“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)
Have you noticed here that a choice was given, the Lord God Almighty or the gods of other people. In the wilderness a golden calf was made, the Egyptians had many gods, the Samarians, Mesopotamians, the Babylonian gods. (And please notice the lower case “g” here, only our God signs His name with a capital “G.”) The Roman Catholic cult does not call them gods, but they pray to dead people, Muslims have their god as do the Mormons and the thousands if not more in India.
“I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:” (Isaiah 45:5)
Not according to most people since basically people began to congregate in groups on this planet. “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1st Cor. 1:18)
Why? Because everyone has a god they serve, even if it is only themselves, they serve someone or something.
It has always fascinated me, this need to call upon a higher power than oneself, and it is especially fascinating in respect to those whose supposed god gets more and more ridiculous. I believe most of these imagined deities began in superstition, something going bump in the night, a “déjà vu” occurrence, a dream brought to reality, such is the way of man apparently.
Egypt is called the land of Ham, descendants of Noah, and again it is surprising just how far one can stray into idolatry. But do not discount the father of lies, he has started some of the most evil religious organizations in the world, Romanism leading the way today.
Think of it, in the valley of the son of Hinnom they sacrificed their own children on burning hot brazen altars, just what did they get in return for that? We are not told, but Molech and Dagon, were, as far as I know, devils who could procure favor if the evil deed was done. That is one of the requirements of a false god, it must be able to offer something in return for the obedience of the people.
What was Jacob’s wife sitting on when her father came into the tent?
The weaker brethren would not eat if food was offered to them, and the weaker mind bows down to those that grant his requests. Idols, since almost day one.
One could almost call the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil an idol, for was not there a promise in it to those who ate of it.
“If it serves me, I will worship it.”
Satan may not have invented them all, but with those that begin to draw the attention of many, he is more than willing and able to toss a few answered requests to those that bow down to them.
“Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Matt. 4:10)
Moses told the people that they would fall into this trap after he died, Joshua stood firm in his convictions to serve only the living God, but so did King Solomon, and look how his life ended.
He who said all souls are mine, whom every knee will bow to is the only God, there is no other. I hope that is who you are serving full time, I hope you do not occasionally cross your fingers or knock on wood, I hope you know in whom you have believed in and trust Him as the only true and living God.
