When God calls us to do something, we are to also rid ourselves of anything unclean. This includes removing every idol from our household. It could be other god-like figures in your house like buddha, Mary, the saints, and other strange gods. Buddhists have Buddhist figures in their houses. Those in the Hindu religion have many different types of idols to their gods. Catholics have figures of Mary and the saints. All three of these false religions often have altars to these idols, which the God of Israel has always been against. However, if God called one of them unto Him, they would need to rid themselves of these things. Jacob is a great example of doing this when God called him. Just listen to this story. “And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments.” (Genesis 35:1,2) Jacob’s wives and children needed to know that there is only one God in the heavens and that is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
God’s true followers on this earth don’t even make idols unto the Lord. Instead, they made for Him altars where they could worship God and a house where He could dwell in over the centuries. There was never a figure carved in stone that people worshipped. How interesting that when carved figures were ever made in Biblical times it was because people were into idolatry. The sad thing is, times have not changed and people continue to worship false gods even in a religion that states it is the only true church like Catholicism. If this was God’s church then they would do as Jacob’s family did and remove every idol from their church. Now, let us read what Jacob’s family did when asked about removing their idols. It reads, “and let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went. And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.” (Genesis 35:3,4) These idols were removed and they could now worship the lord without any shame of being in willful sin. Amen.
Let us pray:
Oh Lord, help us all to understand the need to be made clean in Your presence. Truly, nothing unclean can dwell with You, especially the Holy Spirit. So often the Holy Spirit is quenched in people’s lives because they do the things they desire and not the things You wish us to do. And what is sad is that idolatry is still running ramped in our society. Even among so-called Christian churches like Catholicism we see idols built up for Mary and the Saints. People go to these idol-like figures and pray to them as people have done over the centuries to false gods. This is very disturbing and I pray that those who are a part of the Catholic church will wake up to their idolatrous ways. If needs be, cause these idols to crumble and fall in many pieces that they may know that this is a disgrace in Your sight. In the Catholic church, I know that there are many true Christians. People who are devout in their worship towards You. They don’t care for Mary or Saint worship like Christians do. Praise God for them. It is my prayer that people will rise up in the Catholic church and one day remove every idol from the church through an announcement that it is evil. I trust in You. I love You. This I pray, in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.
