The Jesus Bible Reading PlanSample

JUDGMENT ON FALSE WORSHIP

The destruction of the house of Ahab fulfilled God’s prophetic words of judgment (1Ki 21:21 – 22). God hates idolatry because it distorts human worship and causes people to direct their passions, sacrifices, affections and loyalties to created things instead of to God. Ahab and Jezebel were guilty not only of personal idolatry but also of leading others to sin against God in this fashion, and their lives illustrate idolatry’s destructive effects. Years of pursuing false gods eventually warped Ahab’s very identity as king. Instead of caring for his people, he used his position of power to take advantage of them, eventually murdering one of his own subjects and stealing his vineyard (1Ki 21). This sin finally prompted God’s terrible punishment. God’s judgment comes against all those who exchange the glory of God for worship of created things (Ro 1:18 – 32).

Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, he issued similarly strong warnings about the destruction that will surely come to those who fail to worship God. Ironically, Jesus often reserved this condemnation for religious leaders who had turned their religious performance into a source of false worship. Jesus warned these leaders of the temporal judgment they will face as well as the fact that they would one day be judged by the one to whom all worship is due (Mt 23:13 – 39; Rev 20:11 – 15).

Jesus, protect me from the sin of idolatry. Help me to only worship you. Amen.