The god of the West
by Bekah Ferguson
www.bekahferguson.com
I’ve been reading through the Old Testament and it seems so shocking the way the Israelites were constantly forgetting the Lord and going back to worshipping idols made of gold. I’ve always found that hard to comprehend: If you saw God part the Red Sea with your own eyes, how could you later “forget” about him and bow down to a hand-crafted, golden calf, of all things? Yet every generation seemed to breed a new generation that had no interest in God. And of course, the children hadn’t seen the miracles of God firsthand, as their parents had, so to them, it really had no more effect on their lives than any “fairytale” might.
Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Judges . . . God performs one amazing miracle after another, the Israelites enjoy decades of peace, their children grow up and then . . . again the Israelites did evil in the sight of God. The children grow up to worship the heathen gods of their neighbors and the Israelites thus endure a couple decades of hardship until finally they beg God for mercy and promise that this time they will worship Him, rather than idols.
But now I’m starting to see this in a different light. As the famous Teacher penned in Ecclesiastes 1:9, What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
See, I always wondered how anyone in their right mind could bow down and worship something material, such as a golden calf. How could you worship a thing that was so obviously made by the hands of man when there is a real God out there who created this entire world and every living thing in it? But then I realized that nothing has changed at all, and I’m not talking about Buddhism or Hinduism.
There’s a reason why the children of Israel grew up to worship the fake idol gods of their neighbors; and it had nothing to do with the idols themselves and everything to do with what those idols represented. Those children didn’t want to obey the Laws of God - they wanted to indulge in all the sensual pleasures their neighbor friends were indulging in! In one hand, for example, they had: bow down to this gold statue and you can fornicate to your heart’s desire. Or, in the other hand: worship the God of your forefathers and you’ll be expected to live a holy and pure lifestyle. To them, the latter seemed boring and restrictive. They wanted the freedom to do whatever they felt like doing. So, they chose the golden idols over the God of Israel.
I wonder: did the parents not teach their children about the miracles they had seen God perform with their own eyes? Did they not share with their children about the mercies and love of God that they had experienced in their own lives? Why didn’t their children desire to know this God too? Why was He so unappealing to them? And why did these parents allow their children to befriend their heathen neighbors and take heathen husbands and wives? These parents who knew God, allowed their children to defile their homes and their lands! Why?
Yesterday, as I was reading yet another account of the Israelite children growing up and turning their backs on God, I had a sudden vision of today’s church in Canada and the United States, and I realized with striking clarity that nothing has changed at all. There is nothing new under the sun. We are still turning our backs on the living true God so that we can bow down to false, man-made idols instead. And who is this golden calf of the modern-day era? Who is this god of the West?
His name is Materialism and he represents everything to do with sensual indulgence, vanity and a me-me-me mentality.
We’ve even built shrines in our homes for this idol - yes, seriously - we've built shrines in our homes! The elaborate entertainment cabinet complete with widescreen TV, state of the art sound system and DVD player. We watch blasphemous movies until our eyes are bloodshot and we’re too tired to get up in the morning to go to church.
How about that shrine that is our walk-in closet with track-lighting and rows and rows of designer clothing color-coordinated with top of the line footwear. Or how about that shrine that is our dresser; precious stones, gold and silver jewelery, rows of colorful makeup trays and brushes and lipsticks, all laid out on decorative cloths made of silk beneath a giant, gilded mirror.
Then there is the shrine that is our kitchen refridgerator with its shiny stainless-steel shell and its inner rooms laded with the most glorious, delectable foods of all different shapes, sizes and textures.
And what about the shrine that is our bedroom with its canopied bed, silk sheets mottled with rose petals and spicy with perfume, complete with Playboy magazines, condoms and glittery baskets of “toys.”
Now this is not to say it’s wrong to have a nice closet or a nice entertainment system or a nice fridge. It has to do with your heart. Can you live without your cable TV and movie network? Do you lust after designer clothing and the latest fashions (would you rather die than wear a second-hand shirt?). Are you a slave to food: do you snack on goodies all day long when you don’t need to be eating? Are you a slave to promiscuity or pornography? Do you put long hours into your career because you want the money and success, all the while neglecting time with your children?
Who or what is the number one priority in your life?
Whatever it is - that is your god, your false idol.
Go to church this Sunday and see if you spot a thirteen-year-old girl bearing cleavage and wearing seductive makeup and jewelry. Her parents are strong Christians respected in the church. Go to your teenager’s highschool to pick him up and notice his bestfriend (who happens to be the son of your church’s Youth Pastor) making out with his girlfriend in a corner, his hands in places they have no business being. Look at yourself in the mirror as you toss aside the third outfit you’ve tried on this morning, and try on yet another. You just aren’t satisfied with your appearance. If you don’t find something “good” to wear today, you’re going to feel miserable for the rest of the day: You’ve just got to look good to feel happy.
How does the rest of this pattern go if there is nothing new under the sun?
Well, after many years of worshiping false idols, you'll find yourself in a position where your life feels hollow and meaningless. You’re full of regret and shame. So, you cry out to the real God in desperation, begging Him to forgive you and to help you. He does. Then, later, as your children are growing up and you see the worldliness in their little hearts, you do nothing to warn them. You put little effort into protecting them from the world and you let them do their own thing. They eventually grow up and marry a heathen neighbor, and bow down to idols. Then, after many many more years, perhaps when you’re old and gray or even passed away, your children come to a place in their lives where they feel completely lost and empty and cry out to God . . . And the cycle repeats itself.
There is nothing new under the sun.
Neverthless, despite this phenomenon, this fatal flaw that is the human condition, God never turns His back on us. He is always willing to forgive us and cleanse and take us back into His arms. He loves us with an unconditional love!
Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul. . . . You shall teach them to your children. - Deuteronomy 11:18-19 Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren. - 4:9
Perhaps we are unable to see God for who He really is until we have first learned how to see beyond ourselves. We have to first learn that the god we worship - that is, ourselves - is not a god at all, but a broken, wounded child in need of a Savior.
Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. - Philippians 3:20
Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself. - 2 Timothy 2:11-13
(c) 2006 -Bekah Ferguson
Permissions: By all means, you are welcome to reproduce and distribute my articles in excerpts or complete format as long as you don't change any of the wording. If you do reproduce any part of my articles, please include the following information: by Bekah Ferguson, Ontario, Canada. http://www.bekahferguson.com/
