The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness: The Family

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 9 of 16

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Family Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2000-07-02

Synopsis: In this sermon, John Weaver continues his exposition of Psalm 106, focusing on verses 19–23 and the sin of idolatry. He reviews the historical context of the golden calf incident (Exodus 32) and draws applications from 1 Corinthians 10. Weaver argues that idolatry is not limited to bowing before images but includes using unauthorized aids in worship, placing anyone or anything above God, sexual immorality, wrong thinking, and forsaking God's law. He emphasizes that all idolatry begins in the mind and that Christians must bring every thought captive to Christ. The sermon concludes with a call to repentance and a reminder of God's unchanging mercy.

[John Weaver] Psalm 106, and let's begin reading with verse 19, and read through verse 23. Psalm 106, verse 19, this is lesson number 9. Psalm 106, verse 19, they made a calf in Horeb and worshiped the molten image. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt. Wondrous works in the land of Ham and terrible things by the Red Sea.

[John Weaver] Therefore, he said that he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy them now Let me very quickly review this psalm with you remember, please that the first five verses are The psalmist gives us four reasons why we should praise the Lord. In fact, he tells us in verse one, because the Lord is good and his mercy endures forever. Number two, because his mighty acts are innumerable and we cannot praise him sufficiently. Number three, because he blesses obedience in verse three and number four and five. The psalmist is asking for the Lord's blessing that he may see a revival and awakening among God's people. And then when we came to verse six, I dealt with this phrase.

[John Weaver] We have sinned with our fathers. We've committed iniquity. We've done wickedly. I've shown you how we have sinned with our fathers. We sinned in them similarly. We sinned in them imputatively. We sinned in them representatively. We sinned in them nationally and we sinned with them actually. And then The psalmist actually begins to confess specific sins in verses seven on down, and in each of these section I have shown you how number one, these sins are not only prevalent and current with us today, but number two, how one set of sins always lead to another set of sins. The first two specific sins that are dealt with in verse seven or ignorance and ingratitude. And then, as we develop those, we skip down to verse 13, where you have the second set of sins, and that is forgetfulness and impatience. And those two sins led to the next set of sins, which are envy and insurrection in verses 16 through 18. And then envy and insurrection, along with the other sins, led to and culminated in idolatry and insolence.

[John Weaver] Now, that's where we were last week. We told you that the historical background for someone six versus 19 through 23 was Exodus chapter 32. You can also find it in Deuteronomy chapter 9 as well. We went back and read Exodus chapter 32 where when Moses was up in the mount receiving the written commandments of God. The people came to Aaron and made the golden cap. They broke off their earrings. They gave the earrings to Aaron and he fashioned it. The Bible said a molten cap. And then the people said, these be thy gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Now, we dealt with the fact that Moses delayed to come down out of the mountain, how the people literally took matters into their own hands. God was not working according to their plans, their desires. And so when Moses came down, he saw the camp, the people, of course, dancing and shouting and playing. And he broke the Ten Commandments. And he said, whoever's on the Lord's side, let him come over to me.

[John Weaver] And he drew a line basically in the sand. And the people came over, the sons of Levi. And he said, gird you on every man's sword, go in and out among the camp and slay every man his brother. And three thousand people died. Now, previous to that, Moses had burned that camp. He'd ground it up into fine powder. He'd sprinkled it in the water, and he made the people drink it. So evidently, those 3,000 that were killed refused to drink, and of course, they were basically put to death because of their rebellion.

[John Weaver] Now, I tried to answer the question. I'm not going to go into it this week. You'll have to listen to the message from last week. I tried to answer the question, why a golden calf? If I were going to make a god, or at least a representative of a god, I certainly would not make it a cow. I mean, why would you want to worship a cow? I mean, you know. Well, I went back to the history and showed you the history of bull or calf or cow worship.

[John Weaver] It was not just simply among the Egyptians, but among a lot of people. And of course, Pharaoh, of course, was worshipped as the bull of bulls. And I went into all that history and background as well. But then I concluded with Acts chapter 7 and showed you what really was taking place spiritually. Because Acts chapter 7 verse 39 said that they turned back in their hearts to Egypt.

[John Weaver] And they made the camp. So when they made the camp, previously, they had already turned back in their hearts to Egypt. Now, what made them turn back in their hearts to Egypt? If you will read verse 38, you will find they rejected Christ and His Word and then they turned back in their hearts to Egypt and thus they made the camp.

[John Weaver] Now I made two quick applications last week. The first one is this. Miracles alone are insufficient for faith. If miracles alone were sufficient for faith, these people should have had the most mature and wonderful faith that ever existed because they saw the mighty hand of God in Egypt and the deliverance from Egypt and everything that God had done. And yet the Bible says they forgot God. So miracles are insufficient to produce a biblical faith.

[John Weaver] And then, of course, the second application which I'm going to develop today is simply this. that God cannot be worshipped any way except the way that he is ordained.

[John Weaver] Now, without going back and reading Exodus chapter 32, I do want you to hold Psalm 106, but I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 10, because in this passage, the Apostle Paul once again deals with Exodus chapter 32, much like the psalmist in Psalm 106. So let's read. Let's say the first 11 verses of 1st Corinthians chapter 10. Paul writes over brethren.

[John Weaver] I would not that you should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all pass through the sea and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud into the sea and did all eat the same spiritual meat and they did all drink the same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ. Now watch. But with many of them, God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

[John Weaver] Now, these things were our examples to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. Neither the idolaters, as were some of them, as it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed and fell in one day, three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed at the surface. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed at the destroyer. Now all these things happen unto them for examples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."

[John Weaver] Now, the Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10, is given a series of sins that should be avoided at all costs. And the interesting thing in verse 6 is, he says, now these things were our examples. In other words, what happened to Israel of old are our examples today. So these examples should not only warn us about God's judgment and justice, but they should also be a deterrent to us to keep us from committing the same exact sins that they sin. You see, Their sins and their judgment may prove to be our deliverance if we will only take to heart what God is saying to us through them. So the fall of Israel in the Old Testament, the Apostle Paul is saying, look, don't think what happened to them has no bearing upon what is happening to you and he's making the application to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 now in verses 7 and 8 of 1 Corinthians chapter 10.

[John Weaver] He deals with the allurement of idolatry and all of its intended impurities. And then in verses nine and ten, which we're not going to deal with, he deals with the cherishing of discontent and presumption.

[John Weaver] Now, verse six is a warning in general, and it covers all the sins that are forbidden by the Ten Commandments. Now, look what he says in verse six.

[John Weaver] Now, these things were our examples to the intent that is for this purpose, that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. By the way, do not think that every time you hear the word lust that it has to do with sexual impurity. It does not. A lust can be anything. The Greek word is epithumia. Thumia literally is the word for soul or thumos.

[John Weaver] An epi is a preposition which means upon. Your lust is basically whatever you set your desire or your passion or your soul upon. You could lust after this red confederate tie if you wanted to, and George does. He says he wants it. But you understand what I'm saying. If you set your lust upon a new Cadillac or whatever, it's still a lust. It has nothing to do with sexual impurity at that particular point. But he said that to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. So he's saying then that all such lusting is wicked and evil. Now the general admonition, not the lust after evil things, is broken down into four particulars.

[John Weaver] We're only going to cover one of them. The first one is idolatry in verse 7. The second one is fornication in verse 8. We will hit slightly upon that one. The third one is tempting the Lord in verse 9. And the fourth one is murmuring in verse 10.

[John Weaver] Now, these four particulars are based upon the history that Paul is repeating in verses 1 through 5. Now, let's go back to verse 7, because this is where I want to begin today. He says, Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them. As it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them.

[John Weaver] Now, since the apostle again repeats this same warning in verse 14, skip down, he says, Wherefore, my dearly beloved, Flee from idolatry. You can understand that the urgency the Apostle Paul is giving us that we are to flee from idolatry. You know, there's an interesting passage, and I want to show it to you. If you will turn to First John, chapter five and verse one, twenty one. First John five, verse twenty one. Some of you probably know this. Because you've heard me say this before, but I'm going to share it with you again since we're dealing with idolatry.

[John Weaver] There is a great deal of scholarship that demonstrates that the book of Revelation was not the last book written chronologically speaking. In other words, Revelation is the end of our Bible, but that does not mean that it was written last. And some scholars say that the book of 1 John was the book that was written last.

[John Weaver] Now, I find that interesting. Whether it's accurate or not, I'm not going to judge or say, but I find it interesting, if that were to be true, that the very first verse in the Bible is, in the beginning, God. And the last verse would be, little children, keep yourselves from idols. That would be an interesting parallel, would it not? So the Apostle Paul warns of idolatry twice in 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Let's go back now. Verse 7 of 1 Corinthians chapter 10.

[John Weaver] He says, neither be ye idolaters as were some of them. First of all, let me tell you what the Greek word idolaters is here. It is made up of two Greek words. The first one is eidolon, which, of course, is where we get our word idol from. It means a false god or a false image or an idol. And also it is made up of latrists, which means a hireling, a slave, or a servant. You put the two words together and you have eidololatres, which means a slave to worshiping an idol.

[John Weaver] Now, Paul's reference in verse 7, once again, the historical account is Exodus chapter 32. And I like what the Apostle Paul says in verse 7. He says,"...neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them." Thank God, not all of them were idolaters, but some of them really were. Likewise, and I'm continuing on this application that I started last week, not all Christians are gross idolaters, but some are. And I said last week that all of us are idolaters in some degree, and I'll prove that today, to the degree that we're ignorant of the one true and the living God, And to the degree that we do not worship him according to the way he's ordained in his word, to that degree we are all idolaters.

[John Weaver] And you see, most of us have a very limited concept of idolatry. You mentioned the word idolatry, and instantly everyone thinks about bowing down to some idol made of stone or wood or gold or some precious metal. It is true that is what you and I would call the grossest form of idolatry. But may I remind you that idolatry is a declension, it is a degrading of the norm. Idolatry is never a step toward pure religion. Idolatry is always a debasing of and a stepping away from pure religion.

[John Weaver] In fact, do you not remember? In fact, turn there, you're close, to Romans chapter 1. Just turn back one book to Romans chapter 1 and look, if you would please, at verse 21. This one text will demonstrate that idolatry is always a declension. Notice, if you would, Romans 1 verse 21, because that when they knew God. They glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened, professing themselves to be wise. They became fools and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like a corruptible man and a bird and four footed beasts and creeping things. So idolatry is always a declension.

[John Weaver] Now, let me cover this first point that I want to make, and everyone understands this one, I'm sure, but one aspect of idolatry is indeed image worship or idol worship. But God has already said very clearly In Exodus chapter 20 and Deuteronomy chapter 4, thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image. God absolutely forbids it. Look in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus chapter 26. Leviticus 26 verses 1 and 2.

[John Weaver] Here's another passage that you're probably not as familiar with. Leviticus 26, verses 1 and 2. God says,"...you shall not make you, or you shall make you no idols, nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall you set up any image of stone in your land to bow down unto it, for I am the Lord your God." Now God says, just simply, don't do it. Go back to Leviticus chapter 19. Leviticus 19.

[John Weaver] Note, if you would please, verse 4. Here God says, turn you not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods, I am the Lord your God. I read the passage, I'm not going to read it this week, but I read it last week from Deuteronomy chapter 4. You remember what God told the people? He said, you take heed, because when you heard the voice in the mount, You saw no similitude, you saw no shape, you saw no form. And he said, you only heard a voice. And he said, do not even attempt to make a graven image of God. And last week I dealt with this in detail. How in the world can you make a visible image of the invisible God? It's utterly, absolutely impossible. And God is spirit. And if someone tried to make an image to represent God, you've got to remember, God created everything. Therefore, if you took everything in creation and made an image, God is still greater than that because the Creator is greater than His creation. It would be impossible to have any image that would represent God.

[John Weaver] Over and over, this is forbidden in the Scriptures. Let me give you one last passage on this. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 11. Deuteronomy chapter 11 and let's begin reading there with verse 16. Deuteronomy 11 verse 16. Deuteronomy 11 verse 16 take heed to yourselves that your heart be not deceived and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them. Note And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up heaven, and there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit, unless you perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord your God giveth you. Then if you look in Deuteronomy 27 and verse 15, Deuteronomy 27, verse 15, note this curse.

[John Weaver] Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and put it in a secret place, and all the people shall answer and say, Amen." So God absolutely forbids any image-making at all. Absolutely, totally. That's why We have no pictures in church. I'm going to deal with this a little bit later, but if I were to say the word Jesus, what comes to your mind? I know what comes to your mind.

[John Weaver] That picture with Him with long hair and you see Him like this and maybe there's a halo up there or a crown of thorns. Do you realize no one knows what our Lord looked like physically? Secondly, he certainly never had long hair. All you've got to do is read 1 Corinthians 11, for it was a shame for a man to have long hair. And if it's a shame for a man to have long hair, our Lord would not have had it.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, the Caesar cut was in style in those days because of Caesar, and that was extremely short. And have you ever noticed, if a Frenchman paints a painting or a picture of Jesus, then he looks French. If a Dutchman paints, then he looks as a Dutchman. If an Italian paints, then he looks Italian. Do you follow what I'm saying? When I pastored in Jessup, Georgia, when I went there, they had pictures everywhere, hanging on all the walls.

[John Weaver] And Richard Johnson was a deacon. He was a great big old fella. Used to be a professional football player. And I said, Richard, follow me. And I went around the building and I took every picture down and I handed them to him. He had a handful of pictures. He said, what do you want me to do with these, Pastor? I said, well, that depends. I said, if you want the frames, take the pictures out and throw them away. And save the frames. If don't, you can throw everything away as far as I'm concerned.

[John Weaver] He looked at me and said, yes, sir. He got rid of every one of them. You see, if anybody got mad, I'm going to say Richard threw them away. I was Richard. Nobody wanted to touch Richard. No, I explained to the people why I took them down. That leads me to the second point. Another aspect of idolatry When you actually do not bow down to an idol or an image, you try to use such as a help or as a mediation or meditation or as a way to God in worship. Do you realize that is just as idolatrous as bowing down to a literal idol? What does 1st Timothy chapter 2 and verse 5 say? Help me out. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. The only aid, the only help we need to get to God is Jesus Christ. Stained glass windows, while they may be beautiful, they do not help us to get to God. You might have a beautiful Image over here of some supposed saint, but that image does not help you get to God.

[John Weaver] You can only approach unto God by God's ordained way. What did Jesus Christ say in John 14 in verse 6? He said it like this, I am the way, the life, and the truth, and no man cometh unto the Father but by me. The only way you can get to the Father is through Jesus Christ. You can't get to the Father through some image, or through some stained glass window, or through some other little thing.

