Belgian Ecclesia Brussel - LeuvenToday’s Thought “Idols are nothing against the first and the last God” (June 20)
In this world, we do find people who adhere to many gods. Lots of idols are worshipped as if they are helping gods. The Divine Creator, the El-Elyon, Isra’el’s King and Redeemer, Adonai–Tzva’ot, the Lord of Armies, the Almighty said:
“6 … I am the first, and I am the last; and besides me there is no God. 7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I established the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and that shall come to pass, let them declare. 8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have I not declared unto thee of old, and showed it? and ye are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? yea, there is no Rock; I know not any.” (Isa 44:6-8 ASV)
“ I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.” (Isa 43:15 ASV)
He Who brought it about is the One Who never changes and should be praised as the Almighty, who called forth the generations from the beginning.
“ and the four living creatures, having each one of them six wings, are full of eyes round about and within: and they have no rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” (Re 4:8 ASV)
“ Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I, Jehovah, the first, and with the last, I am he.” (Isa 41:4 ASV)
“ I am the Alpha and the Omega, saith the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Re 1:8 ASV)
People should know that there is no god like this Only One true God.
“ Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have I not declared unto thee of old, and showed it? and ye are my witnesses. Is there a God besides me? yea, there is no Rock; I know not any.” (Isa 44:8 ASV)
When Jerusalem fell, the enemies of Israel would claim that their gods were stronger than the God of Israel. It would take faith to believe that Israel’s God had a long term plan in which his people would return, and life would resume in the land promised to Abraham. Jehovah God had promised them forgiveness, Isaiah is saying, and He could be trusted, because His prophecies always come true. Many thousands of years later the majority still prefers to have faith in their own gods and idols, hoping they can do the best for them. Lots of people have made themselves graven images of their gods and of people they call saints. Lots of people claim that when they worship such an image, it is really a god or a ‘saint’ in heaven that they are worshipping, and the sculpture is only a representation of the real thing. But in truth, the heathen god they believe in has no existence. And the ‘saint’ whose icon they kiss is nothing but dust in the grave. They have no power to save. This happens also a lot in so-called Christian households.
Some centuries ago several protestant churches fought against those worshippers of statues. They even went so far to destroy those crosses and statues in churches. But from the 1980ies we saw again crosses and statues and painted windows appearing in protestant churches.
In many churches and households, people believe they can burn a candle in front of a picture of a Virgin Mary or Buddha. They are deceived. They are putting their trust in an illusion. Only the living God can see, and hear, and save. They should come to know that there is nobody like Jehovah.
“ For who is God, save Jehovah? And who is a rock, besides our God,” (Ps 18:31 ASV)
“5 I am Jehovah, and there is none else; besides me there is no God. I will gird thee, though thou hast not known me; 6 that they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none besides me: I am Jehovah, and there is none else.” (Isa 45:5-6 ASV)
“ saying to them that are bound, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and on all bare heights shall be their pasture.” (Isa 49:9 ASV)
“ Unto thee it was showed, that thou mightest know that Jehovah he is God; there is none else besides him.” (De 4:35 ASV)
“ They that fashion a graven image are all of them vanity; and the things that they delight in shall not profit; and their own witnesses see not, nor know: that they may be put to shame.” (Isa 44:9 ASV)
“ Let all them be put to shame that serve graven images, That boast themselves of idols: Worship him, all ye gods.” (Ps 97:7 ASV)
The crosses, statues, paintings and idols in which so many people take such pride and delight are delectable things. People give a lot of value to them and give a lot of hope in them, but those engraved images have in reality no value for the spiritual life. Those who profess and teach that one could, is according to God a teacher of lies.
“ What profiteth the graven image, that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he that fashioneth its form trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?” (Hab 2:18 ASV)
Both the makers and the idols, are witnesses against themselves, for the idols palpably see and know nothing.
“4 Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands. 5 They have mouths, but they speak not; Eyes have they, but they see not; 6 They have ears, but they hear not; Noses have they, but they smell not; 7 They have hands, but they handle not; Feet have they, but they walk not; Neither speak they through their throat. 8 They that make them shall be like unto them; Yea, every one that trusteth in them.” (Ps 115:4-8 ASV)
Make sure that you do not belong to those who bow in front of crosses or pictures of God or a god, Jesus or another person, so that you shall not fail to see or know and shall not be put to shame.
“All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame.” (Isa 44:9 NIV)
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Preceding
Today’s Thought “The One Who brought it about” (June 17)
Today’s Thought “Witnessing servants of God” (June 19)
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Additional reading
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