Tag: Idol Worship - Job 31

Job 31:24-28

“If I have made gold my trust

or called fine gold my confidence,

if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant

or because my hand had found much,

if I have looked at the sun when it shone,

or the moon moving in splendor,

and my heart has been secretly enticed,

and my mouth has kissed my hand,

this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,

for I would have been false to God above.

Tag:  Idol Worship

In chapter 31 of Job we are at Job's final remarks.   He is so confused as to what is happening to him that he has fallen into a trap to justify himself as innocent of these charges brought on my his three friends.  (It is interesting that his three friends, rather than comfort, at they intended, have, instead, brought Job to the place of defending himself.)   Job is trying to tell his listeners that he is free of all charges that would warrant this discipline.   In the above passage we see him confess that "IF" he was guilty of idolatry he would deserve this punishment.  But, he maintains, he is not guilty of idolatry!   It should be noted that he puts those who worship their wealth (something he thinks he created) and those who worship the sun and the moon (something God created) all in the same category: Idolatry.   When we put created things before the Creator we practice idol worship.  Most of us, today, would see idol worship primarily in the context of bowing down to figures of some sort.  Yet, idol worship occurs when we give honor, praise and glory (through our time and attention) to anything that is not God.  We can do that with sports; with recreation; with education; with occupation; with even spiritual exercise.  We can "idol" worship by putting the praise and worship activity ahead of the glory of God.  We worship the music instead of the Person who is the center of the music.  Job is not innocent (as we see in the next chapters) but he is spot on about idol worship being a reason God would so discipline us.  We need to be careful not to put the creation before the Creator!