[John Weaver] I never will forget, I was preaching in North Carolina, and a lady came to service that night, and I noticed there was this little statue on her kardash. And I looked at it, and it was supposedly a statue of Jesus. And I looked at her, and I said, Ma'am, what is that statue on your kardash? Oh, she said, that's my statue of Jesus. She said, I wouldn't think of going anywhere without my Jesus. I said, Ma'am, neither would I. But he lives in my heart, not on my kardash. You see the difference? At any time, We use any outside means without divine authorization. It is idolatry. Idolatry is not just bowing down before. An image. You can try to use that image the way those people have seen, that's what Aaron did. When the people said, these be thy gods, O Israel, that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, in Exodus chapter 32, when Aaron saw that, then he proclaimed a feast to the Lord, to the one true and the living God.

[John Weaver] He made an altar. In other words, what Aaron said, we're just going to use this calf as a means to get to God. You know what God said? God said they weren't worshipping him, they were worshipping the calf. Whenever you try to use anything other than what God has ordained to reach him, it is idolatry. Thirdly, listen to this. Idolatry also consists of placing anyone or anything above the Lord. It is when we give honor, recognition, praise, and glory to anyone or anything that properly should be given to God alone.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn to Isaiah 42. May I remind you, in the book of Exodus chapter 20, God said, I am the Lord, that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, thou shalt have no other gods before me." Look in Isaiah 42, and notice if you would please verse 8 of what God says, Isaiah 42 verse 8. He says, I am the Lord, that is my name.

[John Weaver] And my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to raven images. Now God said, I'm the Lord. There is none beside me. And God said, I am not about to share my glory with another, nor am I going to give my praise to a graven image. Now, wait a minute. I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another? Do you realize when we place our mates, our children, and our friends ahead of God, it is idolatry. When we choose to please our mates or to please our children or to please our friends at the expense of obedience to God, it is idolatry.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to the book of Luke chapter 14. And let me show you a passage. That will probably need some explaining Luke chapter 14 and notice if you would please verse 26. Luke 14 verse 26.

[John Weaver] Our Lord says, if any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sister, he in his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. What a strange thing for our Lord to say. If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea, in his own life also he cannot be my disciple, why would our Lord say something like that? Is our Lord commanding me to hate my parents, to hate my wife, to hate my children?

[John Weaver] And the answer is no. The Word of God says husbands, love your wives. The Word of God says children, obey your parents, honor your mother and your father. Well, what in the world is he talking about when he says, if any man come to me in hate, not his father and his mother? Here he is using this language comparatively speaking. What he is saying is this, that our love for him should be so great that our love toward our parents and our husbands and wives and children and friends would appear as hate.

[John Weaver] In other words, we're going to put him first. Put him ahead of my wife. She's to put him ahead of her husband. We're to put him ahead of our children. Did you hear that? We're to put him ahead of our children. We're to obey him rather than please them if what they want to do is wicked and wrong and contrary to God. And whenever we try to place our children or loved ones ahead of God or before Him or please them at His expense, we are guilty of idolatry.

[John Weaver] And by our pride, our ericus, and our self-will, we do that often. You know what James 4 and verse 17 says? Therefore, to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, To him it is sin. But we know what we ought to do, and we don't do it. God says it's wicked and wrong. It's idolatry. It is sin. I want you to look in 1 Corinthians 10, back at verse 7.

[John Weaver] This may also take a little explaining, but I think I can do it rather quickly. 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 7 will show you another aspect of idolatry that you probably never thought about. But here it is. Promiscuity. Perversions. And all sorts of sexual sins are part and parcel of idolatry. Look at 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 7. Neither the idolaters, as were some of them, as it is written, Now look, the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. You see, part of the seduction and attraction of idolatry is the fulfillment of the lust of the flesh. Most of the idolatry in the Old Testament And in the New Testament was sexually oriented. Now, he warns against idolatry in verse seven, and then he talks about eating and drinking and playing.

[John Weaver] Now, let me tell you something, folks, the same idea is very prevalent today. Have you ever seen these caps and T-shirts and have you ever heard people say, I'm a party animal? What are they talking about? They're not talking about playing Monopoly or playing checkers.

[John Weaver] Now, the word play does not carry the connotation of innocent games. Rather, it implies exactly the opposite. Let me show you. Look back in your Bibles to two passages. First of all, Exodus 32. This is where the passage comes from. We'll read that, and then I will show you How the same word is used. Exodus 32 and look if you would please at verse 6. Exodus 32. Verse 6. In fact, we can even explain it going down in this passage.

[John Weaver] Next is 32 verse 6, and they rose up early on the morrow and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Well, they rose up to play. Well, let's see. Let's skip down to verse. See, it should be right here. Help me out. It is when Moses saw, oh, verse 25. And when Moses saw that the people were naked, for Aaron had made them naked in the shame of their enemies. Now, wait a minute. The Bible says in verse 6, they sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Well, if you're playing Monopoly, you don't have to get your clothes off. Verse 25 says Moses saw that they were naked. Now let me show you what the word play means.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to the book of Genesis 26. Genesis 26. Note, if you would please, verse 8.

[John Weaver] Now, you remember Isaac is told Abimelech that Rebekah was his sister. You remember that? Genesis 26 verse 18 came to pass when he's been there a long time that have been like King of the Philistines look out of the window and saw and behold Isaac was sporting or playing with Rebecca his wife. The word sporting or playing means to fondle it means to caress it means to make sexual advances.

[John Weaver] Which all such is proper and right with one's own husband and mate, but it's totally improper, unlawful and ungodly outside of God-ordained institution of marriage. You see, idolatry is always a feeding of the flesh in more ways than one. Let me show you something. Galatians chapter 5. Go ahead and turn there. Galatians chapter 5. Relations chapter 5, and let's begin reading there with verse 19, because here the Apostle Paul is talking about the works of the flesh. Relations 5, verse 19, he says, Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, now watch, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry.

[John Weaver] witchcraft, hatred, variance, immolations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, endings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like. Now, the point I'm trying to make is adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, all of that is connected with idolatry.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you two other passages. I want you to turn right over to Ephesians chapter 5, and then go ahead and turn over to Colossians chapter 3, because we're going to read one passage right behind the other. Ephesians 5, and then Colossians 3. Ephesians 5, note if you would please verse 5. Are you ready? Ephesians 5, verse 5. Paul writes, For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater, at the inheritance of the kingdom of Christ and of God. Now, isn't that interesting? A covetous man who is an idolater, and look at the context, a whoremonger, an unclean person, what is he doing? He's coveting after some other woman or some other man's wife, and God calls it idolatry. Look in the book of Colossians chapter 3 and verse 5.

[John Weaver] He says, mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry. Once again, he lumps all of that together and he calls it idolatry. So the covetousness that the Apostle Paul is talking about deals with sexual impurity as well, which is all part and parcel of idolatry. Do you not remember in Philippians chapter 3 in verse 19, the Apostle Paul spoke of those individuals whose God was their belly. And what's that mean?

[John Weaver] It means they only live to fulfill the lust of their flesh. That's all. Let me tell you something. You talk about a society today that lives only for the fulfillment of its own lust, This is an idolatrous society that we're in. Listen folks, you cannot violate the seventh commandment, thou shalt not commit adultery. You cannot violate the last commandment, thou shalt not covet. Without having first violated, thou shalt have no other gods before me. For the one true of the living God says, thou shalt not.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 4. 1 Peter chapter 4. And notice, if you would please, verse 3. Here is the true statement of a child of God. Peter writes, For the time past of our life may suffice us To have brought the will of the Gentiles, that is, the unconverted, when we walked in lasciviousness, lust, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries." What's Peter saying? Peter said, if you're a real child of God, you've had your fill of all that.

[John Weaver] You don't want any more. Therefore, look in verse 4,"...wherefore they," that is, the world,"...think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you." I tell you what, it is absolutely amazing the pressure that is put on Christians in a lot of these corporations and big companies to drink, to party. And when the Christians refuse, inevitably, they're passed over for promotions and raises, you know, because they think it's strange that we don't do the same thing that they do. But I want you to understand that fornication and adultery, lasciviousness, all uncleanness, all of that is part and parcel of idolatry. Now, are people guilty of idolatry? Yes.

[John Weaver] You can be an idolater and never bow down to an image. Let me go further. Fifthly, idolatry not only involves fornication and uncleanness, But fifthly, idolatry consists of wrong thinking. That is thinking that is unbiblical.

[John Weaver] Now, I pointed this out to you last week, let me point it out again. When you think about idolatry, you think about an image. Where do you get an image? from your imagination. In fact, all idolatry begins in the mind. You see, cars do not begin in Detroit or Atlanta. They begin in some engineer's mind who designs them. And then they're built at those places. So all idolatry basically begins in the mind. An idol cannot be fashioned until it is first imagined or conceived in the mind.

[John Weaver] Now, look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 29. Let me show you several passages. Deuteronomy 29. And let's begin reading there with verse 17. Deuteronomy 29. Verse 17. Look at what God says. And you have seen their abominations and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which are among them, lest there should be among you man or woman or family or tribe whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood, and it come to pass when he heard the words of this curse, that he blessed himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, watch it, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart. Dad drunkenness to thirst. What is the man doing first? He is imagining He is thinking that God is going to bless him even though he is disobedient and rebellious and ungodly. Look in Deuteronomy 31 and verse 21. Deuteronomy 31 verse 21.

[John Weaver] And it shall come to pass when many evils and troubles are befalling them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed. For I know their imagination, which they go about even now before I have brought them under the land, which I swear." What does it say? I know what they are imagining. Turn over, if you would, just to Jeremiah, Jeremiah chapter 3. Let me show you several passages there which deal with the imagination.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm leading you up to one particular point. Let's look in Jeremiah chapter 3, verse 17 to begin with. Jeremiah 3, verse 17. Jeremiah 3, verse 17. At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem. Neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil hearts. Look at Jeremiah chapter 7 and verse 24. Jeremiah 7 verse 24. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsel as in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward. No, they walked in the imagination of their evil heart. Look in Jeremiah 9 verse 14. Jeremiah 9 verse 14, but have walked after the imagination of their own hearts and after Balaam, which their fathers taught them. And then look at Jeremiah 11 and verse 8, Jeremiah 11 and verse 8. Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked everyone in the imagination of their evil heart.

[John Weaver] Therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant which I commanded them to do, but they did them not." Now, why am I emphasizing the imagination? I told you that idolatry also consists in wrong thinking. Do you realize that an aspect of our salvation, in fact I would say our salvation, greatly involves our mind. You would be amazed to go through not only the Old Testament but the New Testament and see how many verses there are dealing with the mind. Did you realize that the Bible says in Ephesians chapter 4 that the unconverted are enemies And they're alienated from God through their own minds. In Colossians chapter 1, I believe it's verse 21, he talks about men who are enemies in their minds. What do you do with all those verses where God says, be renewed in your mind?

[John Weaver] As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Why am I emphasizing this? Turn in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter 10. Here's what I'm showing you. 2 Corinthians chapter 10. And let's begin reading there with verse 4. 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 4. The Apostle Paul writes, For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Now watch.

[John Weaver] Let me just stop there. The Apostle Paul is using a military illustration for the weapons of our warfare, not current. Now, Paul is not putting down weaponry. He's not saying don't own a weapon. That's totally ridiculous. What the Apostle Paul is saying in this context is current weapons are insufficient. for this particular battle, and this particular war that we're engaging in. He says, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. What is a stronghold? It's a military term. It's a place of defense.

[John Weaver] For instance, if someone came through those doors shooting a.357 Magnum, I'm going to jump behind this pulpit if I can. If not, I'm going to dive behind Ed. Let Ed get shot first. No, I'm teasing. But you see, whatever I dive behind, that's my stronghold. That's my place of defense.

[John Weaver] Now watch what he says. Look at verse 4. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of our strongholds. Here are our strongholds. Watch this. Casting down what? Imagination. and every high thing or every high thought that exalted itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

[John Weaver] Now my question is this, how many thoughts are you and I to have that are unbiblical? None. We're required to bring every thought into captivity to Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, if you are thinking unbiblically on the subject of marriage, Or money? Or education? If you're thinking unbiblically about discipline, guess what? To the degree that you think unbiblically, to that degree, you are an idolater. Because Christ requires that every thought be brought into obedience to Him. And when we imagine God to be what He is not, we're guilty of idolatry. When we think that God is what He is not, we're guilty of idolatry. In other words, our thoughts of God, our thoughts of Christ, our thoughts of truth, our thoughts of sin, our thoughts of anything should be biblical. And that includes when you pray trying to conjure up in your mind some mental image of Christ. That's idolatry. You don't need a mental image of Christ when you pray. It's sufficient that He is our way, He is our access unto God the Father. And when we try to imagine in our mind what God is like, rather than accept what Scripture says, and when we try to imagine in our mind what Christ is like, rather than bowing to the Word of God, we are idolaters.

[John Weaver] Every thought is to be biblical. We are not to walk, everyone, after the imagination of our hearts. God's Word is truth, not what we think. and not what we imagine, unless what we are thinking and imagining is biblical. One last thought, and I want you to see this, that idolatry also consists in forsaking God's law.

[John Weaver] Now, dear friend, I got news for you. If there was one point that condemned this nation as an idolatrous nation, That would be this point as well. Idolatry consists in forsaking God's law. God rules by his law. When one forsakes God's law, he at the same time forsakes God himself. I want you to go back in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 31. Deuteronomy chapter 31.

[John Weaver] And note if you would please beginning there with verse 16. Deuteronomy 31 verse 16. And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, and this people will rise up and go whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whether they go to be among them, and will forsake me and break my covenant which I made with them.

[John Weaver] Now, how do we know that the children of Israel forsook God? Because they broke his covenant, they forsook his law. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 28 and verse 20. Deuteronomy 28 and verse 20.

[John Weaver] Here's part of the curse, he says, The Lord shall send upon thee cursing and vexation and rebuke and all that thou settest thine hand unto to do until thou be destroyed, until thou perish quickly because of the wickedness of thy doings whereby thou hast forsaken me. You cannot forsake God's law without at the same time forsaking God. God and his law are one. And God rules by his law. There's an interesting passage.

[John Weaver] In first Kings 18 in verse 18, let me read it. Here's what Elijah answers to King Ahab. Elijah said, I have not troubled Israel, but thou and my father's house in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord. And that has followed Balaam. Ahab asked Elijah, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? Oh no, Elijah said, it's not me you dirty reprobate, it's you and your house, because you have forsaken the Lord, and you serve Balaam.

[John Weaver] In other words, you have turned from God and his law to a false God. One last passage, I want you to look in Jeremiah chapter 5. Jeremiah chapter 5. Beginning there with verse 13 In fact, let's read verse 11, let's begin with verse 11 Jeremiah 5 verse 11 God says for the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me said the Lord They have belied the Lord that is they've lied against him and said it

[John Weaver] is not he Neither shall evil come upon us, neither shall we see sword or famine, and the prophets shall become wind. and the word is not in them, thus shall it be done in them. Wherefore, thus saith the Lord God of hosts, because you speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people would, and it shall devour them. Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from afar. O house of Israel, saith the Lord, it is a mighty nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandeth what they say. Their quiver is an open sepulcher, they are all Mighty men now let me just stop there Why in the world is God bringing his judgment upon Judah and Israel?

