The second of the Ten Commandments tells us not to worship an idol: "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.” Exodus 20:4-6 (See also Deuteronomy 4:23-24)
Worship is to give great honor or respect. An idol is an image or other object that is worshipped as a god; it is a false god. God wants us to worship only Him: “Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: `Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ " Matthew 4:10 (Luke 4:8)
Serious consequences come to the children of idol worshippers. Children are influenced by their parents more than by anyone else. No wonder, when the parents worship anything besides Jesus, the children are likely to do the same. They receive the natural consequences of their behavior. But the good news is that when the parents worship Jesus, the children have a real advantage to know Him and to worship Him. Also, anyone can come to Jesus at anytime, no matter what their parents worship: “…He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
Behind every idol is a demon: “Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?” 1 Corinthians 10:19-22 At one time each nation had its own idol, and Paul is saying that what they offer to their idol they are offering to a demon: “the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons”. An idol is nothing, but behind every idol is a demon.
The Old Testament states the same: “For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.” Psalm 96:5
We, in North America, seldom worship an actual image, but we do worship idols. At times just the act of worshipping something besides God is demonic (all sin is ultimately demonic). An example of this is worshipping food (living for food). Food was created by God and is good. At other times, the idol itself is demonic, for instance, worshipping (idolizing) a rock star. Perhaps not all rock stars have an demon behind them, but most do and some are even aware that they do. An idol really then is anything we worship in place of Jesus.
EXAMPLES FROM THE BIBLE OF IDOLS:
Israelites worship the golden calf: Exodus 31:18-32:35 Deuteronomy 9:9-21 Psalm 106:19 Acts 7:41
Micah, the Danites and their idol: Judges 17-18
David’s wife Michal using their idol to help David escape: 1 Samuel 19:11-17
Temple defiled: Ezekel 8
“As for an idol, a craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it. A man too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot. He looks for a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple.” Isaiah 40:19
“The craftsman encourages the goldsmith, and he who smooths with the hammer spurs on him who strikes the anvil. He says of the welding, "It is good."He nails down the idol so it will not topple.” Isaiah 41:7
“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.
Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit him nothing?
He and his kind will be put to shame; craftsmen are nothing but men. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and infamy.
The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers, he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint.
The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in the form of man, of man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine. He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow.
It is man’s fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.
Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, "Ah! I am warm; I see the fire."
From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, "Save me; you are my god."
They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand. No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, "Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?" Isaiah 44:9-19
“Some pour out gold from their bags and weigh out silver on the scales; they hire a goldsmith to make it into a god, and they bow down and worship it.
They lift it to their shoulders and carry it; they set it up in its place, and there it stands. From that spot it cannot move. Though one cries out to it, it does not answer; it cannot save him from his troubles.” Isaiah 46:6-7
"Of what value is an idol, since a man has carved it? Or an image that teaches lies? For he who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Woe to him who says to wood, `Come to life!’ Or to lifeless stone, `Wake up!’ Can
It give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it.” Habakkuk 2:18-19