Modern Day Idolatry
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What is Idolatry?
Definition of idolatry
: the worship of a physical object as a god
: immoderate attachment or devotion to something
Idolatry in OT
Idolatry among the Gentiles
Jdg 11:24; Jdg 16:23–24; 2 Ki 5:18; Is 36:18–20; Is 37:38; Is 46:1; Eze 8:14; Ac 14:11–13; 1 Co 8:5
Idolatry among God’s people
In patriarchal times
Jos 24:2
See also Ge 31:30; Ge 31:34 these household gods may have been either masks or statuettes; Ge 35:2
In the Mosaic period
Ex 32:4
In the period of the judges
Jdg 17:5
See also Jdg 10:6
In the early monarchy
1 Ki 11:10
See also 1 Ki 12:28 The golden calves were perhaps pedestals on which the Lord was thought to sit.
In the middle monarchy
1 Ki 16:33 An Asherah pole was probably a crude carved wooden image of a Canaanite fertility goddess.
See also 1 Ki 11:7–8; 1 Ki 16:32
In the late monarchy
2 Ki 21:2–6
After the fall of Jerusalem
Eze 8:10
See also Eze 8:3; Eze 8:14; Eze 8:16
Objects of false worship
The sun, moon and stars
Dt 4:19
See also Dt 17:3; Job 31:26
Other objects of worship
Dt 4:28
See also Dt 16:22 sacred stones; 1 Ki 12:31 high places; Is 1:29 oaks
Practices associated with idolatry
The burning of children
2 Ki 23:10
The superstitious use of religious symbols
2 Ki 18:4
See also Jdg 8:27 The ephod was a priestly garment sometimes subject to excessive veneration.
Sexual deviance
Dt 23:17
Deuteronomy 23:17 (KJV 1900) — 17 There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.
See also 1 Ki 14:24; Ho 4:14
There are many passages about idolatry in the sense of graven images, statues, or physical “idol gods” in the OT
1 Samuel 15:23 records a different kind of idolatry
How was king Saul’s stubbornness like idolatry?
His self will to fulfill his own desires and opinions instead of a desire to fulfill God’s commands.
What is modern day idolatry?
Most of the time when we talk about modern-day idolatry, we mean things that are focused on self-interest. Another word for this is hedonism, ultimately it means we pursue things like:
Money
Pleasure
Status
Reputation
Fame
Popularity
Materialism
Pride
Ego
Another way to talk about “modern day idolatry”
Lust of Flesh
1 Cor. 10:8
Lust of Eyes
Matthew 5:38
Pride of Life
1 Corinthians 10:9
Warnings against idolatry in the NT
Romans 1:22-25
Not only can worshipping a physical idol lead to ungodly behavior, but worshipping a modern day “idol” can do the same
Placing sports above God can lead you to forsake other things than just the assembling together with the saints on Sunday.
Putting work or careers ahead of God can lead you to neglect time studying God’s word, being with God’s people, seeking to serve other people around you, and telling the good news about Jesus whenever you can.
If professional success requires you to not be “the weird one” who won’t go to drinking parties, won’t laugh at the perverted jokes, won’t flirt with clients to gain their business, won’t lie on company paper work, won’t overlook illegal activities you know the company policy promotes or culture requires then you are serving men and not God.
Acts 12:22 Self idolization isn’t anything new
You might become your own idol if you allow people to appeal to your ego
In many ways anti-social disorders as they are called are types of self idolization
Narcissism
Covetousness
The most common modern day idolatry is likely the one mentioned in Col. 3:5 and Eph 5:5
Covetousness = marked by inordinate desire for wealth or possessions or for another's possessions
How is it idolatry?
Putting those desires higher than God
It could be your job, a sport, a hobby, or a person
Entertainment and Media Industries
You can become so engrossed in what celebrities say and do that you model your life after them
The modern world is filled with media companies that want you to think the way they think and do the things they do, that’s the essence of marketing which is that people like us do things like this and they have spent many nearly unfathomable fortunes convincing people of their messaging
If we allow corporate interest to set our values for us we will be sucked into a world of endless consumerism and materialistic measures of success
Spiritual success is measured by adherence to God’s word, not the peddling of more goods, more money, more luxury
Modern consumerism and secular measures of success say “Be ye rich, even as we are rich” or “Be ye attractive, even as we are attractive” but God says “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” Matt 5:48 and “…Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:16
Social Media
We see on the social media platforms the exact behavior one would expect from people who are worshipping self
It may not be true of all who are on social media, we are on social media trying to reach people with God’s teachings but it’s undeniable that there are those who use it as a platform seeking the next dopamine hit from another like, share, or comment.
Many men and women are on platforms like Instagram, tiktok, and Facebook are creating content that is designed to cause others to idolize them or lust after them.