[John Weaver] the answer simple They forsook God's law Why did they forsake God's law? Because they forsook God Anytime an individual forsakes the law of God It is because he's forsaken God. In our country today, we're in desperate straits. And the reason why is we've forsaken God. I got some encouragement this morning. I read where Indiana has passed a state law that they can post the Ten Commandments in the courthouses. And guess what? There was a big ceremony yesterday in Orange County where they posted the Ten Commandments in the courthouse and hundreds of people turned out and they sang God Bless America and there was praying and there was preaching. Isn't that amazing?

[John Weaver] Judge Roy Moore is still standing in Alabama. He still has the Ten Commandments posted in his courthouse. And he said he's not taking them back. You see, folks, Just because a man does not bow down to an idol does not mean he's an idolater. The amazing thing to me is this. Of all the sins that the psalmist is confessing in Psalm 106, we are still guilty of those same sins today.

[John Weaver] Human nature has not changed. Depravity is still the same, but one other blessed truth, and that's God hasn't changed either. He's still the same God. He's still merciful and gracious, and He still commands that we turn from our sins and obey Him. Let's pray. Father, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ today for Your blessing and for Your help. We ask, Lord, that you would indeed turn us from idolatry. And while, Lord, we are not gross idolaters in the sense that we do not bow down to a stock or stone or an image, many times, Lord, we foolishly and ignorantly try to use things as a help to get to Thee when the only individual we need is Jesus Christ. Many times, Father, we covet and lust which are wicked and wrong and are idolatry as well. And then, Lord, we must confess that so many times we think wrongly. We do not think biblically and scripturally. And then, Lord, there are times we have forsaken thy law. We've disobeyed thee when we have known better.

[John Weaver] And that's nothing short of idolatry. We ask forgiveness. We ask repentance. We ask your help to bring us back to thyself. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask it. Amen and Amen.

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 9 of 16

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	11709145283
Subject	Family Government
Course	The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness: The Family
Genre	Sermon
Date	2000-07-02
Dictation Name
Book	Book 053: The Hallelujah of Confession — Chapter 9
Source Timed Segments	83

Formatted Transcript

Opening

Psalm 106, and let's begin reading with verse 19, and read through verse 23. Psalm 106, verse 19, this is lesson number 9. Psalm 106, verse 19,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:19–23

"They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped the molten image. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt; wondrous works in the land of Ham and terrible things by the Red Sea."

Review of Psalm 106 and the Progression of Sin

Weaver reviews the structure of Psalm 106, the four reasons to praise the Lord, and the confession of national sin. He traces how ignorance and ingratitude led to forgetfulness and impatience, then to envy and insurrection, culminating in idolatry and insolence.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:19–23

Therefore, he said that he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.

Now let me very quickly review this psalm with you. Remember, please, that the first five verses—the psalmist gives us four reasons why we should praise the Lord. In fact, he tells us in verse one, because the Lord is good and his mercy endures forever. Number two, because his mighty acts are innumerable and we cannot praise him sufficiently. Number three, because he blesses obedience in verse three, and number four and five, the psalmist is asking for the Lord's blessing that he may see a revival and awakening among God's people. And then when we came to verse six, I dealt with this phrase.

"We have sinned with our fathers. We've committed iniquity. We've done wickedly." I've shown you how we have sinned with our fathers. We sinned in them similarly. We sinned in them imputatively. We sinned in them representatively. We sinned in them nationally, and we sinned with them actually. And then the psalmist actually begins to confess specific sins in verses seven on down, and in each of these sections I have shown you how number one, these sins are not only prevalent and current with us today, but number two, how one set of sins always lead to another set of sins. The first two specific sins that are dealt with in verse seven are ignorance and ingratitude. And then, as we develop those, we skip down to verse 13, where you have the second set of sins, and that is forgetfulness and impatience. And those two sins led to the next set of sins, which are envy and insurrection in verses 16 through 18. And then envy and insurrection, along with the other sins, led to and culminated in idolatry and insolence.

Now, that's where we were last week. We told you that the historical background for Psalm 106, verses 19 through 23, was Exodus chapter 32. You can also find it in Deuteronomy chapter 9 as well. We went back and read Exodus chapter 32 where when Moses was up in the mount receiving the written commandments of God, the people came to Aaron and made the golden calf. They broke off their earrings. They gave the earrings to Aaron and he fashioned it. The Bible said a molten calf. And then the people said, "These be thy gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt." Now, we dealt with the fact that Moses delayed to come down out of the mountain, how the people literally took matters into their own hands. God was not working according to their plans, their desires. And so when Moses came down, he saw the camp, the people, of course, dancing and shouting and playing. And he broke the Ten Commandments. And he said, "Whoever's on the Lord's side, let him come over to me."

Historical Background: The Golden Calf (Exodus 32)

The historical backdrop is Exodus 32, where Israel made a golden calf while Moses was on the mount. Weaver recounts the events, including Moses' destruction of the calf, the call to choose sides, and the death of 3,000.

And he drew a line basically in the sand. And the people came over, the sons of Levi. And he said, "Gird you on every man's sword, go in and out among the camp and slay every man his brother." And three thousand people died. Now, previous to that, Moses had burned that calf. He'd ground it up into fine powder. He'd sprinkled it in the water, and he made the people drink it. So evidently, those 3,000 that were killed refused to drink, and of course, they were basically put to death because of their rebellion.

Now, I tried to answer the question. I'm not going to go into it this week. You'll have to listen to the message from last week. I tried to answer the question, why a golden calf? If I were going to make a god, or at least a representative of a god, I certainly would not make it a cow. I mean, why would you want to worship a cow? I mean, you know. Well, I went back to the history and showed you the history of bull or calf or cow worship.

Why a Golden Calf? Spiritual Apostasy

Weaver explains that calf worship was common in Egypt and that Israel's idolatry was rooted in a prior turning of their hearts back to Egypt, having rejected Christ and His Word (Acts 7:38–39).

It was not just simply among the Egyptians, but among a lot of people. And of course, Pharaoh, of course, was worshipped as the bull of bulls. And I went into all that history and background as well. But then I concluded with Acts chapter 7 and showed you what really was taking place spiritually. Because Acts chapter 7 verse 39 said that they turned back in their hearts to Egypt. And they made the calf. So when they made the calf, previously, they had already turned back in their hearts to Egypt. Now, what made them turn back in their hearts to Egypt? If you will read verse 38, you will find they rejected Christ and His Word and then they turned back in their hearts to Egypt and thus they made the calf.

Now I made two quick applications last week. The first one is this. Miracles alone are insufficient for faith. If miracles alone were sufficient for faith, these people should have had the most mature and wonderful faith that ever existed because they saw the mighty hand of God in Egypt and the deliverance from Egypt and everything that God had done. And yet the Bible says they forgot God. So miracles are insufficient to produce a biblical faith.

1 Corinthians 10: Old Testament Examples for New Testament Believers

Paul uses Israel's sins as examples to warn the Corinthian church. Weaver highlights the general warning against lusting after evil things and the specific sins of idolatry, fornication, tempting Christ, and murmuring.

"I would not that you should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did all eat the same spiritual meat and they did all drink the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ." Now watch. "But with many of them, God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness." "Now, these things were our examples to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed and fell in one day, three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for examples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."

Now, the Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10, is giving a series of sins that should be avoided at all costs. And the interesting thing in verse 6 is, he says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 10:1–11

"Now these things were our examples."

In other words, what happened to Israel of old are our examples today. So these examples should not only warn us about God's judgment and justice, but they should also be a deterrent to us to keep us from committing the same exact sins that they sinned. You see, their sins and their judgment may prove to be our deliverance if we will only take to heart what God is saying to us through them. So the fall of Israel in the Old Testament, the Apostle Paul is saying, look, don't think what happened to them has no bearing upon what is happening to you, and he's making the application to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Now in verses 7 and 8 of 1 Corinthians chapter 10.

He deals with the allurement of idolatry and all of its intended impurities. And then in verses nine and ten, which we're not going to deal with, he deals with the cherishing of discontent and presumption. Now, verse six is a warning in general, and it covers all the sins that are forbidden by the Ten Commandments. Now, look what he says in verse six. "Now, these things were our examples to the intent that is for this purpose, that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted." By the way, do not think that every time you hear the word lust that it has to do with sexual impurity. It does not. A lust can be anything. The Greek word is epithumia. Thumia literally is the word for soul or thumos.

An epi is a preposition which means upon. Your lust is basically whatever you set your desire or your passion or your soul upon. You could lust after this red confederate tie if you wanted to, and George does. He says he wants it. But you understand what I'm saying. If you set your lust upon a new Cadillac or whatever, it's still a lust. It has nothing to do with sexual impurity at that particular point. But he said that to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. So he's saying then that all such lusting is wicked and evil. Now the general admonition, not to lust after evil things, is broken down into four particulars.

We're only going to cover one of them. The first one is idolatry in verse 7. The second one is fornication in verse 8. We will hit slightly upon that one. The third one is tempting the Lord in verse 9. And the fourth one is murmuring in verse 10.

Now, these four particulars are based upon the history that Paul is repeating in verses 1 through 5. Now, let's go back to verse 7, because this is where I want to begin today. He says, "Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them. As it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them."

The Urgency of Fleeing Idolatry

Paul twice warns against idolatry in 1 Corinthians 10. Weaver notes the possible significance of 1 John 5:21 as the last written verse of the Bible, paralleling the first verse, 'In the beginning, God.'

Now, since the apostle again repeats this same warning in verse 14, skip down, he says, "Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry." You can understand the urgency the Apostle Paul is giving us that we are to flee from idolatry. You know, there's an interesting passage, and I want to show it to you. If you will turn to First John, chapter five and verse twenty-one. First John five, verse twenty-one. Some of you probably know this. Because you've heard me say this before, but I'm going to share it with you again since we're dealing with idolatry.

There is a great deal of scholarship that demonstrates that the book of Revelation was not the last book written chronologically speaking. In other words, Revelation is the end of our Bible, but that does not mean that it was written last. And some scholars say that the book of 1 John was the book that was written last. Now, I find that interesting. Whether it's accurate or not, I'm not going to judge or say, but I find it interesting, if that were to be true, that the very first verse in the Bible is, "In the beginning, God." And the last verse would be,

Scripture Reading — 1 John 5:21

"Little children, keep yourselves from idols."

That would be an interesting parallel, would it not? So the Apostle Paul warns of idolatry twice in 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Let's go back now. Verse 7 of 1 Corinthians chapter 10.

He says, "Neither be ye idolaters as were some of them." First of all, let me tell you what the Greek word idolaters is here. It is made up of two Greek words. The first one is eidolon, which, of course, is where we get our word idol from. It means a false god or a false image or an idol. And also it is made up of latreia, which means a hireling, a slave, or a servant. You put the two words together and you have eidololatres, which means a slave to worshiping an idol.

Aspects of Idolatry: Image Worship and Unauthorized Aids

Idolatry includes literal image worship, which God forbids, and using images or other means as aids to worship without divine authorization. Weaver emphasizes that Christ is the only mediator.

Now, Paul's reference in verse 7, once again, the historical account is Exodus chapter 32. And I like what the Apostle Paul says in verse 7. He says, "...neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them." Thank God, not all of them were idolaters, but some of them really were. Likewise, and I'm continuing on this application that I started last week, not all Christians are gross idolaters, but some are. And I said last week that all of us are idolaters in some degree, and I'll prove that today, to the degree that we're ignorant of the one true and the living God, and to the degree that we do not worship him according to the way he's ordained in his word, to that degree we are all idolaters. And you see, most of us have a very limited concept of idolatry. You mention the word idolatry, and instantly everyone thinks about bowing down to some idol made of stone or wood or gold or some precious metal. It is true that is what you and I would call the grossest form of idolatry. But may I remind you that idolatry is a declension, it is a degrading of the norm. Idolatry is never a step toward pure religion. Idolatry is always a debasing of and a stepping away from pure religion.

In fact, do you not remember? In fact, turn there, you're close, to Romans chapter 1. Just turn back one book to Romans chapter 1 and look, if you would please, at verse 21. This one text will demonstrate that idolatry is always a declension. Notice, if you would, Romans 1 verse 21,

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:21–23

"Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and fourfooted beasts and creeping things."

So idolatry is always a declension.

Now, let me cover this first point that I want to make, and everyone understands this one, I'm sure, but one aspect of idolatry is indeed image worship or idol worship. But God has already said very clearly in Exodus chapter 20 and Deuteronomy chapter 4, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image." God absolutely forbids it. Look in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus chapter 26. Leviticus 26 verses 1 and 2. Here's another passage that you're probably not as familiar with. Leviticus 26, verses 1 and 2. God says,

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 26:1–2

"...you shall make you no idols, nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall you set up any image of stone in your land to bow down unto it, for I am the Lord your God."

Now God says, just simply, don't do it. Go back to Leviticus chapter 19. Leviticus 19.

Note, if you would please, verse 4. Here God says, "Turn you not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods, I am the Lord your God." I read the passage, I'm not going to read it this week, but I read it last week from Deuteronomy chapter 4. You remember what God told the people? He said, you take heed, because when you heard the voice in the mount, you saw no similitude, you saw no shape, you saw no form. And he said, you only heard a voice. And he said, do not even attempt to make a graven image of God. And last week I dealt with this in detail. How in the world can you make a visible image of the invisible God? It's utterly, absolutely impossible. And God is spirit. And if someone tried to make an image to represent God, you've got to remember, God created everything. Therefore, if you took everything in creation and made an image, God is still greater than that because the Creator is greater than His creation. It would be impossible to have any image that would represent God.

Over and over, this is forbidden in the Scriptures. Let me give you one last passage on this. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 11. Deuteronomy chapter 11 and let's begin reading there with verse 16. Deuteronomy 11 verse 16.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 11:16–17

"Take heed to yourselves that your heart be not deceived and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them."

Note,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 11:16–17

"And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up heaven, and there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit, unless you perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord your God giveth you."

Then if you look in Deuteronomy 27 and verse 15, Deuteronomy 27, verse 15, note this curse. "Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and put it in a secret place, and all the people shall answer and say, Amen." So God absolutely forbids any image-making at all. Absolutely, totally. That's why we have no pictures in church. I'm going to deal with this a little bit later, but if I were to say the word Jesus, what comes to your mind? I know what comes to your mind.

That picture with Him with long hair and you see Him like this and maybe there's a halo up there or a crown of thorns. Do you realize no one knows what our Lord looked like physically? Secondly, he certainly never had long hair. All you've got to do is read 1 Corinthians 11, for it was a shame for a man to have long hair. And if it's a shame for a man to have long hair, our Lord would not have had it. Thirdly, the Caesar cut was in style in those days because of Caesar, and that was extremely short. And have you ever noticed, if a Frenchman paints a painting or a picture of Jesus, then he looks French. If a Dutchman paints, then he looks as a Dutchman. If an Italian paints, then he looks Italian. Do you follow what I'm saying? When I pastored in Jessup, Georgia, when I went there, they had pictures everywhere, hanging on all the walls.

