Here is the 2nd commandment directly from Exodus 20:4-6, “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments”. Wow! That’s detailed instruction!
To read this slowly is to understand the absolute abhorrence that God has for putting anything in His place in our lives. To think about it rationally, how could this advanced age of technology still produce a generation of people that would chose to worship a “created thing” rather than the Creator of the universe? And you don’t have to look far to see the Idol Worship of America? We jokingly refer to the “McMansions” that are being built on many small plots of ground. Then people move in and fill the monstrosities with things that they will never use, only to spend their time admiring their idols. Cars, boats, vacation condos, jewelry, etc; I’m just wasting my time mentioning these idols.
Statues and Idols are for installation in Parks and Museums, certainly not on the sacred ground of the human heart. If Christ is living in your heart there is no room for man-made idols. He has revealed himself to us as Spirit and Light. He needs every inch of space in our lives to unfold His glory. The love-hate barrier is crossed so quickly, we may not even notice. Interesting, isn’t it, that God considers our putting anything in His place as a sign of our hatred of his Majesty?
I must bring up here what Jesus replied when he was asked to name the most important commandment. He replied in Mark 12:30, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” No room for stuff that can separate you from God’s presence in your life. Love the Lord with all your soul, that is, with all of your spiritual faculties. Love the Lord with all your mind, that is, with all your mental faculties. Love the Lord with all your heart, that is, with all of your emotional feelings. Love the Lord with all your strength, that is, with all your physical prowess.
Do not minimize, even for one moment, the danger of allowing a human idol of any kind to take God’s central spot in your life.
“O God, You are so high and lifted up! And Holy! We apologize for each
time we have allowed idols a spot in the temple of our hearts. Amen”
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