Lesson 119 - Junior

Memory Verse

"For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God" (Deuteronomy 4:24).

Notes

The Commandments

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). This is the first of the ten commandments that were given by God. The Children of Israel were required to keep all the commandments if they were to enter into the land of promise. God had warned them to be obedient. Emphasis was made on this first commandment. If the Children of Israel had kept the first commandment, the others would have been easily kept.

God is faithful to warn people concerning sin. His Spirit will check even before one commits sin. He told Moses to teach the Children of Israel the commandments. He showed them what would be the result if they turned to worship idols.

A Graven Image

In words very plain the Children of Israel were told to make no image or likeness of anything for the pur-pose of worshiping. In times past they had done that. When Moses was upon the mountain receiving the commandments of God, they had made a molten calf of gold ([EXO:32:4]; [DEU:9:16]). Then they made sacrifices unto it in worship. They suffered for that sin against God. Even then, they did not learn a lesson.

They were again warned against making a likeness of anything -" beast, bird, fish, or creeping thing -" as God did not want them to worship the creation of His hand. God, the Creator, is He who should be worshiped, lest they change the truth of God into a lie ([ROM:1:25]) and His glory into shame. The Children of Israel were told to take heed lest they make an image. The next step would be worshiping that image, then serving it rather than the true God. The Bible teaches man to shun the appearance of evil ([1TS:5:22]).

The land into which they were going contained heathen people who worshiped the handiwork of God -" the sun, moon, and stars. The Children of Israel were cautioned against the customs of the other nations. God made the heavens. They give service to us. We admire them for they show the greatness of God. As we appreciate the beauty of God's creation, we give glory to Him to whom it is due ([1CH:16:29]). In [ROM:1:21] we read that they who did not glorify God, neither were thankful, became vain in their imaginations with darkened hearts for they thought themselves wise when they were foolish.

Even though there were some who worshiped false gods, the Children of Israel were expected to serve the true and living God who had brought them out of bondage into the inheritance of Canaan. "And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land . . . then beware lest thou forget the LORD" (Deuteronomy 6:10-12).

Idols

There are other things besides graven images which are idols. Because the hearts of some people are corrupt, they are given to uncleanness and sin ([ROM:1:24]). Anything in the heart which comes before and ahead of the love for God could be called an idol. For example, one is taught to love others; but when that love is marked with undue reverence or excessive admiration, it can become idolatry. An idol is not always a person. Any thing or even an idea could become an idol.

Some people are not saved because they love the pleasures of the world more than they love God. Others are afraid of what their friends might say, so they think more of their friends than they think of God. Do you love God more than anyone and anything, or is there an idol between you and your Maker? God is a jealous God. He should have first place in our hearts. "Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (Deuteronomy 6:5).

God or an Idol?

There is a great advantage in giving God first place in your heart: "That it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever" (Deuteronomy 4:40). We have but to compare the idolatrous nations with those of the Children of Israel who were faithful, to see the advantage of worshiping God. The heathen serve the work of men's hands, gods who cannot see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

In the days of Elijah, 450 prophets of Baal called upon their god to send fire. From morning until noon they called upon the name of Baal ([1KG:18:26]), but there was no answer. When Elijah told them that maybe their god had gone on a journey, was talking, or was asleep, they cried aloud and cut themselves until the blood gushed out. None of this attracted the attention of their god, for it was an idol which could not hear. There was no answer although they prayed all day. The Prophet Elijah prepared his sacrifice in the proper order. When he called upon the true and living God whom he served, he received an answer: fire fell and consumed the sacrifice ([1KG:18:38]).

In the time of need, God had answered the prayer of Moses in behalf of the Children of Israel. They had called upon God for deliverance from slavery in Egypt. God delivered them. He opened the Red Sea as a way of escape from their enemy. God used that same Red Sea to destroy those who pursued the Children of Israel. He had led them through the desert. Bitter water was made sweet. Quails and manna were sent by God to feed the Children of Israel. At Moses' prayer, God healed their bodies ([NUM:21:7-9]; [NUM:12:13]). Never did they find that God was too busy to help them. "The LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear." Could anyone say these things or even one of these things concerning an idol or false god that they worshiped? By serving the true and living God, the Children of Israel had all these privileges. Does a Christian today have an advantage over a sinner? In every way, he is better off than they who do not serve God.

There have been men whose idol was money. When they were very sick, all their money, and more too, could not heal them. Some people have made an idol of another person. When death came to their "idol," they had nothing. Even education, a good job, and success cannot give the peace that comes by knowing and serving God. Nothing can take the place of the knowledge of sins forgiven. Everything else has been known to fail, but Jesus never fails. He is the "same yesterday, and to day, and for ever" (Hebrews 13:8).

"Nothing satisfies but Jesus, All the world is emptiness, All its glitter and its glory Cannot satisfy or bless; All its gayety and splendour Have to me distasteful grown; Nothing satisfies but Jesus, I am His and His alone."

God promised the Children of Israel that He would be with them so long as they served Him. He warned them that they would be scattered by their enemies if they turned to idols; God would no longer fight for them. To turn to idols would mean ruin and death ([JOS:23:8-15]). Obedience to God meant that the Children of Israel would live, possess the land of promise ([DEU:4:1]), and all would be well with them and their children many years ([DEU:4:40]).

Forgiveness

Whom are you serving -" the living God or an idol? Perhaps some, like the Children of Israel, have turned from God to serve the work of men's hands. Spiritual ruin and death is the judgment pronounced upon them. Even yet, "if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (for the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant" (Deuteronomy 4:30, 31).

God is ever listening for the prayer of a backslider and every sinner. He has promised that He will be found when one seeks with all his heart and with all his soul ([DEU:4:29]). There is hope for those who are not serving God. If they "shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin" (II Chronicles 7:14).

If Satan should come to tempt you to serve another besides God, you can use the same weapon against him that Jesus used, when He was tempted of Satan: "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve" (Matthew 4:10).

Questions

1. What is idolatry?

2. Name some false gods.

3. What happened to the Children of Israel who turned away from God to idols?

4. What will happen to a Christian if he should turn away from God?

5. What part of God's creation do some people worship?

6. What does this passage of Scripture mean: "Ye cannot serve God and mammon" (Matthew 6:24)?

7. What promise is given to those who seek God?