Removing The Idols
“12 Now on the tenth day of the fifth month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the body guard, who was in the service of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 13 He burned the house of the LORD, the king’s house and all the houses of Jerusalem; even every large house he burned with fire.” (Jeremiah 52:12-13 NASB)
God will remove the idols from your life. That’s a pretty straight-forward statement; some might say it’s even a little blunt. But it is a fact that is absolutely true! God wants to - and He will - remove the idols from your life.
By definition, an idol is anything that we value and pursue more than we value and pursue God. In ancient history, and in many cultures still today, an idol is a statue or a painted picture that people worship and pray to. God specifically says that is a wrong and sinful practice (Exodus 20:1-6). On one occasion, a minister tried to explain to me that the religious statues and painted pictures of his faith were just like the pictures of family, friends, and loved ones that we keep on our desks or in our wallets – nothing more. The problem with that logic is that I don’t know anyone who bows down and prays to the photographs they have in their wallets – I know I never have! But aside from statues and icons, almost anyone or anything can become an idol in our lives: job, money, material possessions, status, career goals, achievements, education, hobbies, people and relationships – you name it. Some people idolize fame, some people idolize money, some people idolize sex or status. Idols are everywhere! The important thing to keep in mind about idols is that they are not always something sinister – like something you would see in an “Indiana Jones” movie. Something that is good, positive and beneficial can become an idol if we make the mistake of putting it before God in our lives.
That’s what happened to God’s people in Jeremiah 52:12-13. God’s people – Israel, had come to the place where they were valued the Temple building in Jerusalem, “the house of the LORD,” more than they valued God Himself. The Temple was a sacred place. The Temple was a historic building. It had been built to serve as a meeting place for God and His people. But over time, God’s people – Israel began to value that building more than they valued God who gave it to them. That’s idolatry. And God specializes in removing idols. God will not hesitate to remove whatever it is that stands between Himself and His people – even if it is something that was originally something good! And so, in 586 B.C. God allowed the armies of the kingdom of Babylon to come and to conquer His people. They destroyed the city of Jerusalem, and in Jeremiah 52:13 it tells us that they “burned the house of the LORD.” Just think about that for a second - God was willing to allow His own Temple to be destroyed, because it was coming between Him and His people. It was a significant moment in history, but the reality is that God still works that way today.
God will remove the idols from your life, just like He did with His people – Israel. Don’t misunderstand, God doesn’t want to be harsh with you, or punish you; God really doesn’t want to have to rip whatever it is that has been coming between you and Him out of your hands – but He will if He has to. He will not hesitate to remove whatever stands between you and Him – He loves you and wants you that much! So before God is forced to pry our fingers apart and remove our idols in dramatic fashion, maybe it would be a good idea for us to simply let go. Ask yourself – is there anything that is standing between you and God? Is there currently someone or something in your life that you value and pursue more than you value and pursue God? Maybe it’s a boyfriend or a girlfriend or a spouse. Or maybe it’s a goal or an ambition or a position. But whatever it is – if there is anything – make the choice today to let it go, and give God first place again. Remove the idols on your own, before God steps in and does it for you. It will be a-lot less painful, and you’ll have a-lot more peace.