And Richard Johnson was a deacon. He was a great big old fella. Used to be a professional football player. And I said, "Richard, follow me." And I went around the building and I took every picture down and I handed them to him. He had a handful of pictures. He said, "What do you want me to do with these, Pastor?" I said, "Well, that depends. I said, if you want the frames, take the pictures out and throw them away. And save the frames. If not, you can throw everything away as far as I'm concerned."

He looked at me and said, "Yes, sir." He got rid of every one of them. You see, if anybody got mad, I'm going to say Richard threw them away. I was Richard. Nobody wanted to touch Richard. No, I explained to the people why I took them down. That leads me to the second point. Another aspect of idolatry: when you actually do not bow down to an idol or an image, you try to use such as a help or as a mediation or meditation or as a way to God in worship. Do you realize that is just as idolatrous as bowing down to a literal idol? What does 1st Timothy chapter 2 and verse 5 say? Help me out. "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." The only aid, the only help we need to get to God is Jesus Christ. Stained glass windows, while they may be beautiful, they do not help us to get to God. You might have a beautiful image over here of some supposed saint, but that image does not help you get to God.

You can only approach unto God by God's ordained way. What did Jesus Christ say in John 14 in verse 6? He said it like this, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by me." The only way you can get to the Father is through Jesus Christ. You can't get to the Father through some image, or through some stained glass window, or through some other little thing. I never will forget, I was preaching in North Carolina, and a lady came to service that night, and I noticed there was this little statue on her cardash. And I looked at it, and it was supposedly a statue of Jesus. And I looked at her, and I said, "Ma'am, what is that statue on your cardash?" "Oh," she said, "that's my statue of Jesus." She said, "I wouldn't think of going anywhere without my Jesus." I said, "Ma'am, neither would I. But he lives in my heart, not on my cardash." You see the difference? At any time we use any outside means without divine authorization, it is idolatry. Idolatry is not just bowing down before an image. You can try to use that image the way those people have seen, that's what Aaron did. When the people said, "These be thy gods, O Israel, that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt," in Exodus chapter 32, when Aaron saw that, then he proclaimed a feast to the Lord, to the one true and the living God.

He made an altar. In other words, what Aaron said, "We're just going to use this calf as a means to get to God." You know what God said? God said they weren't worshipping him, they were worshipping the calf. Whenever you try to use anything other than what God has ordained to reach him, it is idolatry. Thirdly, listen to this. Idolatry also consists of placing anyone or anything above the Lord. It is when we give honor, recognition, praise, and glory to anyone or anything that properly should be given to God alone.

Idolatry as Placing Anything Above God

Idolatry occurs when we give honor, praise, or priority to anyone or anything above God, including family. Weaver explains Luke 14:26 as a call to love Christ supremely.

Now, I want you to turn to Isaiah 42. May I remind you, in the book of Exodus chapter 20, God said,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 42:8

"I am the Lord, that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, thou shalt have no other gods before me."

Look in Isaiah 42, and notice if you would please verse 8 of what God says, Isaiah 42 verse 8. He says,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 42:8

"I am the Lord, that is my name." "And my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."

Now God said, "I'm the Lord. There is none beside me." And God said, "I am not about to share my glory with another, nor am I going to give my praise to a graven image." Now, wait a minute.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 42:8

"I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another?"

Do you realize when we place our mates, our children, and our friends ahead of God, it is idolatry. When we choose to please our mates or to please our children or to please our friends at the expense of obedience to God, it is idolatry.

Look in your Bibles to the book of Luke chapter 14. And let me show you a passage that will probably need some explaining. Luke chapter 14 and notice if you would please verse 26. Luke 14 verse 26.

Our Lord says, "If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." What a strange thing for our Lord to say. "If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Why would our Lord say something like that? Is our Lord commanding me to hate my parents, to hate my wife, to hate my children? And the answer is no. The Word of God says husbands, love your wives. The Word of God says children, obey your parents, honor your mother and your father. Well, what in the world is he talking about when he says, "If any man come to me and hate not his father and his mother"? Here he is using this language comparatively speaking. What he is saying is this, that our love for him should be so great that our love toward our parents and our husbands and wives and children and friends would appear as hate.

In other words, we're going to put him first. Put him ahead of my wife. She's to put him ahead of her husband. We're to put him ahead of our children. Did you hear that? We're to put him ahead of our children. We're to obey him rather than please them if what they want to do is wicked and wrong and contrary to God. And whenever we try to place our children or loved ones ahead of God or before Him or please them at His expense, we are guilty of idolatry.

And by our pride, our arrogance, and our self-will, we do that often. You know what James 4 and verse 17 says? "Therefore, to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." But we know what we ought to do, and we don't do it. God says it's wicked and wrong. It's idolatry. It is sin. I want you to look in 1 Corinthians 10, back at verse 7.

Idolatry and Sexual Immorality

Sexual sins are part and parcel of idolatry. Weaver connects the 'play' of Exodus 32:6 with sexual immorality and cites Galatians 5, Ephesians 5, and Colossians 3 to show that covetousness and uncleanness are idolatry.

This may also take a little explaining, but I think I can do it rather quickly. 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 7 will show you another aspect of idolatry that you probably never thought about. But here it is. Promiscuity, perversions, and all sorts of sexual sins are part and parcel of idolatry. Look at 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 7. "Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written," now look, "The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play." You see, part of the seduction and attraction of idolatry is the fulfillment of the lust of the flesh. Most of the idolatry in the Old Testament and in the New Testament was sexually oriented. Now, he warns against idolatry in verse seven, and then he talks about eating and drinking and playing.

Now, let me tell you something, folks, the same idea is very prevalent today. Have you ever seen these caps and T-shirts and have you ever heard people say, "I'm a party animal"? What are they talking about? They're not talking about playing Monopoly or playing checkers.

Now, the word play does not carry the connotation of innocent games. Rather, it implies exactly the opposite. Let me show you. Look back in your Bibles to two passages. First of all, Exodus 32. This is where the passage comes from. We'll read that, and then I will show you how the same word is used. Exodus 32 and look if you would please at verse 6. Exodus 32. Verse 6. In fact, we can even explain it going down in this passage.

Exodus 32 verse 6, "And they rose up early on the morrow and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play." Well, they rose up to play. Well, let's see. Let's skip down to verse—see, it should be right here. Help me out. It is when Moses saw, oh, verse 25. "And when Moses saw that the people were naked, for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies." Now, wait a minute. The Bible says in verse 6, they sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Well, if you're playing Monopoly, you don't have to get your clothes off. Verse 25 says Moses saw that they were naked. Now let me show you what the word play means.

Look in your Bibles to the book of Genesis 26. Genesis 26. Note, if you would please, verse 8. Now, you remember Isaac is told Abimelech that Rebekah was his sister. You remember that? Genesis 26 verse 8, "And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife." The word sporting or playing means to fondle, it means to caress, it means to make sexual advances. Which all such is proper and right with one's own husband and mate, but it's totally improper, unlawful and ungodly outside of God-ordained institution of marriage. You see, idolatry is always a feeding of the flesh in more ways than one. Let me show you something. Galatians chapter 5. Go ahead and turn there. Galatians chapter 5. Galatians chapter 5, and let's begin reading there with verse 19, because here the Apostle Paul is talking about the works of the flesh. Galatians 5, verse 19, he says, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these," now watch, "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry."

"witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like." Now, the point I'm trying to make is adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, all of that is connected with idolatry. Now, let me show you two other passages. I want you to turn right over to Ephesians chapter 5, and then go ahead and turn over to Colossians chapter 3, because we're going to read one passage right behind the other. Ephesians 5, and then Colossians 3. Ephesians 5, note if you would please verse 5. Are you ready? Ephesians 5, verse 5. Paul writes, "For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." Now, isn't that interesting? A covetous man who is an idolater, and look at the context, a whoremonger, an unclean person, what is he doing? He's coveting after some other woman or some other man's wife, and God calls it idolatry. Look in the book of Colossians chapter 3 and verse 5.

He says, "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry." Once again, he lumps all of that together and he calls it idolatry. So the covetousness that the Apostle Paul is talking about deals with sexual impurity as well, which is all part and parcel of idolatry. Do you not remember in Philippians chapter 3 in verse 19, the Apostle Paul spoke of those individuals whose God was their belly. And what's that mean? It means they only live to fulfill the lust of their flesh. That's all. Let me tell you something. You talk about a society today that lives only for the fulfillment of its own lust, this is an idolatrous society that we're in. Listen folks, you cannot violate the seventh commandment, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." You cannot violate the last commandment, "Thou shalt not covet," without having first violated, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." For the one true and the living God says, "Thou shalt not."

Look in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 4. 1 Peter chapter 4. And notice, if you would please, verse 3. Here is the true statement of a child of God. Peter writes, "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles," that is, the unconverted, "when we walked in lasciviousness, lust, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries." What's Peter saying? Peter said, if you're a real child of God, you've had your fill of all that.

Idolatry as Wrong Thinking

All idolatry begins in the mind. Weaver cites Deuteronomy and Jeremiah to show that walking after the imagination of the heart is idolatry. 2 Corinthians 10:4–5 commands bringing every thought captive to Christ.

Now, I pointed this out to you last week, let me point it out again. When you think about idolatry, you think about an image. Where do you get an image? From your imagination. In fact, all idolatry begins in the mind. You see, cars do not begin in Detroit or Atlanta. They begin in some engineer's mind who designs them. And then they're built at those places. So all idolatry basically begins in the mind. An idol cannot be fashioned until it is first imagined or conceived in the mind.

Now, look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 29. Let me show you several passages. Deuteronomy 29. And let's begin reading there with verse 17. Deuteronomy 29. Verse 17. Look at what God says. "And you have seen their abominations and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which are among them, lest there should be among you man or woman or family or tribe whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood, and it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace," watch it, "though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst." What is the man doing first? He is imagining. He is thinking that God is going to bless him even though he is disobedient and rebellious and ungodly. Look in Deuteronomy 31 and verse 21. Deuteronomy 31 verse 21.

"And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed. For I know their imagination, which they go about even now before I have brought them into the land, which I sware." What does it say? I know what they are imagining. Turn over, if you would, just to Jeremiah, Jeremiah chapter 3. Let me show you several passages there which deal with the imagination.

Now, I'm leading you up to one particular point. Let's look in Jeremiah chapter 3, verse 17 to begin with. Jeremiah 3, verse 17. "At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem. Neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil hearts." Look at Jeremiah chapter 7 and verse 24. Jeremiah 7 verse 24. "But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward." No, they walked in the imagination of their evil heart. Look in Jeremiah 9 verse 14. Jeremiah 9 verse 14, "But have walked after the imagination of their own hearts and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them." And then look at Jeremiah 11 and verse 8, Jeremiah 11 and verse 8. "Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked everyone in the imagination of their evil heart."

"Therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant which I commanded them to do, but they did them not." Now, why am I emphasizing the imagination? I told you that idolatry also consists in wrong thinking. Do you realize that an aspect of our salvation, in fact I would say our salvation, greatly involves our mind. You would be amazed to go through not only the Old Testament but the New Testament and see how many verses there are dealing with the mind. Did you realize that the Bible says in Ephesians chapter 4 that the unconverted are enemies and they're alienated from God through their own minds. In Colossians chapter 1, I believe it's verse 21, he talks about men who are enemies in their minds. What do you do with all those verses where God says, "Be renewed in your mind"?

"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." Why am I emphasizing this? Turn in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter 10. Here's what I'm showing you. 2 Corinthians chapter 10. And let's begin reading there with verse 4. 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 4. The Apostle Paul writes, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." Now watch.

Let me just stop there. The Apostle Paul is using a military illustration for the weapons of our warfare, not carnal. Now, Paul is not putting down weaponry. He's not saying don't own a weapon. That's totally ridiculous. What the Apostle Paul is saying in this context is carnal weapons are insufficient for this particular battle, and this particular war that we're engaging in. He says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." What is a stronghold? It's a military term. It's a place of defense.

For instance, if someone came through those doors shooting a .357 Magnum, I'm going to jump behind this pulpit if I can. If not, I'm going to dive behind Ed. Let Ed get shot first. No, I'm teasing. But you see, whatever I dive behind, that's my stronghold. That's my place of defense.

Now watch what he says. Look at verse 4. "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." Here are our strongholds. Watch this. "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing or every high thought that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."

Now my question is this, how many thoughts are you and I to have that are unbiblical? None. We're required to bring every thought into captivity to Christ. Now, if you are thinking unbiblically on the subject of marriage, or money, or education, if you're thinking unbiblically about discipline, guess what? To the degree that you think unbiblically, to that degree, you are an idolater. Because Christ requires that every thought be brought into obedience to Him. And when we imagine God to be what He is not, we're guilty of idolatry. When we think that God is what He is not, we're guilty of idolatry. In other words, our thoughts of God, our thoughts of Christ, our thoughts of truth, our thoughts of sin, our thoughts of anything should be biblical. And that includes when you pray trying to conjure up in your mind some mental image of Christ. That's idolatry. You don't need a mental image of Christ when you pray. It's sufficient that He is our way, He is our access unto God the Father. And when we try to imagine in our mind what God is like, rather than accept what Scripture says, and when we try to imagine in our mind what Christ is like, rather than bowing to the Word of God, we are idolaters.

Idolatry as Forsaking God's Law

Forsaking God's law is equivalent to forsaking God. Weaver cites Deuteronomy 31:16, 1 Kings 18:18, and Jeremiah 5 to show that turning from God's commandments is idolatry, and applies this to modern America.

Now, dear friend, I got news for you. If there was one point that condemned this nation as an idolatrous nation, that would be this point as well. Idolatry consists in forsaking God's law. God rules by his law. When one forsakes God's law, he at the same time forsakes God himself. I want you to go back in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 31. Deuteronomy chapter 31.

And note if you would please beginning there with verse 16. Deuteronomy 31 verse 16. "And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, and this people will rise up and go whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me and break my covenant which I made with them." Now, how do we know that the children of Israel forsook God? Because they broke his covenant, they forsook his law. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 28 and verse 20. Deuteronomy 28 and verse 20.

Here's part of the curse, he says, "The Lord shall send upon thee cursing and vexation and rebuke in all that thou settest thine hand unto to do, until thou be destroyed, until thou perish quickly because of the wickedness of thy doings whereby thou hast forsaken me." You cannot forsake God's law without at the same time forsaking God. God and his law are one. And God rules by his law. There's an interesting passage. In 1 Kings 18 in verse 18, let me read it. Here's what Elijah answers to King Ahab. Elijah said, "I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father's house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim." Ahab asked Elijah, "Art thou he that troubleth Israel?" Oh no, Elijah said, "It's not me you dirty reprobate, it's you and your house, because you have forsaken the Lord, and you serve Baalim."

