QT 8/11/2022 Hab 2:18-20, Most so-called Christians worship idols

Habakkuk 2:18–20 (ESV) —

18 “What profit is an idol

when its maker has shaped it,

a metal image, a teacher of lies?

For its maker trusts in his own creation

when he makes speechless idols!

19 Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake;

to a silent stone, Arise!

Can this teach?

Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,

and there is no breath at all in it.

20 But the Lord is in his holy temple;

let all the earth keep silence before him.”

 

NOTE: The whole theory of idols is quite fascinating and the practice is much more common than we think. My definition of an idol is anything that we have substituted for the revealed God. So, if we don't like his command against homosexual activities and substitute our own version, we have created an idol. When we have fashioned something into an idea or object we are comfortable with, but opposes what God has revealed about himself or has commanded, we have created our own idol that we trust in. It is a lie because it does not represent the one true God. There is no life in our idol, but we think we are more comfortable with a god that does not judge or a god that is not powerful enough to stop all calamities or a god that does not care about certain sins or a god that has many different standards for different people. What can you learn from your own idea of God? If it violates what God has revealed, it is worthless, and speechless, because it only teaches lies.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I worship the one true God or do I worship an idol?

 

PRAYER: Father, as a culture, most so-called Christians worship idols. They have created their own image of who you are and so they worship a lie. Father, reveal to us, reveal to me our sin and misconceptions of you. Cleanse us in your word from the lies that creep into our lives. May we never worship our image of you, but rather the you that is revealed in your word.