Readings for today: Exodus 19:16-21:21, Matthew 23:13-39, Psalms 28, Proverbs 7:1-5
Reformation theologian and pastor, John Calvin, once wrote, “The human mind is a perpetual forge of idols...The human mind, stuffed as it is with presumptuous rashness, dares to imagine a god suited to its own capacity; as it labours under dullness, nay, is sunk in the grossest ignorance, it substitutes vanity and an empty phantom in the place of God. To these evils another is added. The god whom man has thus conceived inwardly he attempts to embody outwardly. The mind, in this way, conceives the idol, and the hand gives it birth.” (Institutes of the Christian Religion 1.11.8) Humanity has always had an “idol problem.” Everyone across the spiritual spectrum - pagan to atheist - falls prey to the temptation to reduce God down to size. Remake Him after our image so we can understand Him and ultimately, control Him. Pagans craft totems and little statues. They try to control God through magical incantations and sacrifices. Atheists demand God meet their standard of proof. They try to control God by subjecting Him to modern notions of scientific method and reproducing His miracles in a lab. New Agers keep God at arm’s length by blurring the lines between Creator and creature. They try to control God by sending happy thoughts out into the universe and keeping karma. Christians are no different. We do all we can to avoid the real Jesus. We much prefer a Jesus who looks like us and acts like us. A Jesus who only affirms and never confronts. And we try to control Him by offering Him only a part of our lives. Throwing Him a bone with our occasional worship. And cherry-picking our favorite Scriptures.
That’s why I love the words from Exodus today. God pulls no punches. He reminds us of the unbridgeable gulf that exists between us. We are not God. We are not even little gods. We are broken, sinful, finite human beings. We have no idea who we’re dealing with when it comes to God and that’s why God prohibits us from making idols or touching His altar with any of our tools. Because we invariably will get it wrong. Even our best attempts will fall short. We simply have not grasped the fullness of God’s glory and splendor and majesty. The heavens themselves can only “reflect” the glory of God. Creation itself cannot contain God much less anything we build with our own hands.
And that’s why God’s words here are so important. They should make us tremble. Drive us to our knees. Humble us before Him. “I am the Lord your God.” Do not worship any other gods. Do not try to remake Me in your image. Do not take My name in vain. “I am the Lord your God.” Live according to My commands. Value what I value. Love what I love. Do not murder. Do not engage in sexual immorality. Do not lie. Do not covet. “I am the Lord your God.” I have hardwired you for both work and rest. Keep the Sabbath day holy. I am the Lord your God. I have made you for relationship. Honor your father and mother. Treasure your family. These commands are not given to restrict us but to teach us how to truly live in right relationship with God and each other. Rather than resist God’s commands, embrace them. Rather than reduce God, let Him lift you up. Rather than settle for false gods and idols of your own making, humble yourself before the True and Living God. For as Calvin points out, “The god whom man has thus conceived inwardly he attempts to embody outwardly.” All one has to do is look around at the evil and suffering and pain in our world to see the devastating impact of the idols we worship. The gods of violence and death run rampant and we continue to worship at their altars. The gods of sexual immorality, unfettered greed, and deceit dominate and we continue to bow down before them. We are slaves to our basest desires which is why so many are turning to drugs, alcohol, and other things to numb their despair. To quote atheist Yuval Harari, “Is there anything more dangerous than dissatisfied and irresponsible gods who don’t know what they want?” (Sapiens)
God created us for more. He created us in His image. For His purposes. To reflect His glory in the world. Don’t settle for anything less than God Himself.
Readings for tomorrow: Exodus 21:23-23:13, Matthew 24:1-28, Psalms 29, Proverbs 7:6-23