’s grace to purge the idolatry in our hearts, regardless of where we live, because we can make idols out of just about anything.
When Jacob obeys God and proceeds according to God’s commandment, God finally intervenes and “the terror of God” (Genesis 35:5, NKJV) affects all the people around them, and they do not dare attack Jacob. Jacob is, then, ready to worship with “all the people who were with him” (Genesis 35:6, NKJV), suggesting that the family unity has been restored. Jacob gives this place the name El Bethel, a reminder of his dream of the ladder, a sign that the connection between heaven and earth, which had been broken for some time, has now been restored.
The emphasis is, this time, on the God of Bethel rather than on the place itself. This personal note resonates again, when God reminds Jacob of his name “Israel” (Genesis 35:10), with the double promise that this blessing implies. Jacob’s blessing, first, means fruitfulness, the transmission of the Messianic seed and the generation of many nations (Genesis 35:11); and second, it points to the Promised Land (Genesis 35:12).
| What are subtle ways that idolatry can find its way into our hearts, and what can we do about it? |
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As I have mentioned previously, many of the ancient idols had to do with fertility. Phallic symbolism, bull worship and so on were associated with fertility, It is not an accident that Rachel is associated with idols early on in the story. She had had difficulty conceiving and the idols she was trying to hide were in all probability symbolic of fertility.
This was not just a Mesopotamian thing. Maoris in New Zealand often used Tikis, a symbolic embryonic baby as a charm to get pregnant.
Of course, nowadays we know a lot more about fertility and how it works, but the idea of lucky charms still persists. Even non-religious people sometimes have St Christopher symbolism in their cars in the hope that he will grant them safe travel. And, when I have travelled in taxis in Sydney I sometimes see a pair of symbolic horns hanging off the rear-vision mirror to ward off the evil eye.
A few years ago I spent some time teaching in Thailand. I was in Bangkok during one of the Buddhist religious festivals. We were passing one of the shrines where the faithful were burning incense and praying, when one man, seeing a couple of foreigners within speaking range started up a conversation (He wanted to sell me a suit) I asked him about his religious activities and in particular why he was praying to Buddha. He told us that he was praying for good luck in the big lottery draw next week.
That started a train of thought that often we pray to God in the same way as this man. We want some personal gain. I am going to suggest that at times our worship of God amounts to idolatry. We are using God as a good-luck charm.
How often do we ask God for things that it is not in his power to give? The one that I am most familiar with is the student who prays for God's blessing in an examination for which they have not studied. Drivers pray for "travelling mercies" and then drive recklessly and presumptuously.
Idolatry is not just a case of worshipping useless symbols. It is entirely possible that we have made a god in our own image, thinking that just because we call that image God we are all right.
Profound. Thank you!
God has the power to give us anything, but why would He give us something that is against justice itself? I need to deny myself, not Him. Perhaps I do not achieve God's full will because I've raised something more important to my life than Him, something capable of block His blessings. Yes, that's true, "How often do we ask God for things that it is not in his power to give?"
I always enjoy your commentary!
God reminds Jacob of his name “Israel” (Genesis 35:10), with the *double promise that this blessing implies* Jacob’s blessing, first, means *fruitfulness*, the transmission of the *Messianic seed and the generation of many nations* (Genesis 35:11); and second, it points to the Promised Land (Genesis 35:12).
Acts 13:43-49 (CSB)
43 After the synagogue had been dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking with them and urging them to continue in the grace of God.
44 The following Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of the Lord.
45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what Paul was saying, insulting him.
46 Paul and Barnabas boldly replied, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you *first* . Since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are turning to the Gentiles.
47 “For this is what the Lord has commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles to bring salvation to the end of the earth.”
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and honored the word of the Lord, and all who had been appointed to eternal life believed.
James 1:1 (CSB) James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: To the *twelve tribes dispersed abroad. Greetings.*
James 1:18 (CSB) By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of *first-fruits of his creatures.*
God fulfills his word !
Amen
49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region.
Answer to questions:
Finding God's promises fulfilled in the New Testiment is one way to guard our heart and inspires us to continue our WALK with God in the spirit of Christ !
Unless God is the desire of our heart, our hearts will be anchored to the greatest idol of all - self (self-seeking, self-indulgence, self-gratification, etc). God will make everything available that we need to develop a heart that is rooted in Him (Philippians 2:13) - but we have to daily make the choice and actively co-operate with His working in us (Philippians 2:12; 4:13; Joshua 24:15). God can't do that for us (Matthew 16:24).
The seduction of our self-idols are that they fit and reinforce our dysfunctional way of thinking. These idols are so comfortable and even socially acceptable, especially when they relate to religion, politics and economics, that is, until they collide with God’s reality.
It was fairly simple for Jacob to bury the foreign gods of his family and have the appearance of putting them away, but how do we rid ourselves of the self-idols in our heads? That is the question.
How do we rid ourselves of the self-idols in our heads?
