OUR DAILY BREAD
Monday, September 12, 1994
READ: Exodus 32:1-14
"REFUSE IDOLATRY"
"You shall not make for yourself a
carved image."
Exodus 20:4
Years ago, Life magazine carried on its
cover an artist's rendering of God as an
old
man with long white hair and stern facial features. Charles Hodge said,
"Idolatry consists not only in the worship of false gods,
but also in the worship of the true God by
images."
Any visual portrayal of deity can be
dangerous. No created thing
can convey God's true and complete
character. That's why God
commanded Israel not to make any image or
likeness of anything in
heaven or on earth as an object of
worship. Such images dishonor
God because they distort His glory, and
this can lead to sin.
intended to worship Jehovah when Aaron
made the golden calf. He
says they were using the bull-image as a
reminder of God's great
might in delivering them from Egypt. But
strength is just one
aspect of His character. The calf showed
nothing of His holiness.
Thus the people turned the "feast to
the Lord" into a wild,
sensual party. (Ex. 32:5-8).
To worship an image or picture of any
Person of the Trinity is idolatry
and veils God's glory. It leads us astray.
God is a spirit, and those
who worship him must worship Him in spirit
and truth" (Jn. 4:24).
- Dennis J. DeHaan
Great Father of glory, pure Father of
light, Thine angels adore
Thee, all veiling their sight; All praise
we would render –
O help us to see 'Tis only the splendor of
light hideth Thee!
- Smith
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
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God made us in His image, but we cannot
make Him in ours.