Iconoclasm -- Casting Down Idols

A. Early History of Idolatry

1. Inhabitants of Canaan and surrounding societies

a) Egyptians had their calf

b) Ammonites had Molech

c) Canaanites: Baal and Ashtoreth

2. Abraham's father and those who served other gods, and the Israelites bringing the gods of Egypt with them -- Joshua 24:2, 14

3. Laban pursues Jacob for the gods that Rachel stole in Genesis 31

4. Aaron and the Golden Calf -- Exodus 32:3-6

5. Idol worship during the age of Judges and Kings, exploits of Gideon, Jehu, Jehoiada, Hezekiah, et.al.

6. God finally puts a stop to it with the destruction of Jerusalem as recorded in Ezekiel, where the dominant theme repeated is "They shall know that I am God." The book provides an explanation to the people of Israel and Judah why God allowed their captivity to take place -- idolatry. Up until the Babylonian captivity, idol worship was a common sin among the Jews. The 70-year period of captivity cured them of it. From then till now, formal idol worship ceased to exist among them.

B. Idolatry Defined

1. We tend to think of golden calves and graven images

a) kissing the cow

b) temple prostitutes

c) child sacrifice

2. Worshipping strange gods in high places and groves

a) grove - pillar of wood- Ashtoreth - bringing the grove into the temple

3. As our culture has 'advanced' we've gone from kissing cows to hugging our money. Graven images are primitive; we're more sophisticated now and recognize that idolatry has shifted to more subtle forms. We get comfortable and feel safe from the sin of idol worship.

a) "anything that takes the place of God" - bass boats and beach houses - jobs - sporting events

4. The most subtle form of idolatry has been there all along: Disobedience "All conscious disobedience is actually idolatry, because it makes self-will, the human I, into a god" (Keil/Delitzsch)

a) Rebellion is like witchcraft, and stubbornness is like idolatry -- 1 Samuel 15:23

b) Willfully turning from God's ways to ours -- Romans 1:21

5. History teaches we are all subject to the sin of idolatry -- it's a battle of the mind.

a) See also Ezekiel 8:7-12; secret inner idolatry

C. How Do We Deal With It?

1. Removal: Moses in Exodus 32:20; Josiah in 2 Chron 34 and 2 Kings 23:6

a) step 1: tear it down, take it out

b) step 2: smash it into pieces, pulverize it

c) step 3: scatter it so that it cannot be reclaimed

2. Avoidance

a) Speak out against it -- Acts 14:13-15

b) 1 Cor 5:11 --…written unto you not to keep company…with such an one no not to eat.

c) 1 Cor 10:13-14 -- …no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

d) 1 John 5:21 -- keep yourselves from idols

3. Redirection, focus on the Creator -- Hebrews 12:1-3

Iconoclasm -- Casting Down Idols

A. Early History of Idolatry

1. Inhabitants of Canaan and surrounding societies

a) Egyptians had their calf

b) Ammonites had Molech

c) Canaanites: Baal and Ashtoreth

2. Abraham's father and those who served other gods, and the Israelites bringing the gods of Egypt with them -- Joshua 24:2, 14

3. Laban pursues Jacob for the gods that Rachel stole in Genesis 31

4. Aaron and the Golden Calf -- Exodus 32:3-6

5. Idol worship during the age of Judges and Kings, exploits of Gideon, Jehu, Jehoiada, Hezekiah, et.al.

B. Idolatry Defined

1. We tend to think of golden calves and graven images

a) kissing the cow

b) temple prostitutes

c) child sacrifice

2. Worshipping strange gods in high places and groves

a) grove - pillar of wood- Ashtoreth - bringing the grove into the temple

3. As our culture has 'advanced' we've gone from kissing cows to hugging our money. Graven images are primitive; we're more sophisticated now and recognize that idolatry has shifted to more subtle forms. We get comfortable and feel safe from the sin of idol worship.

a) "anything that takes the place of God" - bass boats and beach houses - jobs - sporting events

4. The most subtle form of idolatry has been there all along: Disobedience "All conscious disobedience is actually idolatry, because it makes self-will, the human I, into a god" (Keil/Delitzsch)

a) Rebellion is like witchcraft, and stubbornness is like idolatry -- 1 Samuel 15:23

b) Willfully turning from God's ways to ours -- Romans 1:21

5. History teaches we are all subject to the sin of idolatry -- it's a battle of the mind.

a) See also Ezekiel 8:7-12; secret inner idolatry

C. How Do We Deal With It?

1. Removal: Moses in Exodus 32:20; Josiah in 2 Chron 34 and 2 Kings 23:6

a) step 1: tear it down, take it out

b) step 2: smash it into pieces, pulverize it

c) step 3: scatter it so that it cannot be reclaimed

2. Avoidance

a) Speak out against it -- Acts 14:13-15

b) 1 Cor 5:11 --…written unto you not to keep company…with such an one no not to eat.

c) 1 Cor 10:13-14 -- …no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

d) 1 John 5:21 -- keep yourselves from idols

3. Redirection, focus on the Creator -- Hebrews 12:1-3