1 Corinthians 10:6, 7 - The Subtle Trap of Idolatry.
1 Corinthians 10:6, 7 (NLT) These events
happened as a warning to us, so that we would not
crave evil things as they did 7 or worship idols
as some of them did. For the Scriptures say,
The people celebrated with feasting and
drinking, and they indulged themselves in pagan
revelry.
1 Corinthians 10:6, 7 (AMP) Now these things
are examples (warnings and admonitions) for us
not to desire or crave or covet or lust after
evil and carnal things as they did. [Num
11:4,34.] 7 Do not be worshipers of false gods as some
of them were, as it is written, The people sat
down to eat and drink [the sacrifices offered to
the golden calf at Horeb] and rose to sport (to
dance and give way to jesting and hilarity). [Ex
32:4,6.]
COMMENTARY PEARL
Everyone has a god. Even atheists have
something they believe in. That god may be themselves.
It may be a possession. Or, it may be a career.
But everyone has something they live for,
something that gets them up in the morning, drives
them on, and gives their lives a sense of
meaning.
The question is, who or what do you
believe in?
The Lord wants to rule and reign in our
hearts. And He wants everything else in our lives to
be a distant second to Him. He wants our
primary passion, excitement, and purpose to be a
love for Him.
The apostle Paul said, To me, living
means living for Christ (Philippians 1:21 NLT).
That should be the motto of every Christian.
Its something that we all should be able to
say.
An idol is anything or anyone that takes
the place of God in our lives. Its anything
that would begin to crowd our relationship with
God and become more important to us than God
Himself.
Writing to the church in Corinth, Paul
referred to a specific instance in the lives of the
Israelites when they worshipped the golden calf. He
wrote, These things happened as a warning to us,
so that we would not crave evil things as they
did, or worship idols as some of them did (1
Corinthians 10:6-7 NLT).
The children of Israel had seen God work
in dramatic ways. They saw God deliver them
from the land of Egypt with a number of miracles
that He performed on their behalf. He turned the
Nile River to blood, sent plagues of lice and
frogs, and even killed the Egyptians firstborn
sons.
Then, when they began their journey, God
opened the Red Sea for them, and they crossed on
dry ground. Afterward it closed behind them,
drowning the Egyptian army in the process. In
addition, the Lord provided a miraculous navigation
system: a huge cloud guided them during the day, and
a fire in the sky directed them at night.
And every morning when they walked
outside their tents, a breakfast of manna was
waiting for them, supplied by the Creator Himself.
But despite all these miracles, the people
turned their backs on God and engaged in full-blown
idolatry.
The problem was their faith was shallow.
Thus, they were fickle. And from the moment that
Moses left their midst to meet with God on Mount
Sinai, it was only a matter of time until they
started looking for something to take his place. So
the plan for the golden calf was devised, and
the Bible tells us about the horrible results.
Certainly, miracles and supernatural
phenomena do not guarantee a mature faith that will
resist the temptations in our paths. Sooner or
later, we must take personal responsibility for our
actions and our sins and call them what they are.
Lets guard ourselves from the subtle
trap of idolatry. LETS NOT ALLOW ANYONE OR
ANYTHING TO TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER JESUS CHRIST IN OUR
HEARTS. [Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com]
COMMENTARY
God would have His people in these days
review with a humble heart and teachable spirit the
trials through which ancient Israel passed, that
they may be instructed in their preparation for
the heavenly Canaan... Many look back to the
Israelites, and marvel at their unbelief and murmuring,
feeling that they themselves would not have been so
ungrateful; but when their faith is tested, even by
little trials, they manifest no more faith or
patience than did ancient Israel. PP 293
Paul warned the Corinthian believers not to
grumble. We start to grumble when our attention
shifts from what we have to what we don't have. The
people of Israel didn't seem to notice what God was
doing for them - setting them free, making them a
nation, giving them a new land - because they were
so wrapped up in what God wasn't doing for
them. They could think of nothing but the
delicious Egyptian food they had left behind (Numbers
11:5) Before we judge the Israelites too harshly,
it's helpful to think about what occupies our
attention most of the time. Are we grateful for what
God has given us, or are we always thinking
about what we would like to have? Don't allow your
unfulfilled desires to cause you to forget God's gifts
of life, family, friends, food, health, and
work. [Life Application SB]
Today's pressures make it easy to ignore or
forget the lessons of the past. But Paul cautions
us to remember the lessons the Israelites
learned about God so we can avoid repeating their
errors. The key to remembering is to study the Bible
regularly so that these lessons remind us of how God
wants us to live. We need not repeat their
mistakes! [Life Application SB]
CLOSING THOUGHT
We have nothing to fear for the future,
except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led
us, and His teaching in our past history. Life
Sketches 196
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
Exodus 20:3 - Who or What Are Your God's?
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2004/20040226-0925.html
Exodus 20:4-6 (NASB) You shall not make
for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is
in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in
the water under the earth. 5 You shall not
worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your
God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of
the fathers on the children, on the third and
the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6
but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to
those who love Me and keep My commandments.
[devotional pending]
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
