All Souls, Langham Place
We have other more subtle sacred cows!
(1)
What motivates idolatry?
V1 - insecurity
They gather round Aaron, justle him, physical threat
Idolatry is an attempt to establish our own security
Where do we look for security and reassurances, identity and safety?
(2)
What characterises idolatry? How is it
expressed? What is it’s essential quality?
Vv2-5 – idolatry
involves the abuse of the imagination
Little boy
painting God
But teacher says,
“no one knows what God looks like”
Boy: “Well, they
will when I’ve finished!”
Intended to be an
image of Yahweh, a way of worshiping the true God
Breaking the 2nd
commandment not the 1st
“I think God is…”
“The God I
believe in…”
“My God would
never send anyone to hell…”
We must submit to
God’s revelation of himself, not just have our opinions
Real theology is
the science of Biblical study not the art of religious invention and
theological imaginings
Christianity is a
declared, revealed religion, it is given to us from above, not made up by us
Our conscience is
bound by the Word of God
We must allow God
to tell us what he is like
(3)
The consequences of idolatry
V6 – a breakdown
of moral order
Without the true
God, true morality goes out of the window
Who says so?
(4)
The response to idolatry (from Moses)
(i)
V11 –
prayer – intercession
The one man Moses
turned by judgement from his nation by praying
(ii)
V15 –
indignation
We too easily put up with things when we ought to get angry for the
sake of God’s honour
(iii)
Vv31-32
– identification, compassion, Moses loves the Israelites
He’d rather see himself perish than see them be destroyed
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