In other words, you have turned from God and his law to a false God. One last passage, I want you to look in Jeremiah chapter 5. Jeremiah chapter 5. Beginning there with verse 13. In fact, let's read verse 11, let's begin with verse 11. Jeremiah 5 verse 11. God says, "For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the Lord. They have belied the Lord," that is, they've lied against him, "and said, It is not he."

"Neither shall evil come upon us, neither shall we see sword or famine, and the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them, thus shall it be done unto them. Wherefore, thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Because you speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them. Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from afar, O house of Israel, saith the Lord, it is a mighty nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say. Their quiver is an open sepulcher, they are all mighty men." Now let me just stop there. Why in the world is God bringing his judgment upon Judah and Israel? The answer simple: they forsook God's law. Why did they forsake God's law? Because they forsook God. Anytime an individual forsakes the law of God, it is because he's forsaken God. In our country today, we're in desperate straits. And the reason why is we've forsaken God. I got some encouragement this morning. I read where Indiana has passed a state law that they can post the Ten Commandments in the courthouses. And guess what? There was a big ceremony yesterday in Orange County where they posted the Ten Commandments in the courthouse and hundreds of people turned out and they sang "God Bless America" and there was praying and there was preaching. Isn't that amazing?

Judge Roy Moore is still standing in Alabama. He still has the Ten Commandments posted in his courthouse. And he said he's not taking them back. You see, folks, just because a man does not bow down to an idol does not mean he's an idolater. The amazing thing to me is this. Of all the sins that the psalmist is confessing in Psalm 106, we are still guilty of those same sins today.

Conclusion: Unchanging Human Nature and God's Mercy

Weaver concludes that human depravity remains the same, but God's mercy and grace are also unchanged. He calls for repentance from all forms of idolatry.

Human nature has not changed. Depravity is still the same, but one other blessed truth, and that's God hasn't changed either. He's still the same God. He's still merciful and gracious, and He still commands that we turn from our sins and obey Him. Let's pray. Father, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ today for Your blessing and for Your help. We ask, Lord, that you would indeed turn us from idolatry. And while, Lord, we are not gross idolaters in the sense that we do not bow down to a stock or stone or an image, many times, Lord, we foolishly and ignorantly try to use things as a help to get to Thee when the only individual we need is Jesus Christ. Many times, Father, we covet and lust which are wicked and wrong and are idolatry as well. And then, Lord, we must confess that so many times we think wrongly. We do not think biblically and scripturally. And then, Lord, there are times we have forsaken thy law. We've disobeyed thee when we have known better.

And that's nothing short of idolatry. We ask forgiveness. We ask repentance. We ask your help to bring us back to thyself. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask it. Amen and Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Progression of Sin

Summary: Sin is progressive; one sin leads to another. Israel's ignorance and ingratitude led to forgetfulness, impatience, envy, insurrection, and finally idolatry.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'how one set of sins always lead to another set of sins' and traces the sequence from verses 7 to 19.

The Nature of True Idolatry

Summary: Idolatry is broader than bowing to images; it includes using unauthorized aids in worship, placing anything above God, sexual immorality, wrong thinking, and forsaking God's law.

Evidence: Weaver systematically lists five aspects of idolatry, each supported by Scripture.

The Insufficiency of Miracles for Faith

Summary: Miracles alone cannot produce saving faith; Israel saw God's mighty works yet forgot Him and turned to idolatry.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'Miracles alone are insufficient for faith. If miracles alone were sufficient for faith, these people should have had the most mature and wonderful faith.'

Christ as the Only Mediator

Summary: Jesus Christ is the sole mediator between God and man; any attempt to use images or other means to approach God is idolatry.

Evidence: Weaver cites 1 Timothy 2:5 and John 14:6, and tells the story of the woman with a statue of Jesus on her cardash.

The Mind as the Battleground of Idolatry

Summary: Idolatry originates in the imagination; believers must bring every thought into obedience to Christ.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'all idolatry begins in the mind' and expounds 2 Corinthians 10:4–5.

The Connection Between Idolatry and Sexual Sin

Summary: Sexual immorality is inherently linked to idolatry, as seen in the golden calf incident and in Paul's epistles.

Evidence: Weaver explains that 'play' in Exodus 32:6 implies sexual activity and cites Galatians 5:19–20, Ephesians 5:5, and Colossians 3:5.

Forsaking God's Law as Idolatry

Summary: To forsake God's commandments is to forsake God Himself; this is a form of idolatry prevalent in modern society.

Evidence: Weaver cites Deuteronomy 31:16, 1 Kings 18:18, and Jeremiah 5, and applies it to America's rejection of the Ten Commandments.

The Unchanging Nature of God and Man

Summary: Human depravity remains constant across ages, but God's mercy and grace are also unchanging, offering hope for repentance.

Evidence: Weaver concludes: 'Human nature has not changed. Depravity is still the same, but one other blessed truth, and that's God hasn't changed either.'

Key Arguments

Idolatry is a declension from true religion, not a step toward it.

Summary: Idolatry always degrades and moves away from pure worship of God; it is never an improvement or a neutral aid.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'Idolatry is a declension, it is a degrading of the norm. Idolatry is never a step toward pure religion.' and cites Romans 1:21.

Using images as aids to worship is as idolatrous as bowing to them.

Summary: Any attempt to use external means without divine authorization to approach God constitutes idolatry, even if the intention is to worship the true God.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'when you actually do not bow down to an idol or an image, you try to use such as a help or as a mediation or meditation or as a way to God in worship. Do you realize that is just as idolatrous as bowing down to a literal idol?'

Placing family or self above God is idolatry.

Summary: When we choose to please loved ones at the expense of obedience to God, we commit idolatry by giving them the priority that belongs to God alone.

Evidence: Weaver explains Luke 14:26: 'our love for him should be so great that our love toward our parents and our husbands and wives and children and friends would appear as hate.'

Sexual immorality is inherently idolatrous.

Summary: The 'play' associated with the golden calf was sexual in nature, and Paul consistently links sexual sins with idolatry, showing that fulfilling fleshly lusts is a form of idol worship.

Evidence: Weaver cites Exodus 32:6, 25 and Genesis 26:8 to define 'play' as sexual activity, and references Galatians 5:19–20, Ephesians 5:5, and Colossians 3:5.

All idolatry begins with wrong thinking.

Summary: Idols are first conceived in the imagination; therefore, unbiblical thoughts about God, Christ, or truth are foundational to idolatry.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'all idolatry begins in the mind. An idol cannot be fashioned until it is first imagined or conceived in the mind.' and cites 2 Corinthians 10:4–5.

Forsaking God's law is forsaking God Himself.

Summary: God rules by His law; to abandon His commandments is to abandon Him, which is the essence of idolatry.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'You cannot forsake God's law without at the same time forsaking God. God and his law are one.' and cites Deuteronomy 31:16 and 1 Kings 18:18.

Modern society is guilty of the same idolatries as ancient Israel.

Summary: The sins confessed in Psalm 106—ignorance, ingratitude, forgetfulness, impatience, envy, insurrection, and idolatry—are prevalent today, demonstrating unchanged human depravity.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'Of all the sins that the psalmist is confessing in Psalm 106, we are still guilty of those same sins today.'

Christians must bring every thought into obedience to Christ.

Summary: The spiritual warfare involves casting down imaginations and high thoughts that oppose the knowledge of God, requiring total conformity of the mind to Scripture.

Evidence: Weaver expounds 2 Corinthians 10:4–5: 'how many thoughts are you and I to have that are unbiblical? None. We're required to bring every thought into captivity to Christ.'

Scripture References

Psalm 106:19–23

Context: The primary text of the sermon, describing Israel's idolatry with the golden calf and Moses' intercession.

Exodus 32

Context: The historical account of the golden calf incident, referenced as the background for Psalm 106:19–23.

Acts 7:38–39

Context: Stephen's speech explaining that Israel turned back in their hearts to Egypt before making the calf, showing the spiritual root of idolatry.

1 Corinthians 10:1–11

Context: Paul's use of Israel's wilderness sins as examples for New Testament believers, warning against idolatry, fornication, tempting Christ, and murmuring.

1 Corinthians 10:7

Context: Paul's specific warning against idolatry, quoting Exodus 32:6 about eating, drinking, and playing.

1 Corinthians 10:14

Context: Paul's urgent command to flee from idolatry.

1 John 5:21

Context: Possibly the last written verse of the Bible, 'Little children, keep yourselves from idols,' paralleling the first verse 'In the beginning, God.'

Romans 1:21–23

Context: Demonstrates that idolatry is a declension: when men knew God, they did not glorify Him and changed His glory into images.

Leviticus 26:1–2

Context: God's prohibition against making idols, graven images, or standing images.

Leviticus 19:4

Context: Command not to turn to idols or make molten gods.

Deuteronomy 11:16–17

Context: Warning against being deceived into serving other gods, resulting in God's wrath and judgment.

Deuteronomy 27:15

Context: Curse pronounced on anyone who makes a graven or molten image in secret.

1 Timothy 2:5

Context: There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

John 14:6

Context: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Him.

Isaiah 42:8

Context: God will not give His glory to another or His praise to graven images.

Luke 14:26

Context: Jesus' call to hate father, mother, wife, children, and one's own life in comparison to love for Him, explained as supreme devotion.

Genesis 26:8

Context: Isaac 'sporting' with Rebekah, showing that 'play' can mean sexual fondling or advances.

Galatians 5:19–21

Context: List of works of the flesh including adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, and idolatry, showing their connection.

Ephesians 5:5

Context: A covetous man is an idolater, and no whoremonger or unclean person has inheritance in God's kingdom.

Colossians 3:5

Context: Covetousness is idolatry, listed alongside fornication, uncleanness, and evil concupiscence.

Historical References

Golden calf incident (Exodus 32)

Context: Israel made a molten calf at Horeb while Moses was on the mount; Moses destroyed the tablets, ground the calf to powder, and 3,000 were slain.

Bull/calf worship in Egypt and other cultures

Context: Weaver explains that calf worship was common among Egyptians and other peoples; Pharaoh was worshipped as the 'bull of bulls.'

Indiana Ten Commandments law

Context: Weaver mentions that Indiana passed a state law allowing the Ten Commandments to be posted in courthouses, with a ceremony in Orange County.

Judge Roy Moore in Alabama

Context: Judge Roy Moore continues to display the Ten Commandments in his courthouse despite opposition.

Important Quotes

Miracles alone are insufficient for faith. If miracles alone were sufficient for faith, these people should have had the most mature and wonderful faith that ever existed because they saw the mighty hand of God in Egypt and the deliverance from Egypt and everything that God had done. And yet the Bible says they forgot God.

Significance: Highlights the insufficiency of signs and wonders to produce genuine faith, a key application from Israel's idolatry.

Idolatry is a declension, it is a degrading of the norm. Idolatry is never a step toward pure religion. Idolatry is always a debasing of and a stepping away from pure religion.

Significance: Defines idolatry as a downward movement away from true worship, not a neutral or helpful practice.

At any time we use any outside means without divine authorization, it is idolatry.

Significance: Broadens the definition of idolatry to include any unauthorized aid in worship, not just bowing to images.

When we choose to please our mates or to please our children or to please our friends at the expense of obedience to God, it is idolatry.

Significance: Applies idolatry to everyday relational choices, showing that putting people before God is idolatry.

To the degree that you think unbiblically, to that degree, you are an idolater. Because Christ requires that every thought be brought into obedience to Him.

Significance: Connects wrong thinking directly to idolatry, emphasizing the comprehensive demand of 2 Corinthians 10:5.

You cannot forsake God's law without at the same time forsaking God. God and his law are one.

Significance: Argues that abandoning God's commandments is equivalent to abandoning God, a form of idolatry.

Human nature has not changed. Depravity is still the same, but one other blessed truth, and that's God hasn't changed either.

Significance: Concluding summary that while sin persists, God's mercy remains constant, offering hope.

Discussion Questions

How does the progression of sins in Psalm 106 (ignorance → ingratitude → forgetfulness → impatience → envy → insurrection → idolatry) mirror patterns of sin in our own lives?

Context: Weaver traces the sequence of sins from verses 7 to 19, showing how one sin leads to another.

In what subtle ways might we use 'aids' or 'mediations' in worship that are not authorized by Scripture, and how can we guard against this?

Context: Weaver argues that using images or other means as helps to approach God is idolatry, citing 1 Timothy 2:5.

What does it practically look like to 'hate' father, mother, wife, and children in the sense of Luke 14:26, and how can we ensure Christ has first place without neglecting family duties?

Context: Weaver explains that our love for Christ should make all other loves seem like hate by comparison.

Why does the Bible so closely associate sexual immorality with idolatry, and what does this reveal about the nature of both sins?

Context: Weaver connects the 'play' of Exodus 32:6 with sexual sin and cites Galatians 5, Ephesians 5, and Colossians 3.

How can we practically 'bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ' (2 Corinthians 10:5) in a culture saturated with unbiblical ideas?

Context: Weaver emphasizes that all idolatry begins in the mind and that every thought must align with Scripture.

In what ways has our society 'forsaken God's law,' and how should Christians respond to this cultural shift?

Context: Weaver cites Deuteronomy 31:16 and applies it to modern America's rejection of the Ten Commandments.

How does the truth that 'God hasn't changed' provide hope and motivation for repentance from idolatry?

Context: Weaver concludes that while human depravity remains, God's mercy and grace are unchanging.

Applications

Examine your worship for unauthorized aids.

Summary: Evaluate whether you rely on any images, objects, or mental pictures as helps to connect with God, and remove them, trusting Christ alone as mediator.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'At any time we use any outside means without divine authorization, it is idolatry.'

Prioritize God above all relationships.

Summary: Assess whether you have placed a spouse, child, or friend above obedience to God, and realign your loyalties to put Christ first.

Evidence: Weaver states: 'When we choose to please our mates or to please our children or to please our friends at the expense of obedience to God, it is idolatry.'

Flee sexual immorality as idolatry.

Summary: Recognize that sexual sins are not merely physical but are acts of idolatry, and flee from them as Paul commands.

Evidence: Weaver connects fornication and uncleanness with idolatry, citing Ephesians 5:5 and Colossians 3:5.

Bring every thought captive to Christ.

Summary: Actively identify and reject unbiblical thoughts about God, self, and the world, replacing them with scriptural truth.

Evidence: Weaver expounds 2 Corinthians 10:5: 'how many thoughts are you and I to have that are unbiblical? None.'

Uphold God's law in personal and public life.

Summary: Do not forsake God's commandments in your own life, and support the public acknowledgment of God's moral law.

Evidence: Weaver says: 'You cannot forsake God's law without at the same time forsaking God.' and commends Judge Roy Moore's stand.

