Daily Fountain Devotional 1 February 2022
Topic: Idolatry And Its Consequences
TEXT: Hosea 9 (NIV)
STUDY: Idolatry is the worship of other gods or idols. It is fetishism or worship of trees, rivers, hills, stones, animals, etc. Idolatry starts in the heart through craving, wanting, enjoying, being satisfied by or treasuring anything above God. Idolatry is taking pleasure in ungodly living or material goods like money, media, possessions, etc, that divert our attention from serving God. Idolatry can occur when one begins to value things more than one values God.
The children of Israel went away from their God. They did not obey God’s injunction in Exodus 20:3-5: “Thou shall have no other gods before me. Thou shall not make to yourself any graven image. Thou shall not bow down to them nor serve them.” Several calamities were pronounced on them as follows: Their means of livelihood would fail; their offering and sacrifice would not be acceptable to God; their possessions would be overgrown with thorns; “Their glory shall fly away like a bird -no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.”
God would give them miscarrying wombs and dry breasts; they would be bereaved of their children. They would become a cast-away and wanderers (w. 7-17). These repercussions for idolatry still stand today, therefore, we must flee from idolatry (1 Cor. 10:14). Whatever causes us to sin must be removed (Matt. 5:29-30).
Prayer: Father, help me to serve you in holiness and righteousness with singleness of heart. Remove any idols from my heart, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
