Idolatry: A Fight for the Throne

When I was young, I loved the movie The Quest for Camelot. I loved to dress up as Princess Kayley! I'd put on a white dress and tie a string around my waist, and I'd pretend like I was riding a horse and fight!

There is something about those medieval movies that I just enjoy! Perhaps it reminds me of my childhood. The castles, the battles, the knight, the princess, the kingdom, the fight for good against evil. In kingdoms, there are kings and there are thrones. And there always seems to be a fight for the throne, someone who wants to have the power and rule as they see fit.

There is a beautiful song called “Yahweh” by Rend Collective and it has these words in the bridge:

You are the Great I AM

Seated upon the throne

Nothing can take Your place in my heart.

Nothing can take Your place in my heart.

That phrase, when I meditate on it, reminds me of the word “idol.” Because if something did take the place of God in my heart, it would be and become an idol.

If God belongs on the throne of my heart, then idolatry is constantly trying to take His seat.

As I was sitting in the driver's seat of my own car, I felt like the LORD revealed more and more of this to me as I listened to an Ask Pastor John Podcast episode.

Idolatry Defined

So... I don't worship little carved images, Tori? What is an idol?

I'm glad you asked.

Pastor John Piper defined an idol like this:

“An idol is anything that we come to rely on for some blessing or help or guidance in the place of a wholehearted reliance on the True and Living God.”

Timothy Keller talks about idols in his book Every Good Endeavor. He gives a definition, too:

“Because we can set up idols in our hearts... we recognize that ‘making an image’ of something is not necessarily a physical process but is certainly a spiritual and psychological one. It means imagining and trusting anything to deliver the control, security, significance, satisfaction, and beauty that only the real God can give. It means turning a good thing into an ultimate thing.” (p.128)

Martin Luther defined idolatry as looking to some created thing to give you what only God can give you.

Timothy Keller also refers to a French philosopher, Luc Ferry, - a nonbeliever in God - who argues:“Everyone seeks some way to face life with confidence, and death without fear and regret.... Whatever it is we seek, it is a form of salvation.” What blows my mind is that even a nonbeliever understands that at the root what we seek is the desire for salvation... the desire to be saved.

The Self-Help Industry

I am reminded of the self-help industry. Research says that, according to NPD Group, the U.S. sales of self-help books grew annually by 11 percent from 2013 to 2019, reaching 18.6 million volumes.

There is an estimated 15,000 self-help books that are published in the United States each year.

Don't get me wrong. I think it's important to love and take care of ourselves!! I believe this because God's Word says that we should (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Matthew 22:36-40)!

But, respectfully, I ask: If we could save ourselves, why haven't we done it by now?

I think, many times, when difficult circumstances and questions arise, we can often fall into seeking and searching within ourselves for the answers. Or perhaps we run to internet search engines, other people, or the oblivion of "fun" to take us away from the pain of what we're facing. All because we are trying to save ourselves. We earnestly trying - we are just searching in the wrong place. We run to anywhere but Jesus, the True Savior.

“Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman?

Or an image that teaches lies?

For the one 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 (NIV)

When I read that Scripture in Habakkuk, I feel like it is obvious how silly idols are! Why worship something that is not even alive? And yet, we all can fall into the trap of running to something - an idol, a false refuge - instead of God. And idolatry is a sin.

Timothy Keller continues, “When we fail to believe that God accepts us fully in Christ, and look to some other way to justify or prove ourselves, we commit idolatry" (p.129).

What does God say about idols?

What matters most is what God has to say. So, what does God have to say about idols?

"Do not worship any god except Me. Do not make idols that look like anything in the sky or on the earth or in the ocean under the earth. Don't bow down and worship idols. I am the LORD your God, and I demand all of your love. If you reject me, I will punish your families for three or four generations." (Exodus 20:3-5 CEV)

God passionately detests idols and images because they fight to take His place. Moses tells the Israelites in Deuteronomy: "The Lord wants you to know He is the only true God, and He wants you to obey Him."

Is there an idol fighting for the throne in your heart? Is it ruling and reigning? Is it calling the shots? Is it pulling and yanking you for attention?

