Isa. 44:9-21, Sins of False Worship (1)

We are still in the area of the “fruit of the Spirit,” if you are wondering.  But in working through the “works of the flesh” we come to the sins of false worship: idolatry and sorcery.  Perhaps a working definition of idolatry might be something like this: satisfying basic human needs by dependence on something or someone other than the true God.  In the OT idolatry was associated with carved images and the worship of the gods they represented.  Behind the idol were Satan and his demons.

The Greek term for sorcery is “pharmakeia” from which we get “pharmacy” or “pharmaceutical.”   In Greek the term is used of the administering of drugs as well as of the magical arts.   W. E. Vine says that administering drugs was generally accompanied by incantations and appeals to occult powers, and associated with amulets and charms that were designed to keep the applicant or patient from the power of demons, while being impressed with the powers of the sorcerer.  In Isaiah 8:19-20 things that often today are under the banner of spiritualism (seeking mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter) are the opposite of seeking the true God.  Thus, idolatry and sorcery are connected and are Satanic.  Even if we say we worship ourselves, the truth is we are bowing before the god of this age.

How do we, in Western society, where carved images are not common, how do we become idolators.  Consider the following:

·       Idols are nothing in and of themselves.  Paul said this (1 Cor. 8:4).  They neither see nor hear nor walk (Rev. 9:20).  Isaiah said, Those who make an image, all of them are useless, and their precious things shall not profit; they are their own witnesses; they neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed.  Who would form a god or mold in image that profits him nothing? (Isa. 44:9-10). 

·       Idols become something when we give them honor and worship.  Both Aaron (Ex. 32:4) and King Jeroboam (1 Ki. 12:28) made golden calf idols, and both told the people of Israel, these are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.  They attributed to these images something that was only true of the true God.

·       In this way the idol comes to represent demons.  Paul made this connection (1 Cor. 10:20-22) as did the OT.  Both Deut. 32: 17 (the Song of Moses) and Psalm 106:37 speak of sacrificing to demons.  They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they did not know, to new gods, new arrivals, that your fathers did not fear. 

·       Paul twice identifies greed or covetousness with idolatry (Col. 3:5; Eph. 5:5).  This helps us to understand idolatry in our society.  A covetous man is one who is eager to have more.  He believes he will be happy with more money or things or leisure time or whatever.  The “whatevers” are the idols!  We are thinking these “things” will bring satisfaction to our souls.  Only our Creator can do that.