“No” to idols
“Present the case for your idols,” says the Lord. “Let them show what they can do,” says the King of Israel. “Let them try to tell us what happened long ago so that we may consider the evidence. Or let them tell us what the future holds, so we can know what’s going to happen. Yes, tell us what will occur in the days ahead. Then we will know you are gods. In fact, do anything—good or bad! Do something that will amaze and frighten us. But no! You are less than nothing and can do nothing at all. Those who choose you pollute themselves. Isaiah 41:21-24 NLT
Most of the times, we assume that the foundational problem of humanity is political, social, intellectual or even moral. Our root problem as Isaiah pointed out is idolatry. We seek salvation in false gods. We complicate the simplicity of having faith in God and then we wonder why we are disappointed with life. Salvation belongs to no one else except the One true God through Jesus Christ alone. From the text, Isaiah is calling on to people who made god their idols. He is challenging the idolaters to prove that the gods they worship is sovereign. Idols do not have to be an actual image that manipulates the mind of those willing to submit. They can be anything that take control of our hearts and become substitute for God. Humanity is good at this, creating idols. This is why the Bible repeatedly warned us not to engage in idolatry. From the Old Testament, we are warned to abandon idolatry (see Exodus 32). Then, the warnings continued on in the New Testament (see 1 Corinthians 10:1-12). “So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols” (1 Corinthians 10:14). “Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts” (1 John 5:21). The Lord Jesus Christ is very serious about having Him as our life: “...Christ, who is your life...” (Colossians 3:4). Let us not look for happiness and joy apart from God. Take delight in Him alone (Psalm 37:4). Once we surrender to God and have no other gods beside Him, then obeying His word and His will for our lives becomes a joy and a delight for us. God becomes our source of peace, contentment, purpose, and adequacy.
Blessings,
