JUL 22

Deuteronomy 4:15-19
Memorise Deuteronomy 4:19
"For ye saw no similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you..."

Throughout the history of Israel, their problem time and again was with this issue of idolatry. Even though they claimed to be worshipping the LORD Jehovah, yet they would build for themselves golden calves, statues, or other items of idolatrous worship. In front of those false altars, they would claim to offer sacrifices to Jehovah, whilst practising their heathen rituals. Because of this problem, they faced a whole myriad of punishments, ranging from drought, famine, plagues, natural disasters, conquest by their enemies, and finally captivity in Assyria and Babylon.

Mankind has always had the tendency of wanting to worship God on our own terms. Despite all the loving instructions that God  has given us to teach us how we ought to praise Him, we often seem to have our own ideas, wanting to appease man more than God, even though we claim to be worshipping Him. This was Israel’s problem, and this continues to be our problem till today. In the past, they sought to limit God by visualizing him through an image or statue. For us today, we continue to want to come to God on our own terms, developing a form of worship which man would enjoy, but not God. In fact, the set-up of many churches today seem to revolve around the mind-set of wanting to draw and attract more people - sadly at the expense of pleasing and glorifying God. As such, we have replaced God with a building, a program, a series of methods and planned activities, which take us away from the right and true worship of God.

The focus of this commandment therefore is to prohibit any man-made depiction of God. Nobody has ever seen God at any time, and thus to try to imagine God in our own sinful minds would be an insult to God Himself for we reduce Him to just a mere picture, a lifeless image. When that happens, we are led away from the true and living God, and instead of worshipping the Creator, we are actually just worshipping the creation.

What is also prohibited is any form of worship devised by man that is not done according to God’s desires. An overemphasis on worship leaders, sensual music and/or charismatic pastors can easily draw our attention to man instead of God. Our worship ought to declare the majesty, greatness, glory and sovereignty of God in simplicity, humility and sanctity.

Thought: Does the way I worship break the 2nd Commandment?
Prayer: Lord, please show me how to worship You in the right  way.