By Elizabeth Prata
I discuss Psalm 115 using Charles Spurgeon’s commentary, The Treasury of David. I focus on the Psalm’s theme of God’s glory versus heathen idols. The Psalm underscores a fervent plea for God to receive glory amidst hardship. Modern idolatry can encompass things like money, social media, and a host of other personal idols. They all detract from God’s glory. I urge reflection on true devotion.
Continue reading “The Idolatry Challenge: Lessons from Psalm 115”By Elizabeth Prata
Last weekend I did a deep dive into the concept of idolatry. I’d researched the “Trad Wife/Trad Life” trend and realized that for many women who live this aesthetic, it’s an idol for them. Meaning, it isn’t based on humble obedience to biblical standards for our gender, but a performance of works for the public to see, thinking this pleases God.
To better understand idolatry, I started researching what exactly IS an idol, delving into scripture, commentaries, then a Free Grace Broadcaster from Mt Zion Chapel Library. The FGB was chock full of essays commenting on idolatry.
I ended up posting 5 successive essays all around the concept of idolatry. Here they are:
Some Protestant Truth about Mary, Jesus’ Mother
How to make an idol: Nehushtan
Idolatry: Did You Know About these Two False Gods?
I’ll end this week with a quote from Charles Spurgeon from that same Free Grace Broadcaster, called “Idols Abolished” (full sermon here).
You remember the Rich Young Ruler? You remember the Rich Man (Lazarus used to lay at his gate?) You remember the Pharisees, Saul/Paul among them? They all had the same idol:
SPURGEON: “Attend earnestly dear hearers, for, perhaps, some of you may be worshipping idols now. We will go into the temple of your heart, and see whether we can find a false god there. I go into one heart, and, as I look up, I see a gigantic idol; it is gilded all over and clothed in shining robes: its eyes seem to be jewels, and its forehead is “as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires”; it is a very lovely idol to look upon. Come not too close, do not examine too severely, nor so much as dream of looking inside the hollow sham. Within it you will find all manner of rottenness and filthiness, but the outside of the idol is adorned with the greatest art and skill, and you may even become enamoured of it as you stand and gaze upon it.”
“What is its name? Its name is self-righteousness.”
–end Spurgeon
And the LORD alone will be exalted on that day, And the idols will completely vanish. (Isaiah 2:17b,18)
Owen Strachan comments on the Trad Wife phenomenon with utter clarity and refreshing articulateness: https://youtu.be/2e2QYmXE_0U?si=IYzdHMw5ewwbdyf_ . 30 min of diamond bright insight.
By Elizabeth Prata
I finished reading through Amos. A hard book, but a majestic one. God is at the center of it. His wrath, righteousness, and holiness. It ends with a promise, as do most of the prophetic books-
I will plant them on their land,
and they shall never again be uprooted
out of the land that I have given them,
says the LORD your God.
Amos 9:15
By Elizabeth Prata
Someone commented this week on the blog that “As a Christian woman, I respect the Feminine representation of God; which is what Rachel, and early Hebrews call “Asherah”.”
See how easy it is to make an idol?
There are no other gods. God revealed Himself as Yahweh. He desires to be seen as male, He, Father.
O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord,
Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
3 For the Lord is a great God
And a great King above all gods,
(Psalm 95:1-3)
There are no other gods
There is no Allah
There is no Zeus no Mars no Dagon
Nammu, An, Ki are ephemeral as vapor
Amun and Horus are fictitious myths
Freyr and Loki … figments and chimera
All other gods are illusory
Their names hold no power
and their existence is in wood and statue only
Let the heathen howl
their bitterness at an unseen and unknown god’s failure
Spurious and futile gods who remain silent at man’s pleas
Let the pagan rail
their outrage at the silent deity who cannot and will never help
Let the godless who appeal to no-god
wail in frustration
for prayers that are never answered
For God is the only God.
Let the hopeless come to the throne of hope
Let the disillusioned bask in the fountain from the Rock
Let the helpless find help in Immanuel’s outstretched arm
Let the discouraged find eternity in God
The only God.
By Elizabeth Prata
In around 1400 BC, Moses led the Israelites into the wilderness. They had been released from slavery by powerful acts of God, including ten plagues and parting the Red Sea to aid their escape. (Exodus 1-15)
However, it wasn’t long before the Israelites grumbled. They were sick of manna, they wanted an easier life, they wanted to get there. (Numbers 20:4). So they grumbled some more, against Moses and against God.
God heard their grumbles.
Continue reading “How to make an idol: Exhibit A- Nehushtan”
the-end-time.org 