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Portion 44

Golden Text: Ex 20:3-6
Readings for the week:

Day 1: Judg 2

Day 2: Ezek 14-16

Day 3: Ps 115

Day 4: Ps 135

Day 5: Hab 1

Day 6: Acts 14

I- Neither idols nor gods.

So far everything that has been seen in the previous portions defines that there is only one God Creator of the heavens and the earth, but the reality is that not all men have believed this same thing. That is why God specifies the right attitude with “not having other people’s elohim.” You can’t have another god outside of God because he simply doesn’t exist. All those who present themselves as gods are trying to usurp a place that does not belong to them by nature.

God here is even ahead of the times, because calling them elohim does not necessarily imply an idol but can go beyond. It can refer to anyone who usurps God’s place, including man himself (Phil 3:19), which is what happened. When certain peoples began to amplify some of their already dead heroes and were building a whole myth around them with the purpose of deifying them.

God calls them “alien gods” (a literal translation ‘of others’) because in the course of time idolatry would evolve and be perfected, as announced by God himself when a usurper more difficult to identify would arrive[1].

II- Substituting God does not destroy Him but man.

With this prohibition God is also taking care of man’s self-esteem and his relationship with Him, because when these two areas are not right man will look for another “option” that in his situation he can manipulate in favor of his own perspective. From this it can be understood that man creates idols and gods because of his insecurity, in search of something that makes him believe that he is safe.

Going a little further with the previous thought, we can also say that there are human attitudes of nonconformity with life that show that the person believes that his life should be more as he thinks and not as God is guiding him. This is the basis of self-idolatry: pretending to replace God.

It is good to clarify that there is also idolatry when the nature of God and His demands is misrepresented, in what people consider to be the right thing to do. Thus appears a god with a new nature and purpose. That is why one of the causes that makes the study of the Word important is to enlighten the mind and erase that false god who has grown because of ignorance and invention.

III- Repercussions of idolatry.

Idolatry seeks an intermediary to reach God. Some want to put Jesus on this list, but they forget that He is God Himself, so He is not an intermediary in this style, but the Door and the Way to come to Himself[2]. In Jesus we find that God is his own intermediary. However, as has been said, any intermediary between God and the man other than Himself attacks His will, stealing the worship and prominence that only God deserves.

Idolatry includes the worship of objects that have been made for this purpose or not. This group also includes illustrations of those things that make up the sky or are believed to be there (horoscopes, mystical calendars, etc.).

But… what happens to an idol (object) that has not been an idol for a long time? Very often you find people who argue that having an ornament in their house that is no longer recognized as an idol is licit[3]. And it is correct, otherwise you would have to eliminate most of the ornaments for having this characteristic and even, if it is bad, you could fall into the mistake of having some without knowing that it has been. However, the impact or influence it should have on others is very important, because the Bible also teaches that that which causes another to stumble should also be[4] avoided.

It is good to clarify that, if a believer lives with idolatrous people, he should not feel that there is a prohibition on cohabitation, nor fight for it, but see it as an opportunity to persuade them in love[5], and maintain prayer in their favor. We must remember not to be a stumbling block for others through an imposition[6], nor to treat them with contempt or underestimation as we would not like to be treated[7]. If the idol is nothing to be afraid of.  

Questions:

1.- Why can you say that the eternal God is your only God?
2.- What examples do you find of people replacing God?
3.- Explain to the rest of the group how this portion has made you reflect.

[1] 2Thess 2:3-4.

[2] Jn 14:6-10.

[3] 1 Corinthians 10:19.

[4] 1 Corinthians 10:28-29.

[5] 2Tim 2:4.

[6] Mark 9:33-50.

[7] Lk 6:31.

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