Deuteronomy 27:15
“Cursed be the man that makes any graven or molten image, an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and puts it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.”
Last time the topic of idols was addressed, we learned we weren’t to have them. Today we will focus on where idol worship starts and sometimes maintained.
Moses says that the idol is often put in a secret place. This is done for a couple of reasons. One is that the person values it and doesn’t want it to be stolen. It’s something cherished. It might be akin to buried treasure. The owner is afraid to keep it in the house to keep it from the thief.
This person doesn’t seem to have any reservations about having the idol. No guilt or reluctance is there. It might not be outright, but there is at least a personal joy about having the idol.
This person is not serving The Lord. They may attend church or claim to be religious, but the heart isn’t in it. Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 that “you cannot serve two masters”. It’s like a mafia member who claims to be religious. It’s not genuine. His allegiance is to money and power. He hasn’t bent the knee to Christ.
While that’s an extreme example, most of us wrestle with idols that are more civilized. The workaholic might be serving money, power or perfectionism. There are those that live for pleasure, others that live for sex, some are committed to the environment. It’s ok to have passion for things in life, those things need to be subservient to Christ.
The other reason we might put an idol in a secret place is because we are ashamed of it. Some are closet addicts. Proverbs 28:13 says, “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.”
Lord, help us to avoid idols. Help us to see those areas we might not be aware of. Free us from the grip of things we might have difficulty letting go of.