When the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it into the house of an idol called Dagon. They did not destroy the ark, but instead put it in their own temple on a shelf near their god. Similarly, the Philistine world today does not really want to eradicate God, but only to domesticate him. We see it in the use of a Bible and the invocation of God's name when politicians are sworn into office. Not many actually believe in the Bible and its teaching is excluded in public affairs, but it may be taken off the shelf to lend a little "sanctity" to our government. Our courts and legislative sessions open with prayers for God to bless America, so long as God does not try to tell anyone what to do. This is what the Philistines intended for the ark: God could remain if he sat behind the Philistine god and stayed quiet. Some people worship god, but it's not the God of the Bible. Every one of us is made by God and for God. Despite the divine design of our lives, we are all prone to wander from the one true God and worship false gods of our own making. Idolatry of the heart is wrapped in things like money, power, reputation, sex, and knowledge. We bow down to created things rather than the Creator. Why? We want to be autonomous. We don't want to be accountable. To admit that we are the creation of God is to confess that we belong to Him, and that He has authority over us. Idolatry is delusional and dangerous. We must rather be consumed with the glory of God, seen in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who Himself is the "radiance" of God's glory.
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David Bodanza is the pastor of Mission of Grace Church in Westborough, Massachusetts. He is also a practicing lawyer. He holds an M.Div. degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a J.D. from New England School of Law. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife, four...
