Created Gods

December 4

(Psalm 135:15-18 NIV) “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. {16} They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see; {17} they have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. {18} Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.”

(Isaiah 2:7-11 NIV) “Their land is full of silver and gold; there is no end to their treasures. Their land is full of horses; there is no end to their chariots. {8} Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made. {9} So man will be brought low and mankind humbled-- do not forgive them. {10} Go into the rocks, hide in the ground from dread of the Lord and the splendor of his majesty! {11} The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.”

(Romans 1:22-25 NIV) “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools {23} and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. {24} Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. {25} They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen.”

Man has always struggled with idolatry. The first two Commandments clearly forbid it, but like moths to a flame, we seem hopelessly addicted to creating gods in our own image. They may be crafted out of wood or stone or made from silver and gold, but they have one thing in common: they cannot create. Neither can they speak, see, or hear. They can do nothing without the help of man. They have no breath, because they are not living. When we worship created things, we become like them: deaf, mute, and blind. We become fools who exchange God’s truth for the lies of man, and in the end, suffer humiliation. The God of Scripture is a Creator God. He is a living, hearing, seeing, and speaking God who wants to relate to His creation. He even came and walked among us in the God-man Jesus. This is the only God who deserves our worship. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day