Set the Sail (Preparing for a Move of God) Sýnishorn

Repentance: Smashing Altars & Tearing Down Idols

It seems to be the case today that there are construction sites scattered all throughout our cities and neighbourhoods. Developers in our major cities rarely ever give up a chance to place skyscrapers where ‘Mum & Dads’ shops once stood. But before we ever begin the process of building something entirely new, we must first demolish the existing structures.

In 2 Kings 22-23 we’re introduced to a new king called Josiah, and given a history lesson about the complicated southern kingdom of Judah. Though Josiah is described as a king who did "what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David," (2 Kings 22:2a) – this description could not have been said of many of his ancestors. On the contrary, we learn that "those who have gone before us" did not obey God's Law or walk in His ways, and as a result the Lord's anger burned against them.

Before Josiah became king, Judah had a long history of mixing their worship of God with other pagan gods such as Baal – lighting incense and engaging in religious ceremonies with foreign deities, and worshiping idols they had literally crafted with their own hands. They had created an ancient version of religious soup – something that many in our modern Western societies still pursue today, and this practice of idolatry was evil in the sight of the LORD.

But Josiah was determined to change the course of Judah's worship and trajectory and he starts right here in 2 Kings 22-23 by leading the kingdom to repent: he tears his robes (a sign of distress and contrition), renews the people's covenant with the LORD, and orders all idols, altars and Asherah poles be torn down and destroyed.

For many of us today, we don’t feel we are in danger of the sins of the ancient people of Judah; we’re not afraid of idolatry or building physical altars to worship rival gods. But what is a rival ‘god’?; and what is the essence of idolatry? Idolatry is simply looking to something other than God for your ultimate sense of identity, meaning, worth, and purpose…

And if we’re honest with ourselves, we are tempted to build altars in our hearts to the idols of success, the idols of wealth, the idols of security, the idols of comfort, the idols of reputation, and the idols of ... you can fill in the blank. However in order for us to set the sail and prepare for a move of God we are called to tear down our idols and break into pieces all of the ways in which we seek to find our true fulfilment in anything other than Jesus. May it be so.