Psalm 135:15-18
- “The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
- They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
- They have ears, but they do not hear;
Nor is there any breath in their mouths.
- Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.”
Hollman Study Bible, NKJV: “Ps. 115: 4-8. Compare these verses with Ps. 135: 15-18. Idols created by humans, are lifeless. The nations’ gods are impotent. The prophet Isaiah also declared the weakness of idols (Is. 6:10; 40:19-20; 41:7; 46:1-7). While molten images appear to have human characteristics, they are unable to act under their own power. Those who create idols and place their trust in them will be like them—powerless and ineffective.”
Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly warns against the worship of idols. Webster defines an idol as “Anything on which we set our affections; that to which we indulge an excessive and sinful attachment. An idol is anything which usurps the place of God in the hearts of His rational creatures.” God states in Psalm 135: 15-18 that idols are the work of men’s hands with eyes that cannot see, mouths that cannot speak, ears that cannot hear and are breathless. Yet, they are worshipped, and people put their trust in them.
An idol by Webster’s 1828 dictionary is defined as a.) Anything on which we set our affections; that to which we indulge an excessive and sinful attachment, b.) An image, form or representation, usually of a man or other animal, consecrated as an object of worship. Thus, it is not difficult to comprehend the idolatrous behavior perpetrated by one’s fixation, attraction and affection with pornography. If there is an idol problem, there is an image issue!! Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedly warned against worshipping idols. It seems that man has this overwhelming urge or need to worship something! Worship is never neutral or altruistic in purpose.
Pornography is for all “practical purposes” the worship of idols. The idol of pornography is fueled by Satan’s deception and man’s “need” for instant sexual gratification. What’s more instant than mind images!? In the 20th and 21st century, we’ve ceased to carve images and have instituted graven mental images such as fantasy, masturbation, and adultery both of the mind as well as within marriage. The marriage bed is defiled by the harlot or the image of the harlot (fantasizing). It seems that if the marriage bed is not being defiled (in the matter of singleness), the heart and mind are being defiled by compulsive and impulsive slavish obsession with sexual self-gratification at the expense of dignity, purity, and holiness. Of note, the word addict comes from the Latin word addictum which means “to the dictator.” That is to be a slave without freedom or control over your life. It is a sad time indeed when one becomes a slave to an idol of a person’s own making. Oh, thank God that He sent His only begotten son to set the captive free (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18)!!
So….
- Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.”
“Be like Mike” is a tag line expressed in a Gatorade commercial back in the days of a famous basketball star for the Chicago Bulls during the 1990’s. Its premise was one of imitation or emulation. God says in His Word that those who make idols or trust in idols will be like that self-created lifeless idol!
A method used to treat addiction is behavioral modification. The goal of such treatment to prevent initial occurrence of behavior and to prevent regression and relapse. For the believer, God has provided spiritual behavior modification!
Philippians 4:8-9 “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Colossians 3:2 “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
If we need to undergo “behavioral modification” for the sake of avoiding becoming like our idols, then let such change begin with:
Colossians 3: 5-7 “Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness (lustful impurities), passion (inordinate affections and the state of mind that incite sexual impurities), evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.” “Warren Wiersbe’s commentary on this verse states “It is clear that desires lead to deeds, appetites lead to action. If we would purify our actions, then we must first purify our hearts. …What we desire usually determines what we do.”
The only good idol is a dead idol. Thus, Paul by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, exhorts the believer to put to death (make dead, mortify, “make a corpse”), repress and do violence to corrupt desires resulting from idol worship. Be done with idols!
Deuteronomy 4:16 “lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female,”
1 John 5:21 “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” Amen.