Repent of all forms of idolatry.

Summary: Confess and turn from any idolatry in your life, whether gross or subtle, trusting in God's mercy and grace.

Evidence: Weaver's closing prayer asks for forgiveness and help to turn from idolatry.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T17:39:47Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T08:52:14Z

Clean Transcript

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 9 of 16

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Psalm 106, and let's begin reading with verse 19, and read through verse 23. Psalm 106, verse 19, this is lesson number 9. Psalm 106, verse 19, "They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped the molten image. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt; wondrous works in the land of Ham and terrible things by the Red Sea."
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Therefore, he said that he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them. Now let me very quickly review this psalm with you. Remember, please, that the first five verses—the psalmist gives us four reasons why we should praise the Lord. In fact, he tells us in verse one, because the Lord is good and his mercy endures forever. Number two, because his mighty acts are innumerable and we cannot praise him sufficiently. Number three, because he blesses obedience in verse three, and number four and five, the psalmist is asking for the Lord's blessing that he may see a revival and awakening among God's people. And then when we came to verse six, I dealt with this phrase.
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"We have sinned with our fathers. We've committed iniquity. We've done wickedly." I've shown you how we have sinned with our fathers. We sinned in them similarly. We sinned in them imputatively. We sinned in them representatively. We sinned in them nationally, and we sinned with them actually. And then the psalmist actually begins to confess specific sins in verses seven on down, and in each of these sections I have shown you how number one, these sins are not only prevalent and current with us today, but number two, how one set of sins always lead to another set of sins. The first two specific sins that are dealt with in verse seven are ignorance and ingratitude. And then, as we develop those, we skip down to verse 13, where you have the second set of sins, and that is forgetfulness and impatience. And those two sins led to the next set of sins, which are envy and insurrection in verses 16 through 18. And then envy and insurrection, along with the other sins, led to and culminated in idolatry and insolence.
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Now, that's where we were last week. We told you that the historical background for Psalm 106, verses 19 through 23, was Exodus chapter 32. You can also find it in Deuteronomy chapter 9 as well. We went back and read Exodus chapter 32 where when Moses was up in the mount receiving the written commandments of God, the people came to Aaron and made the golden calf. They broke off their earrings. They gave the earrings to Aaron and he fashioned it. The Bible said a molten calf. And then the people said, "These be thy gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt." Now, we dealt with the fact that Moses delayed to come down out of the mountain, how the people literally took matters into their own hands. God was not working according to their plans, their desires. And so when Moses came down, he saw the camp, the people, of course, dancing and shouting and playing. And he broke the Ten Commandments. And he said, "Whoever's on the Lord's side, let him come over to me."
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And he drew a line basically in the sand. And the people came over, the sons of Levi. And he said, "Gird you on every man's sword, go in and out among the camp and slay every man his brother." And three thousand people died. Now, previous to that, Moses had burned that calf. He'd ground it up into fine powder. He'd sprinkled it in the water, and he made the people drink it. So evidently, those 3,000 that were killed refused to drink, and of course, they were basically put to death because of their rebellion.
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Now, I tried to answer the question. I'm not going to go into it this week. You'll have to listen to the message from last week. I tried to answer the question, why a golden calf? If I were going to make a god, or at least a representative of a god, I certainly would not make it a cow. I mean, why would you want to worship a cow? I mean, you know. Well, I went back to the history and showed you the history of bull or calf or cow worship.
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It was not just simply among the Egyptians, but among a lot of people. And of course, Pharaoh, of course, was worshipped as the bull of bulls. And I went into all that history and background as well. But then I concluded with Acts chapter 7 and showed you what really was taking place spiritually. Because Acts chapter 7 verse 39 said that they turned back in their hearts to Egypt.
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And they made the calf. So when they made the calf, previously, they had already turned back in their hearts to Egypt. Now, what made them turn back in their hearts to Egypt? If you will read verse 38, you will find they rejected Christ and His Word and then they turned back in their hearts to Egypt and thus they made the calf.
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Now I made two quick applications last week. The first one is this. Miracles alone are insufficient for faith. If miracles alone were sufficient for faith, these people should have had the most mature and wonderful faith that ever existed because they saw the mighty hand of God in Egypt and the deliverance from Egypt and everything that God had done. And yet the Bible says they forgot God. So miracles are insufficient to produce a biblical faith.
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And then, of course, the second application which I'm going to develop today is simply this: that God cannot be worshipped any way except the way that he is ordained.
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Now, without going back and reading Exodus chapter 32, I do want you to hold Psalm 106, but I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 10, because in this passage, the Apostle Paul once again deals with Exodus chapter 32, much like the psalmist in Psalm 106. So let's read. Let's say the first 11 verses of 1st Corinthians chapter 10. Paul writes, "Moreover, brethren."
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"I would not that you should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did all eat the same spiritual meat and they did all drink the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ." Now watch. "But with many of them, God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness."
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"Now, these things were our examples to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed and fell in one day, three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for examples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."
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Now, the Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10, is giving a series of sins that should be avoided at all costs. And the interesting thing in verse 6 is, he says, "Now these things were our examples." In other words, what happened to Israel of old are our examples today. So these examples should not only warn us about God's judgment and justice, but they should also be a deterrent to us to keep us from committing the same exact sins that they sinned. You see, their sins and their judgment may prove to be our deliverance if we will only take to heart what God is saying to us through them. So the fall of Israel in the Old Testament, the Apostle Paul is saying, look, don't think what happened to them has no bearing upon what is happening to you, and he's making the application to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Now in verses 7 and 8 of 1 Corinthians chapter 10.
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He deals with the allurement of idolatry and all of its intended impurities. And then in verses nine and ten, which we're not going to deal with, he deals with the cherishing of discontent and presumption.
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Now, verse six is a warning in general, and it covers all the sins that are forbidden by the Ten Commandments. Now, look what he says in verse six.
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"Now, these things were our examples to the intent that is for this purpose, that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted." By the way, do not think that every time you hear the word lust that it has to do with sexual impurity. It does not. A lust can be anything. The Greek word is epithumia. Thumia literally is the word for soul or thumos.
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An epi is a preposition which means upon. Your lust is basically whatever you set your desire or your passion or your soul upon. You could lust after this red confederate tie if you wanted to, and George does. He says he wants it. But you understand what I'm saying. If you set your lust upon a new Cadillac or whatever, it's still a lust. It has nothing to do with sexual impurity at that particular point. But he said that to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. So he's saying then that all such lusting is wicked and evil. Now the general admonition, not to lust after evil things, is broken down into four particulars.
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We're only going to cover one of them. The first one is idolatry in verse 7. The second one is fornication in verse 8. We will hit slightly upon that one. The third one is tempting the Lord in verse 9. And the fourth one is murmuring in verse 10.
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Now, these four particulars are based upon the history that Paul is repeating in verses 1 through 5. Now, let's go back to verse 7, because this is where I want to begin today. He says, "Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them. As it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them."
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Now, since the apostle again repeats this same warning in verse 14, skip down, he says, "Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry." You can understand the urgency the Apostle Paul is giving us that we are to flee from idolatry. You know, there's an interesting passage, and I want to show it to you. If you will turn to First John, chapter five and verse twenty-one. First John five, verse twenty-one. Some of you probably know this. Because you've heard me say this before, but I'm going to share it with you again since we're dealing with idolatry.
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There is a great deal of scholarship that demonstrates that the book of Revelation was not the last book written chronologically speaking. In other words, Revelation is the end of our Bible, but that does not mean that it was written last. And some scholars say that the book of 1 John was the book that was written last.
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Now, I find that interesting. Whether it's accurate or not, I'm not going to judge or say, but I find it interesting, if that were to be true, that the very first verse in the Bible is, "In the beginning, God." And the last verse would be, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." That would be an interesting parallel, would it not? So the Apostle Paul warns of idolatry twice in 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Let's go back now. Verse 7 of 1 Corinthians chapter 10.
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He says, "Neither be ye idolaters as were some of them." First of all, let me tell you what the Greek word idolaters is here. It is made up of two Greek words. The first one is eidolon, which, of course, is where we get our word idol from. It means a false god or a false image or an idol. And also it is made up of latreia, which means a hireling, a slave, or a servant. You put the two words together and you have eidololatres, which means a slave to worshiping an idol.
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Now, Paul's reference in verse 7, once again, the historical account is Exodus chapter 32. And I like what the Apostle Paul says in verse 7. He says, "...neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them." Thank God, not all of them were idolaters, but some of them really were. Likewise, and I'm continuing on this application that I started last week, not all Christians are gross idolaters, but some are. And I said last week that all of us are idolaters in some degree, and I'll prove that today, to the degree that we're ignorant of the one true and the living God, and to the degree that we do not worship him according to the way he's ordained in his word, to that degree we are all idolaters.
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And you see, most of us have a very limited concept of idolatry. You mention the word idolatry, and instantly everyone thinks about bowing down to some idol made of stone or wood or gold or some precious metal. It is true that is what you and I would call the grossest form of idolatry. But may I remind you that idolatry is a declension, it is a degrading of the norm. Idolatry is never a step toward pure religion. Idolatry is always a debasing of and a stepping away from pure religion.
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In fact, do you not remember? In fact, turn there, you're close, to Romans chapter 1. Just turn back one book to Romans chapter 1 and look, if you would please, at verse 21. This one text will demonstrate that idolatry is always a declension. Notice, if you would, Romans 1 verse 21, "Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and fourfooted beasts and creeping things." So idolatry is always a declension.
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Now, let me cover this first point that I want to make, and everyone understands this one, I'm sure, but one aspect of idolatry is indeed image worship or idol worship. But God has already said very clearly in Exodus chapter 20 and Deuteronomy chapter 4, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image." God absolutely forbids it. Look in your Bibles to the book of Leviticus chapter 26. Leviticus 26 verses 1 and 2.
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Here's another passage that you're probably not as familiar with. Leviticus 26, verses 1 and 2. God says, "...you shall make you no idols, nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall you set up any image of stone in your land to bow down unto it, for I am the Lord your God." Now God says, just simply, don't do it. Go back to Leviticus chapter 19. Leviticus 19.
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Note, if you would please, verse 4. Here God says, "Turn you not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods, I am the Lord your God." I read the passage, I'm not going to read it this week, but I read it last week from Deuteronomy chapter 4. You remember what God told the people? He said, you take heed, because when you heard the voice in the mount, you saw no similitude, you saw no shape, you saw no form. And he said, you only heard a voice. And he said, do not even attempt to make a graven image of God. And last week I dealt with this in detail. How in the world can you make a visible image of the invisible God? It's utterly, absolutely impossible. And God is spirit. And if someone tried to make an image to represent God, you've got to remember, God created everything. Therefore, if you took everything in creation and made an image, God is still greater than that because the Creator is greater than His creation. It would be impossible to have any image that would represent God.
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Over and over, this is forbidden in the Scriptures. Let me give you one last passage on this. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 11. Deuteronomy chapter 11 and let's begin reading there with verse 16. Deuteronomy 11 verse 16. "Take heed to yourselves that your heart be not deceived and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them." Note, "And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up heaven, and there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit, unless you perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord your God giveth you." Then if you look in Deuteronomy 27 and verse 15, Deuteronomy 27, verse 15, note this curse.
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"Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and put it in a secret place, and all the people shall answer and say, Amen." So God absolutely forbids any image-making at all. Absolutely, totally. That's why we have no pictures in church. I'm going to deal with this a little bit later, but if I were to say the word Jesus, what comes to your mind? I know what comes to your mind.
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That picture with Him with long hair and you see Him like this and maybe there's a halo up there or a crown of thorns. Do you realize no one knows what our Lord looked like physically? Secondly, he certainly never had long hair. All you've got to do is read 1 Corinthians 11, for it was a shame for a man to have long hair. And if it's a shame for a man to have long hair, our Lord would not have had it.
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Thirdly, the Caesar cut was in style in those days because of Caesar, and that was extremely short. And have you ever noticed, if a Frenchman paints a painting or a picture of Jesus, then he looks French. If a Dutchman paints, then he looks as a Dutchman. If an Italian paints, then he looks Italian. Do you follow what I'm saying? When I pastored in Jessup, Georgia, when I went there, they had pictures everywhere, hanging on all the walls.
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And Richard Johnson was a deacon. He was a great big old fella. Used to be a professional football player. And I said, "Richard, follow me." And I went around the building and I took every picture down and I handed them to him. He had a handful of pictures. He said, "What do you want me to do with these, Pastor?" I said, "Well, that depends. I said, if you want the frames, take the pictures out and throw them away. And save the frames. If not, you can throw everything away as far as I'm concerned."
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He looked at me and said, "Yes, sir." He got rid of every one of them. You see, if anybody got mad, I'm going to say Richard threw them away. I was Richard. Nobody wanted to touch Richard. No, I explained to the people why I took them down. That leads me to the second point. Another aspect of idolatry: when you actually do not bow down to an idol or an image, you try to use such as a help or as a mediation or meditation or as a way to God in worship. Do you realize that is just as idolatrous as bowing down to a literal idol? What does 1st Timothy chapter 2 and verse 5 say? Help me out. "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." The only aid, the only help we need to get to God is Jesus Christ. Stained glass windows, while they may be beautiful, they do not help us to get to God. You might have a beautiful image over here of some supposed saint, but that image does not help you get to God.
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You can only approach unto God by God's ordained way. What did Jesus Christ say in John 14 in verse 6? He said it like this, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by me." The only way you can get to the Father is through Jesus Christ. You can't get to the Father through some image, or through some stained glass window, or through some other little thing.
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I never will forget, I was preaching in North Carolina, and a lady came to service that night, and I noticed there was this little statue on her cardash. And I looked at it, and it was supposedly a statue of Jesus. And I looked at her, and I said, "Ma'am, what is that statue on your cardash?" "Oh," she said, "that's my statue of Jesus." She said, "I wouldn't think of going anywhere without my Jesus." I said, "Ma'am, neither would I. But he lives in my heart, not on my cardash." You see the difference? At any time we use any outside means without divine authorization, it is idolatry. Idolatry is not just bowing down before an image. You can try to use that image the way those people have seen, that's what Aaron did. When the people said, "These be thy gods, O Israel, that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt," in Exodus chapter 32, when Aaron saw that, then he proclaimed a feast to the Lord, to the one true and the living God.
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He made an altar. In other words, what Aaron said, "We're just going to use this calf as a means to get to God." You know what God said? God said they weren't worshipping him, they were worshipping the calf. Whenever you try to use anything other than what God has ordained to reach him, it is idolatry. Thirdly, listen to this. Idolatry also consists of placing anyone or anything above the Lord. It is when we give honor, recognition, praise, and glory to anyone or anything that properly should be given to God alone.
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Now, I want you to turn to Isaiah 42. May I remind you, in the book of Exodus chapter 20, God said, "I am the Lord, that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, thou shalt have no other gods before me." Look in Isaiah 42, and notice if you would please verse 8 of what God says, Isaiah 42 verse 8. He says, "I am the Lord, that is my name."
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"And my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images." Now God said, "I'm the Lord. There is none beside me." And God said, "I am not about to share my glory with another, nor am I going to give my praise to a graven image." Now, wait a minute. "I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another?" Do you realize when we place our mates, our children, and our friends ahead of God, it is idolatry. When we choose to please our mates or to please our children or to please our friends at the expense of obedience to God, it is idolatry.