Ultimately what you seek is what you deem as your salvation. What is it you give your time and worship (what you express your love) to? Is it God? Is it the True and Living God? The only One worthy of worship, honor, and glory, and only He is worthy to sit on the throne? Is it you? Is it something or someone else?

I Spy With My Little Idol

In transparency, made this list about a year ago of things that could take the place in my heart of God if I am not careful (and believe me, it has before):

•Being healthy and fit will not save me.

•Being in a relationship will not save me.

•Having an incredible size following of people will not save me.

•Having the best job that pays nicely will not save me.

•My strength is not enough to save me.

•My efforts and time I’ve put into church and serving people alone will not save me.

•My business and work will not save me.

•Friends, or having the most friends, will not save me.

•All the wisdom and knowledge in the world will not save me. [Although, I know that wisdom and knowledge would point me to the One who can! “Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.”]

Do any of these things ring in your heart? Is the LORD revealing anything in your heart that is taking His throne?

This list has a lot of GOOD things on it. Being healthy is not bad! Having friends or a relationship is not bad. Work is not bad!

But these things cannot be my salvation.

They cannot be your salvation.

These good things cannot become ultimate things.

Jesus is the Savior, and He must be at the center of it all.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2: 8-9 (NIV)

Only Jesus.

Only Jesus saves me.

Only Jesus saves the world!

Jesus.

Yeshua. The Christ. The Messiah. The One Who saves. The One Who came and met us here. The One who continues to meet us here. The Author and Pioneer and Finisher. The completer of our faith. The Alpha and Omega. The Prince of Peace. Emmanuel. Wonderful Counselor. The Good Shepherd. Elohim of elohims. The King of Kings worthy to sit on the throne. LORD of lords. YHWH. The Savior of the world.

What do we do when we discover we have an idol?

1. Repent.

Repent just means "to turn" or "to change your mind." Tell God and when you say sorry, truly mean it.

2. Remember.

Remember that God sent Jesus as His gift to the world and to save us (not condemn us). Remember that He loves you! The Book of Romans tells us that He went to the Cross knowing that we may or may not come to Him - that He died for us while we were still His enemy. The blood of Jesus that was shed on that Cross for you and me covers all our sins (past, present, and future)! So, don't let your head hang low in condemnation. Give it to God, and keep going.

3. Rip.

Rip and tear down that idol! There are countless examples in the Old Testament of how kings would tear down the idols and sacred pillars of the previous king. Although we live in a different time now and idols look different, I think the heart of the matter is still the same. Idols fight for the throne in your heart. We can be aggressive in tearing down idols with the Sword of the Spirit! God is first and can only be first. He is worthy of being first! Replace whatever it was with Jesus. He alone is worthy to sit on the throne.

Ask for the Holy Spirit to help you. Ripping and tearing hurts - I liken it to pruning. But, pruning is necessary for plants to stay alive and thrive! With God's help, ask Him to prune and cut off the idols. Watch how you will grow when you let Him sit on the throne of your heart!

I want to pray for you:

Lord, I firstly thank You. I praise You that You are the True and Living God, Yahweh! You put breath in my lungs. You put breath in the lungs of every person reading this! You alone give life - spiritually and physically.

I thank You for revealing to me idols in my life and of the person reading. I pray right now would be a time of repentance and revelation. I pray and ask, Holy Spirit, that You would draw people to your heart now to believe and receive what Jesus did, and to help us refocus on You. Help prune and tear down the idols! We ask for you to take your rightful place in our hearts! In Jesus' mighty, saving Name, Amen!

What's the Takeaway?

The LORD reveals the idols in our hearts. Ask Him to do just that. When you know of an idol, repent, remember His love, and tear it down in Jesus Name!

Additional Resources:

Scripture:

• Exodus 20:3-5

• Exodus 23:24

• Ezekiel 14:3-7

• Deuteronomy 4

• 1 John 5:20-21

Sermons:

Relationship: The Principle of Purity - A Sermon by Ps. Robert Morris

Song(s):

• Messiah by Citizens!

• Yahweh by Rend Collective

• Jesus at the Center by Maverick City Music

• Wide as the Sky by Matt Redman