Idolatry is Dead, Isn’t It?
Joshua 24:14-15
“Now therefore fear the Lord
and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness.
Put away the gods that your fathers served
beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord,
choose this day whom you will serve,
whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River,
or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell.
But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua was the great military leader of the ancient Jews. God would go on to use Joshua to deliver His people into the Promised Land. Generations before Joshua arrived onto the scene, God made a covenant with Abraham in which God promised to make Abraham’s descendants into a great nation. Not only that, but God promised that his descendants would have a place to call home: a Holy, Promised Land. Where our passage picks up today shows Joshua was chosen to lead the campaign to rid the Promised Land of the unintended occupants.
Notice that in our passage in order to gear up for the next campaign to finally enter the Promised Land, Joshua tells the people to “put away the gods your fathers served.” Joshua tells the Jews to abandon any foreign, false gods and to instead cling to Yahweh.
What would you think to do before entering into battle? If you’re like me, you’d think to dust off the “tools” of warfare, get in some target practice, and maybe even stockpile food and other supplies. But in the economy of God’s kingdom, He’s the One Who provides. He’s the One Who takes care of the needs of His people. The issue His people are to be concerned with, however, is the status of their hearts.
Perhaps this sounds odd, but do you know that Christians are engaged in warfare? The Lord tells readers of His word that we wage a battle against the spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12) and that we wage war with God’s divine power to overcome (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). For the saints to win, part of what we need to do is make like the ancient Jews and drop our false idols.
Idols are not strictly statues that people pray to. Idols can be anything beside God Almighty in which you find safety, protection and desire. In my own life, I tend to have the idol of the bank account and to be a slave to my monetary wages. When it comes time for a big decision, oftentimes the place I look to see my possibilities is my bank statement. What I have done instead of seeking the Lord’s will is asked of money, “what should I do next?” Who do you trust to protect and provide for you? When you’re not thinking of anything in particular, where does your mind wander? Be vigilant, Saints, because your answer to those questions may reveal your personal idols in life.
If you find that there is an idol in your life, then you’ve already accomplished the first step of leaving that idol “beyond the river and in Egypt” by identifying the issue. The next step is to come before the Lord asking Him to shape you into a person who seeks His heart, not your own. And the third step is opening up about your struggle with another so they can keep you accountable, much like I have done with you in my confession regarding my history of seeking monetary again before the seeking the Lord.
Today you are challenged with choosing between the idols of your life and God. Which will you choose?