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Look in your Bibles to the book of Luke chapter 14. And let me show you a passage that will probably need some explaining. Luke chapter 14 and notice if you would please verse 26. Luke 14 verse 26.
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Our Lord says, "If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." What a strange thing for our Lord to say. "If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." Why would our Lord say something like that? Is our Lord commanding me to hate my parents, to hate my wife, to hate my children?
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And the answer is no. The Word of God says husbands, love your wives. The Word of God says children, obey your parents, honor your mother and your father. Well, what in the world is he talking about when he says, "If any man come to me and hate not his father and his mother"? Here he is using this language comparatively speaking. What he is saying is this, that our love for him should be so great that our love toward our parents and our husbands and wives and children and friends would appear as hate.
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In other words, we're going to put him first. Put him ahead of my wife. She's to put him ahead of her husband. We're to put him ahead of our children. Did you hear that? We're to put him ahead of our children. We're to obey him rather than please them if what they want to do is wicked and wrong and contrary to God. And whenever we try to place our children or loved ones ahead of God or before Him or please them at His expense, we are guilty of idolatry.
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And by our pride, our arrogance, and our self-will, we do that often. You know what James 4 and verse 17 says? "Therefore, to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." But we know what we ought to do, and we don't do it. God says it's wicked and wrong. It's idolatry. It is sin. I want you to look in 1 Corinthians 10, back at verse 7.
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This may also take a little explaining, but I think I can do it rather quickly. 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 7 will show you another aspect of idolatry that you probably never thought about. But here it is. Promiscuity, perversions, and all sorts of sexual sins are part and parcel of idolatry. Look at 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 7. "Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written," now look, "The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play." You see, part of the seduction and attraction of idolatry is the fulfillment of the lust of the flesh. Most of the idolatry in the Old Testament and in the New Testament was sexually oriented. Now, he warns against idolatry in verse seven, and then he talks about eating and drinking and playing.
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Now, let me tell you something, folks, the same idea is very prevalent today. Have you ever seen these caps and T-shirts and have you ever heard people say, "I'm a party animal"? What are they talking about? They're not talking about playing Monopoly or playing checkers.
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Now, the word play does not carry the connotation of innocent games. Rather, it implies exactly the opposite. Let me show you. Look back in your Bibles to two passages. First of all, Exodus 32. This is where the passage comes from. We'll read that, and then I will show you how the same word is used. Exodus 32 and look if you would please at verse 6. Exodus 32. Verse 6. In fact, we can even explain it going down in this passage.
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Exodus 32 verse 6, "And they rose up early on the morrow and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play." Well, they rose up to play. Well, let's see. Let's skip down to verse—see, it should be right here. Help me out. It is when Moses saw, oh, verse 25. "And when Moses saw that the people were naked, for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies." Now, wait a minute. The Bible says in verse 6, they sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. Well, if you're playing Monopoly, you don't have to get your clothes off. Verse 25 says Moses saw that they were naked. Now let me show you what the word play means.
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Look in your Bibles to the book of Genesis 26. Genesis 26. Note, if you would please, verse 8.
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Now, you remember Isaac is told Abimelech that Rebekah was his sister. You remember that? Genesis 26 verse 8, "And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife." The word sporting or playing means to fondle, it means to caress, it means to make sexual advances.
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Which all such is proper and right with one's own husband and mate, but it's totally improper, unlawful and ungodly outside of God-ordained institution of marriage. You see, idolatry is always a feeding of the flesh in more ways than one. Let me show you something. Galatians chapter 5. Go ahead and turn there. Galatians chapter 5. Galatians chapter 5, and let's begin reading there with verse 19, because here the Apostle Paul is talking about the works of the flesh. Galatians 5, verse 19, he says, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these," now watch, "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry."
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"witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like." Now, the point I'm trying to make is adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, all of that is connected with idolatry.
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Now, let me show you two other passages. I want you to turn right over to Ephesians chapter 5, and then go ahead and turn over to Colossians chapter 3, because we're going to read one passage right behind the other. Ephesians 5, and then Colossians 3. Ephesians 5, note if you would please verse 5. Are you ready? Ephesians 5, verse 5. Paul writes, "For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God." Now, isn't that interesting? A covetous man who is an idolater, and look at the context, a whoremonger, an unclean person, what is he doing? He's coveting after some other woman or some other man's wife, and God calls it idolatry. Look in the book of Colossians chapter 3 and verse 5.
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He says, "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry." Once again, he lumps all of that together and he calls it idolatry. So the covetousness that the Apostle Paul is talking about deals with sexual impurity as well, which is all part and parcel of idolatry. Do you not remember in Philippians chapter 3 in verse 19, the Apostle Paul spoke of those individuals whose God was their belly. And what's that mean?
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It means they only live to fulfill the lust of their flesh. That's all. Let me tell you something. You talk about a society today that lives only for the fulfillment of its own lust, this is an idolatrous society that we're in. Listen folks, you cannot violate the seventh commandment, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." You cannot violate the last commandment, "Thou shalt not covet," without having first violated, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." For the one true and the living God says, "Thou shalt not."
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Look in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 4. 1 Peter chapter 4. And notice, if you would please, verse 3. Here is the true statement of a child of God. Peter writes, "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles," that is, the unconverted, "when we walked in lasciviousness, lust, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries." What's Peter saying? Peter said, if you're a real child of God, you've had your fill of all that.
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You don't want any more. Therefore, look in verse 4, "...wherefore they," that is, the world, "...think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you." I tell you what, it is absolutely amazing the pressure that is put on Christians in a lot of these corporations and big companies to drink, to party. And when the Christians refuse, inevitably, they're passed over for promotions and raises, you know, because they think it's strange that we don't do the same thing that they do. But I want you to understand that fornication and adultery, lasciviousness, all uncleanness, all of that is part and parcel of idolatry. Now, are people guilty of idolatry? Yes.
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You can be an idolater and never bow down to an image. Let me go further. Fifthly, idolatry not only involves fornication and uncleanness, but fifthly, idolatry consists of wrong thinking. That is thinking that is unbiblical.
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Now, I pointed this out to you last week, let me point it out again. When you think about idolatry, you think about an image. Where do you get an image? From your imagination. In fact, all idolatry begins in the mind. You see, cars do not begin in Detroit or Atlanta. They begin in some engineer's mind who designs them. And then they're built at those places. So all idolatry basically begins in the mind. An idol cannot be fashioned until it is first imagined or conceived in the mind.
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Now, look in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 29. Let me show you several passages. Deuteronomy 29. And let's begin reading there with verse 17. Deuteronomy 29. Verse 17. Look at what God says. "And you have seen their abominations and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which are among them, lest there should be among you man or woman or family or tribe whose heart turneth away this day from the Lord our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations, lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood, and it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace," watch it, "though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst." What is the man doing first? He is imagining. He is thinking that God is going to bless him even though he is disobedient and rebellious and ungodly. Look in Deuteronomy 31 and verse 21. Deuteronomy 31 verse 21.
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"And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed. For I know their imagination, which they go about even now before I have brought them into the land, which I sware." What does it say? I know what they are imagining. Turn over, if you would, just to Jeremiah, Jeremiah chapter 3. Let me show you several passages there which deal with the imagination.
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Now, I'm leading you up to one particular point. Let's look in Jeremiah chapter 3, verse 17 to begin with. Jeremiah 3, verse 17. "At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem. Neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil hearts." Look at Jeremiah chapter 7 and verse 24. Jeremiah 7 verse 24. "But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward." No, they walked in the imagination of their evil heart. Look in Jeremiah 9 verse 14. Jeremiah 9 verse 14, "But have walked after the imagination of their own hearts and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them." And then look at Jeremiah 11 and verse 8, Jeremiah 11 and verse 8. "Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked everyone in the imagination of their evil heart."
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"Therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant which I commanded them to do, but they did them not." Now, why am I emphasizing the imagination? I told you that idolatry also consists in wrong thinking. Do you realize that an aspect of our salvation, in fact I would say our salvation, greatly involves our mind. You would be amazed to go through not only the Old Testament but the New Testament and see how many verses there are dealing with the mind. Did you realize that the Bible says in Ephesians chapter 4 that the unconverted are enemies and they're alienated from God through their own minds. In Colossians chapter 1, I believe it's verse 21, he talks about men who are enemies in their minds. What do you do with all those verses where God says, "Be renewed in your mind"?
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"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." Why am I emphasizing this? Turn in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians chapter 10. Here's what I'm showing you. 2 Corinthians chapter 10. And let's begin reading there with verse 4. 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 4. The Apostle Paul writes, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." Now watch.
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Let me just stop there. The Apostle Paul is using a military illustration for the weapons of our warfare, not carnal. Now, Paul is not putting down weaponry. He's not saying don't own a weapon. That's totally ridiculous. What the Apostle Paul is saying in this context is carnal weapons are insufficient for this particular battle, and this particular war that we're engaging in. He says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." What is a stronghold? It's a military term. It's a place of defense.
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For instance, if someone came through those doors shooting a .357 Magnum, I'm going to jump behind this pulpit if I can. If not, I'm going to dive behind Ed. Let Ed get shot first. No, I'm teasing. But you see, whatever I dive behind, that's my stronghold. That's my place of defense.
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Now watch what he says. Look at verse 4. "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." Here are our strongholds. Watch this. "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing or every high thought that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."
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Now my question is this, how many thoughts are you and I to have that are unbiblical? None. We're required to bring every thought into captivity to Christ.
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Now, if you are thinking unbiblically on the subject of marriage, or money, or education, if you're thinking unbiblically about discipline, guess what? To the degree that you think unbiblically, to that degree, you are an idolater. Because Christ requires that every thought be brought into obedience to Him. And when we imagine God to be what He is not, we're guilty of idolatry. When we think that God is what He is not, we're guilty of idolatry. In other words, our thoughts of God, our thoughts of Christ, our thoughts of truth, our thoughts of sin, our thoughts of anything should be biblical. And that includes when you pray trying to conjure up in your mind some mental image of Christ. That's idolatry. You don't need a mental image of Christ when you pray. It's sufficient that He is our way, He is our access unto God the Father. And when we try to imagine in our mind what God is like, rather than accept what Scripture says, and when we try to imagine in our mind what Christ is like, rather than bowing to the Word of God, we are idolaters.
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Every thought is to be biblical. We are not to walk, everyone, after the imagination of our hearts. God's Word is truth, not what we think, and not what we imagine, unless what we are thinking and imagining is biblical. One last thought, and I want you to see this, that idolatry also consists in forsaking God's law.
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Now, dear friend, I got news for you. If there was one point that condemned this nation as an idolatrous nation, that would be this point as well. Idolatry consists in forsaking God's law. God rules by his law. When one forsakes God's law, he at the same time forsakes God himself. I want you to go back in your Bibles to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 31. Deuteronomy chapter 31.
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And note if you would please beginning there with verse 16. Deuteronomy 31 verse 16. "And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, and this people will rise up and go whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me and break my covenant which I made with them."
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Now, how do we know that the children of Israel forsook God? Because they broke his covenant, they forsook his law. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 28 and verse 20. Deuteronomy 28 and verse 20.
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Here's part of the curse, he says, "The Lord shall send upon thee cursing and vexation and rebuke in all that thou settest thine hand unto to do, until thou be destroyed, until thou perish quickly because of the wickedness of thy doings whereby thou hast forsaken me." You cannot forsake God's law without at the same time forsaking God. God and his law are one. And God rules by his law. There's an interesting passage.
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In 1 Kings 18 in verse 18, let me read it. Here's what Elijah answers to King Ahab. Elijah said, "I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father's house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim." Ahab asked Elijah, "Art thou he that troubleth Israel?" Oh no, Elijah said, "It's not me you dirty reprobate, it's you and your house, because you have forsaken the Lord, and you serve Baalim."
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In other words, you have turned from God and his law to a false God. One last passage, I want you to look in Jeremiah chapter 5. Jeremiah chapter 5. Beginning there with verse 13. In fact, let's read verse 11, let's begin with verse 11. Jeremiah 5 verse 11. God says, "For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the Lord. They have belied the Lord," that is, they've lied against him, "and said, It is not he."
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"Neither shall evil come upon us, neither shall we see sword or famine, and the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them, thus shall it be done unto them. Wherefore, thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Because you speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them. Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from afar, O house of Israel, saith the Lord, it is a mighty nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say. Their quiver is an open sepulcher, they are all mighty men." Now let me just stop there. Why in the world is God bringing his judgment upon Judah and Israel?
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The answer simple: they forsook God's law. Why did they forsake God's law? Because they forsook God. Anytime an individual forsakes the law of God, it is because he's forsaken God. In our country today, we're in desperate straits. And the reason why is we've forsaken God. I got some encouragement this morning. I read where Indiana has passed a state law that they can post the Ten Commandments in the courthouses. And guess what? There was a big ceremony yesterday in Orange County where they posted the Ten Commandments in the courthouse and hundreds of people turned out and they sang "God Bless America" and there was praying and there was preaching. Isn't that amazing?
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Judge Roy Moore is still standing in Alabama. He still has the Ten Commandments posted in his courthouse. And he said he's not taking them back. You see, folks, just because a man does not bow down to an idol does not mean he's an idolater. The amazing thing to me is this. Of all the sins that the psalmist is confessing in Psalm 106, we are still guilty of those same sins today.
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Human nature has not changed. Depravity is still the same, but one other blessed truth, and that's God hasn't changed either. He's still the same God. He's still merciful and gracious, and He still commands that we turn from our sins and obey Him. Let's pray. Father, we ask in the name of Jesus Christ today for Your blessing and for Your help. We ask, Lord, that you would indeed turn us from idolatry. And while, Lord, we are not gross idolaters in the sense that we do not bow down to a stock or stone or an image, many times, Lord, we foolishly and ignorantly try to use things as a help to get to Thee when the only individual we need is Jesus Christ. Many times, Father, we covet and lust which are wicked and wrong and are idolatry as well. And then, Lord, we must confess that so many times we think wrongly. We do not think biblically and scripturally. And then, Lord, there are times we have forsaken thy law. We've disobeyed thee when we have known better.
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And that's nothing short of idolatry. We ask forgiveness. We ask repentance. We ask your help to bring us back to thyself. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask it. Amen and Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T17:39:47Z

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 9 of 16

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, John Weaver continues his exposition of Psalm 106, focusing on verses 19–23 and the sin of idolatry. He reviews the historical context of the golden calf incident (Exodus 32) and draws applications from 1 Corinthians 10. Weaver argues that idolatry is not limited to bowing before images but includes using unauthorized aids in worship, placing anyone or anything above God, sexual immorality, wrong thinking, and forsaking God's law. He emphasizes that all idolatry begins in the mind and that Christians must bring every thought captive to Christ. The sermon concludes with a call to repentance and a reminder of God's unchanging mercy.

