Idolatry: Not Your Parent's Problem

Idolatry is a lifetime problem for humanity and has been from the very beginning. It would be impossible to read the Old Testament without seeing the volume of times Israel and individuals chase after things they ought not and elevate them to the point of worship and preeminence in their life. This is idolatry.

While reading Jeremiah 17 this morning, I was struck by some of the similarities happening in the world today. Jeremiah was on mission from God to inform Judah their sins were known by God and there was going to be a fitting punishment coming and it was going to be horrible. God's anger against Judah and its sinning had burned a fire in God that would not end.

So what are some of the issues plaguing Judah? Judah is engaging in the worship of other gods. They have built idols all over the country and visited them regularly and worshiped at them. Judah also trusted in the strength of men and their kings to keep them safe. Jeremiah is very clear when he says, "Blessed is the man who trusteth in the Lord and whose hope the Lord is." This is in contrast to the man who trusts in the strength of men.

The next couple of paragraphs provide some background and some desires of Jeremiah to confound the sinful and to remind God he has been faithful in a difficult ministry and God should wreck them with a double destruction while sparing Jeremiah. I think we can all sympathize with Jeremiah here because as much as a rising tide lifts all ships. A raging wildfire will also burn whatever gets in its path.

Jeremiah then closes with a discussion and preaching at the city gates of Jerusalem. Jeremiah stands in the gates of Jerusalem and tells all the passers by to include the wealthy and the leaders. They must respect the Sabbath. They shall not bring in goods or shop or work on the Sabbath and if they can respect the Sabbath and keep it holy, they can avoid the punishments they are due, however if they continue to ignore the Sabbath, the gates will be burned and the palaces of Jerusalem will be devoured.

This makes me think of modern man. Modern man has a real problem trusting in the strength of armies. The State builds a giant army, outfits it with the most modern and expensive equipment it can buy and invent and then starts from the moment of birth ingraining a love of military might in the citizenry. The flag, the fly overs, and the holidays are celebrated and elevated and people love the might of arms and trust in them explicitly. There is no trust in God. Only trust in arms and armies and generals and presidents as saviors.

The other element of idolatry that we have embraced is this "Protestant Work Ethic." Bringing men from the fields and putting them in the factories and housing them in tract houses and ruining their health and lives with the promise of ever greater wealth and prosperity within giant cities filled with all manner of fleshly desires was not enough for us. We wanted to take our women from the home and put them in the workforce so they could suffer the same indiginities of public slavery as the men. Now it takes two salaries to buy the "standard living" recognized as the middle to lower classes. Two salaries and fewer children and more stuff.

No one has perfected idolatry to the extent of the West and its love of wealth, power, and sex. Things will not end well for America and all who have followed this path. Trust God. Reject this culture. Embrace your spouse and love/trust God through Jesus. Have more children and raise them right. This is the way.