Those Pesky Temple Idols?

I am reading through my Bible again this year and learning so much.  One of the interesting facts I have been reminded of is the number of different kings of Israel or Judea that there were. 

Some bad, some just plain evil (see Ahab in toon on the right), others good.. but even good kings were often reported to being good EXCEPT for leaving up a few Temple Idols here or there. 

Now when Josiah became king he was 8 years old!  That's a year younger than my grandson Everett, and while he is a great kid.. he is not ready to be king.  Anyways, Josiah was a good king and did what was right in the eyes of the Lord 2 Kings 22:2.

---

One of the great undertakings of Josiah was to clean out the Temple of the Lord of all the idols to Baal, etc.  please read below..
​
2 Kings 23: 4-8 4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the keepers of the threshold to bring out of the temple of the Lord  all the vessels made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven . He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel. 5 And he deposed the priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to make offerings in the high places at the cities of Judah and around Jerusalem; those also who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and the moon and the constellations and all the host of the heavens. 6 And he brought out the Asherah (pagan goddess idols)  from the house of the Lord, outside Jerusalem, to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron and beat it to dust and cast the dust of it upon the graves of the common people. 7 And he broke down the houses of the male cult prostitutes who were in the house of the Lord, where the women wove hangings for the Asherah. 8 And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had made offerings, from Geba to Beersheba. And he broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on one's left at the gate of the city. 

Wow!.. Now if I was king of Israel I would like to think I would NOT tolerate temple idols.  Get your cow statues, pagan idols, and yes no more prostitutes in the temple.  That should be a given.. and don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya. GET OUT!

But in our modern world of so many idols.. who am I kidding?.. and where should I start? We may not keep our idols in the temple (aka church).. then again maybe there too.  Some churches seem much more a moment to a denomination (sparing no expense) or to a minister (man or woman) who has clearly taken center stage and prospered while God is somewhere in the back.. maybe.

---

But how about idols in my own life.  In my home, and/or in my heart. This society offers so much to worship that is not in any stretch of the imagination.. God related.

Where is my worship?  Where is my focus? Am I in a constant attitude of prayer 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 or in a constant attitude of self indulgence absorbed reading box scores from last night's sports?

I do  love my sports and can spend hours following my favorite teams (Packers, Brewers, Bucks, Badgers, etc).. and I do like movies.  Neither sports or movies are bad, BUT.. I can spend too much time and emotion watching sports, and/or maybe watching a movie out of curiosity that ends up having zero redeeming value.

---

So.. what is your idol?  Career, fitness, status, and/or leisure?  Maybe it is even a vice like DRINK (that was one of mine for about 15 years).

No matter, it is time to clean out those pesky temple idols in our lives.  Time always to reexamine our hearts for compromise who or what we choose to worship.  You may say "just checked, and no temple prostitutes in my life."  but maybe lust and/or the dark power of porn has a hold on you.  In all these things and more let's give them up. Throw these idols out of our lives.  

If you think the Bible is dry and difficult to read, church is honestly boring, and you find no real interest in spiritual things, I would challenge you to go deeper.  If you are in awe of this amazing world from the wonder of nature, to the infinite cosmos.. know there is a creator.

​So my question is 'What is more fascinating and breathtaking.. to study more about the CREATION (our world, the cosmos), or the CREATOR of of our world and the cosmos.

May God bless each of you in your lives. May He be real to you and the focus of your worship. 

Blessings

Jeff (cleaning out my idol junk closet) Larson

---