Key verse: 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.
1 Samuel 5:1-6
Some nations believe they have a representation for God and therefore engage in crafting for themselves an image of their perception of whom God is, to worship. Unfortunately, no such image can ever depict the truth of the being of God and therefore it never represents God. Even today, some people still have crafts they worship and bow down to which to them, is the image of God or some human deity whom they assume is in heaven and therefore closer to God and can influence their livelihood. As they operate in this fashion they infuriate God more than please Him.
The Philistine nation had an image they called Dagon who to them, represented God. But God is not Dagon neither was the image they made God. Believing that the image they made was God and that it assisted them in conquering Israel, they captured the ark of the covenant from Israel and housed it with Dagon, their image of God. But, because the Lord honors the Ark as the representation of His presence other than any graven image and since He would not share His glory with another, He caused devastating things to happen to the image to show its worthlessness. When Nebuchadnezzar made an image and asked everyone to bow to it but the Hebrew boys refused to give the glory of their God to a graven image, God stood by them and prevented them from the calamity prepared for them by the enemy. It follows that no graven image can take the place of our God and anyone who will not give the glory of God to a graven image has the backing of the Lord, no matter the opposition.
The practice of keeping an image in the home or on any platform called an alter to represent God is abominable in the sight of God. It is idolatry in a manner of speaking. It is however, not until the image is graven with stone or wood that idolatry is complete. Even the worship of money, intellect, power etc. is idolatry. For whatsoever we give priority to before God is our idol. These things, though not graven in stone or wood are graven in our hearts and God sees them. Some so love money to the extent that it is difficult for them to part with it for God or the rescue of their neighbor. There is nothing we have that we didn’t receive from God. If He wills, He can give much more. If however we curry the gift more than the Giver, we make the Giver jealous. Why not prefer God?
Pray: Father, I will rather settle for you than any other. Please help me in Jesus name.
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