Opening

Psalm 106, and let's begin reading with verse 19, and read through verse 23. Psalm 106, verse 19, this is lesson number 9. Psalm 106, verse 19,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:19–23

"They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped the molten image. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt; wondrous works in the land of Ham and terrible things by the Red Sea."

Review of Psalm 106 and the Progression of Sin

Scripture Reading — Psalm 106:19–23

Therefore, he said that he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.

Historical Background: The Golden Calf (Exodus 32)

Why a Golden Calf? Spiritual Apostasy

Weaver explains that calf worship was common in Egypt and that Israel's idolatry was rooted in a prior turning of their hearts back to Egypt, having rejected Christ and His Word (Acts 7:38–39).

1 Corinthians 10: Old Testament Examples for New Testament Believers

Now, the Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10, is giving a series of sins that should be avoided at all costs. And the interesting thing in verse 6 is, he says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 10:1–11

"Now these things were our examples."

The Urgency of Fleeing Idolatry

Scripture Reading — 1 John 5:21

"Little children, keep yourselves from idols."

That would be an interesting parallel, would it not? So the Apostle Paul warns of idolatry twice in 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Let's go back now. Verse 7 of 1 Corinthians chapter 10.

Aspects of Idolatry: Image Worship and Unauthorized Aids

Idolatry includes literal image worship, which God forbids, and using images or other means as aids to worship without divine authorization. Weaver emphasizes that Christ is the only mediator.

Scripture Reading — Romans 1:21–23

"Because that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man and to birds and fourfooted beasts and creeping things."

So idolatry is always a declension.

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 26:1–2

"...you shall make you no idols, nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall you set up any image of stone in your land to bow down unto it, for I am the Lord your God."

Now God says, just simply, don't do it. Go back to Leviticus chapter 19. Leviticus 19.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 11:16–17

"Take heed to yourselves that your heart be not deceived and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them."

Note,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 11:16–17

"And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up heaven, and there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit, unless you perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord your God giveth you."

Idolatry as Placing Anything Above God

Idolatry occurs when we give honor, praise, or priority to anyone or anything above God, including family. Weaver explains Luke 14:26 as a call to love Christ supremely.

Now, I want you to turn to Isaiah 42. May I remind you, in the book of Exodus chapter 20, God said,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 42:8

"I am the Lord, that brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, thou shalt have no other gods before me."

Look in Isaiah 42, and notice if you would please verse 8 of what God says, Isaiah 42 verse 8. He says,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 42:8

"I am the Lord, that is my name." "And my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."

Now God said, "I'm the Lord. There is none beside me." And God said, "I am not about to share my glory with another, nor am I going to give my praise to a graven image." Now, wait a minute.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 42:8

"I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another?"

Look in your Bibles to the book of Luke chapter 14. And let me show you a passage that will probably need some explaining. Luke chapter 14 and notice if you would please verse 26. Luke 14 verse 26.

Idolatry and Sexual Immorality

Idolatry as Wrong Thinking

Idolatry as Forsaking God's Law

Conclusion: Unchanging Human Nature and God's Mercy

Weaver concludes that human depravity remains the same, but God's mercy and grace are also unchanged. He calls for repentance from all forms of idolatry.

And that's nothing short of idolatry. We ask forgiveness. We ask repentance. We ask your help to bring us back to thyself. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask it. Amen and Amen.

The Hallelujah of Confession - Part 9 of 16

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	11709145283
Subject	Family Government
Course	The Christian Family: Children, Fatherhood, and Generational Faithfulness: The Family
Genre	Sermon
Date	2000-07-02
Dictation Name
Book	Book 053: The Hallelujah of Confession — Chapter 9
Source Timed Segments	83

Lecture Guide

Outline

Review of Psalm 106 and the Progression of Sin: Weaver reviews the structure of Psalm 106, the four reasons to praise the Lord, and the confession of national sin. He traces how ignorance and ingratitude led to forgetfulness and impatience, then to envy and insurrection, culminating in idolatry and insolence.
Historical Background: The Golden Calf (Exodus 32): The historical backdrop is Exodus 32, where Israel made a golden calf while Moses was on the mount. Weaver recounts the events, including Moses' destruction of the calf, the call to choose sides, and the death of 3,000.
Why a Golden Calf? Spiritual Apostasy: Weaver explains that calf worship was common in Egypt and that Israel's idolatry was rooted in a prior turning of their hearts back to Egypt, having rejected Christ and His Word (Acts 7:38–39).
1 Corinthians 10: Old Testament Examples for New Testament Believers: Paul uses Israel's sins as examples to warn the Corinthian church. Weaver highlights the general warning against lusting after evil things and the specific sins of idolatry, fornication, tempting Christ, and murmuring.
The Urgency of Fleeing Idolatry: Paul twice warns against idolatry in 1 Corinthians 10. Weaver notes the possible significance of 1 John 5:21 as the last written verse of the Bible, paralleling the first verse, 'In the beginning, God.'
Aspects of Idolatry: Image Worship and Unauthorized Aids: Idolatry includes literal image worship, which God forbids, and using images or other means as aids to worship without divine authorization. Weaver emphasizes that Christ is the only mediator.
Idolatry as Placing Anything Above God: Idolatry occurs when we give honor, praise, or priority to anyone or anything above God, including family. Weaver explains Luke 14:26 as a call to love Christ supremely.
Idolatry and Sexual Immorality: Sexual sins are part and parcel of idolatry. Weaver connects the 'play' of Exodus 32:6 with sexual immorality and cites Galatians 5, Ephesians 5, and Colossians 3 to show that covetousness and uncleanness are idolatry.
Idolatry as Wrong Thinking: All idolatry begins in the mind. Weaver cites Deuteronomy and Jeremiah to show that walking after the imagination of the heart is idolatry. 2 Corinthians 10:4–5 commands bringing every thought captive to Christ.
Idolatry as Forsaking God's Law: Forsaking God's law is equivalent to forsaking God. Weaver cites Deuteronomy 31:16, 1 Kings 18:18, and Jeremiah 5 to show that turning from God's commandments is idolatry, and applies this to modern America.
Conclusion: Unchanging Human Nature and God's Mercy: Weaver concludes that human depravity remains the same, but God's mercy and grace are also unchanged. He calls for repentance from all forms of idolatry.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Idolatry is a declension from true religion, not a step toward it.

Idolatry always degrades and moves away from pure worship of God; it is never an improvement or a neutral aid.

Weaver states: 'Idolatry is a declension, it is a degrading of the norm. Idolatry is never a step toward pure religion.' and cites Romans 1:21.

Using images as aids to worship is as idolatrous as bowing to them.

Any attempt to use external means without divine authorization to approach God constitutes idolatry, even if the intention is to worship the true God.

Weaver says: 'when you actually do not bow down to an idol or an image, you try to use such as a help or as a mediation or meditation or as a way to God in worship. Do you realize that is just as idolatrous as bowing down to a literal idol?'

Placing family or self above God is idolatry.

When we choose to please loved ones at the expense of obedience to God, we commit idolatry by giving them the priority that belongs to God alone.

Weaver explains Luke 14:26: 'our love for him should be so great that our love toward our parents and our husbands and wives and children and friends would appear as hate.'

Sexual immorality is inherently idolatrous.

The 'play' associated with the golden calf was sexual in nature, and Paul consistently links sexual sins with idolatry, showing that fulfilling fleshly lusts is a form of idol worship.

Weaver cites Exodus 32:6, 25 and Genesis 26:8 to define 'play' as sexual activity, and references Galatians 5:19–20, Ephesians 5:5, and Colossians 3:5.

All idolatry begins with wrong thinking.

Idols are first conceived in the imagination; therefore, unbiblical thoughts about God, Christ, or truth are foundational to idolatry.

Weaver says: 'all idolatry begins in the mind. An idol cannot be fashioned until it is first imagined or conceived in the mind.' and cites 2 Corinthians 10:4–5.

Forsaking God's law is forsaking God Himself.

God rules by His law; to abandon His commandments is to abandon Him, which is the essence of idolatry.

Weaver states: 'You cannot forsake God's law without at the same time forsaking God. God and his law are one.' and cites Deuteronomy 31:16 and 1 Kings 18:18.

Modern society is guilty of the same idolatries as ancient Israel.

The sins confessed in Psalm 106—ignorance, ingratitude, forgetfulness, impatience, envy, insurrection, and idolatry—are prevalent today, demonstrating unchanged human depravity.

Weaver says: 'Of all the sins that the psalmist is confessing in Psalm 106, we are still guilty of those same sins today.'

Christians must bring every thought into obedience to Christ.

The spiritual warfare involves casting down imaginations and high thoughts that oppose the knowledge of God, requiring total conformity of the mind to Scripture.

Weaver expounds 2 Corinthians 10:4–5: 'how many thoughts are you and I to have that are unbiblical? None. We're required to bring every thought into captivity to Christ.'

Scripture References

Psalm 106:19–23: The primary text of the sermon, describing Israel's idolatry with the golden calf and Moses' intercession.
Exodus 32: The historical account of the golden calf incident, referenced as the background for Psalm 106:19–23.
Acts 7:38–39: Stephen's speech explaining that Israel turned back in their hearts to Egypt before making the calf, showing the spiritual root of idolatry.
1 Corinthians 10:1–11: Paul's use of Israel's wilderness sins as examples for New Testament believers, warning against idolatry, fornication, tempting Christ, and murmuring.
1 Corinthians 10:7: Paul's specific warning against idolatry, quoting Exodus 32:6 about eating, drinking, and playing.
1 Corinthians 10:14: Paul's urgent command to flee from idolatry.
1 John 5:21: Possibly the last written verse of the Bible, 'Little children, keep yourselves from idols,' paralleling the first verse 'In the beginning, God.'
Romans 1:21–23: Demonstrates that idolatry is a declension: when men knew God, they did not glorify Him and changed His glory into images.
Leviticus 26:1–2: God's prohibition against making idols, graven images, or standing images.
Leviticus 19:4: Command not to turn to idols or make molten gods.
Deuteronomy 11:16–17: Warning against being deceived into serving other gods, resulting in God's wrath and judgment.
Deuteronomy 27:15: Curse pronounced on anyone who makes a graven or molten image in secret.
1 Timothy 2:5: There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
John 14:6: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Him.
Isaiah 42:8: God will not give His glory to another or His praise to graven images.
Luke 14:26: Jesus' call to hate father, mother, wife, children, and one's own life in comparison to love for Him, explained as supreme devotion.
Genesis 26:8: Isaac 'sporting' with Rebekah, showing that 'play' can mean sexual fondling or advances.
Galatians 5:19–21: List of works of the flesh including adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, and idolatry, showing their connection.
Ephesians 5:5: A covetous man is an idolater, and no whoremonger or unclean person has inheritance in God's kingdom.
Colossians 3:5: Covetousness is idolatry, listed alongside fornication, uncleanness, and evil concupiscence.

Historical References

Golden calf incident (Exodus 32): Israel made a molten calf at Horeb while Moses was on the mount; Moses destroyed the tablets, ground the calf to powder, and 3,000 were slain.
Bull/calf worship in Egypt and other cultures: Weaver explains that calf worship was common among Egyptians and other peoples; Pharaoh was worshipped as the 'bull of bulls.'
Indiana Ten Commandments law: Weaver mentions that Indiana passed a state law allowing the Ten Commandments to be posted in courthouses, with a ceremony in Orange County.
Judge Roy Moore in Alabama: Judge Roy Moore continues to display the Ten Commandments in his courthouse despite opposition.

Important Quotes

Miracles alone are insufficient for faith. If miracles alone were sufficient for faith, these people should have had the most mature and wonderful faith that ever existed because they saw the mighty hand of God in Egypt and the deliverance from Egypt and everything that God had done. And yet the Bible says they forgot God.

Highlights the insufficiency of signs and wonders to produce genuine faith, a key application from Israel's idolatry.

Idolatry is a declension, it is a degrading of the norm. Idolatry is never a step toward pure religion. Idolatry is always a debasing of and a stepping away from pure religion.

Defines idolatry as a downward movement away from true worship, not a neutral or helpful practice.

At any time we use any outside means without divine authorization, it is idolatry.

Broadens the definition of idolatry to include any unauthorized aid in worship, not just bowing to images.

When we choose to please our mates or to please our children or to please our friends at the expense of obedience to God, it is idolatry.

Applies idolatry to everyday relational choices, showing that putting people before God is idolatry.

To the degree that you think unbiblically, to that degree, you are an idolater. Because Christ requires that every thought be brought into obedience to Him.

Connects wrong thinking directly to idolatry, emphasizing the comprehensive demand of 2 Corinthians 10:5.

You cannot forsake God's law without at the same time forsaking God. God and his law are one.

Argues that abandoning God's commandments is equivalent to abandoning God, a form of idolatry.

Human nature has not changed. Depravity is still the same, but one other blessed truth, and that's God hasn't changed either.

Concluding summary that while sin persists, God's mercy remains constant, offering hope.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does the progression of sins in Psalm 106 (ignorance → ingratitude → forgetfulness → impatience → envy → insurrection → idolatry) mirror patterns of sin in our own lives?

[Context]

Weaver traces the sequence of sins from verses 7 to 19, showing how one sin leads to another.

[Question]

In what subtle ways might we use 'aids' or 'mediations' in worship that are not authorized by Scripture, and how can we guard against this?

[Context]

Weaver argues that using images or other means as helps to approach God is idolatry, citing 1 Timothy 2:5.

[Question]

What does it practically look like to 'hate' father, mother, wife, and children in the sense of Luke 14:26, and how can we ensure Christ has first place without neglecting family duties?

[Context]

Weaver explains that our love for Christ should make all other loves seem like hate by comparison.

[Question]

Why does the Bible so closely associate sexual immorality with idolatry, and what does this reveal about the nature of both sins?

[Context]

Weaver connects the 'play' of Exodus 32:6 with sexual sin and cites Galatians 5, Ephesians 5, and Colossians 3.

[Question]

How can we practically 'bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ' (2 Corinthians 10:5) in a culture saturated with unbiblical ideas?

[Context]

Weaver emphasizes that all idolatry begins in the mind and that every thought must align with Scripture.

[Question]

In what ways has our society 'forsaken God's law,' and how should Christians respond to this cultural shift?

[Context]

Weaver cites Deuteronomy 31:16 and applies it to modern America's rejection of the Ten Commandments.

[Question]

How does the truth that 'God hasn't changed' provide hope and motivation for repentance from idolatry?

[Context]

Weaver concludes that while human depravity remains, God's mercy and grace are unchanging.

Applications

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