Prevailing prayer is the key to wipe out or obviate self idols. We are told to ask and it shall be given. Luke 11:9. That also means ask for elimination of self idols in our lives.
God can give us the same faith of the smoker who asked the Lord to take away his self indulging desire to smoke, immediately it was gone, or the smoker who asked God for the same and in three months it was gone because he persisted in prayer.
Pray that God will rid ourselves of the self idols in our minds and He will answer a contrite heart and prevailing soul. He has promised. Psalms 91:15. Jeremiah 33:3.
Prayer allows us to sit at the feet of Jesus and ask Him to give us the mind of Him, and make us Holy as He is, who is all our righteousness.
It requires that a christian must surrender daily to jesus christ to do away from idols
Phil 2:5
Let this mind be in you which was in christ who humbled himself even to the death of the cross.
How often do we ask God for things that it is not in his power to give? Is anything impossible to The Lord? I appreciated your comment but this assertion do not match with Genesis 18:14.
I believe JC explained that our disobedience or unbelief blocks God’s blessings. See Psalm 66:18.
What is true worship? Jesus' recorded conversation: ”But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him.” - John4:23.
I think the religious understanding of true ‘worship’ has evolved with time to become that which it is now – living ones life by faith in the spirit and truth of the Word of God as exemplified, lived and taught by Jesus Christ; a man of flesh and blood like us, having been elevated to become our Lord and Savior as He committed to live His life by doing the Father's Will.
True worship is therefore not a set of rituals to be observed in an organized setting or finding ‘things’ to attach it to, it is the living the Will of God. What is the Will of God … ”Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets – Matt.22:34-40.
Our Creator Father needed to purge from man’s mind ideas of worship and replace it with believing and trusting the Father’s spirit’s form of worship – immersion of the living soul in the Creator's spirit of kindness and love, loving Him and one's fellow man, and to fully believe that this Truth is the Word of God and the Way of Life for mankind. Jacob eventually learned to trust the God of his fathers, but it took time; and so it is with us.
If we are constantly disappointed, complaining, and upset with people in our lives that might be a good time to evaluate who we are worshipping. If we are truly connected to the Vine, wouldn't we have the fruit of the Spirit in our lives?
That is a good point, Rebecca Gottfried, about "The Fruit of the Spirit." The Apostle paul indicated that against these there was no law. Yet, for these, where does one find the specifics about them in any of the 10 Commandments? For example, Which of the 10 commandments mention "Love," or "Peace," or "Joy," or "Patience," or "Meekness," or "Temperance," etc. and etc.?
Brother Pete,
You bring up a good point. The 10 commandments are not the only standard by which we can tell where we are sinning. The law is definitely a great place for all of us to evaluate ourselves when we start the Christian walk. And as we go on our Christian journey, we want to put sin behind us and pick up different lessons or characteristics on our way. 2 Peter 1:5-9, Psalm 119:165, Proverbs 28:1
From what I've read in the Scripture that the fruit of the Spirit is the natural characteristics of a person who has been counted righteous not by their works, but by accepting God's gift of salvation by faith. (Ephesians 2:8-10). I am not entirely convinced that we get all of the fruit of the Spirit at once based on 2 Peter 1:5-9. It could be part of the process of sanctification which some scholars say is the work of a lifetime.
Hi, Pete. You ask,
"Which of the 10 commandments mention 'Love,' or 'Peace,' or 'Joy,' or 'Patience,' or 'Meekness,' or 'Temperance,' etc. and etc.?"
The gospel writer James states that anyone who breaks one commandment is guilty of breaking them all. That is, the 10 commandments are a unity. This can only be the case if they are understood as implying deeper principles, rather than being mere prohibitions of specific acts.
Seen in this light, for instance, the 6th commandment says "Love, Peace, Patience." The 4th commandment says "Joy." The 7th commandment says "Love, Self-control." The 10th commandment says "Patience." The 9th commandment says "Meekness."
I could go on, but I think the point is clear. The commandments are a transcript of God's character, and the fruit of the Spirit describes it.
I don't think God doesn't have the power to do whatever we ask. God has the power to do anything we ask, whether or not we deserve it. However, God won't do anything that is contrary to His Will. Remember, He let Satan do so much harm to Job to prove Job's righteousness to not only to Satan but also to all the angels and all the people as well. As He said, Job was truthfully righteous. It was His will to do this. This shows that the trials we go through are there to prove His gift of righteousness to us, since it is through Jesus we can resist the Devil and follow our Savior in His Righteousness.
Amen Celeste, Abraham did God's bidding, his will if you prefer, it was counted to him for righteousness. The same could be said of Jacob over and over we studied this week. Through their mistakes they still turn to God and heeded His guidance many times. Satan many times tried to steer them in a course of destruction, but they prevailed with God and man. I do believe too that God could call them men after His own heart like He did a man further down the linage of Christ.
Thank you, John. You have encouraged me today!