Read Exodus 22:16-31

“He who sacrifices to any god, except to the Lord only, he shall be utterly destroyed.” — Exodus 22:20

There is no god like our God, who declares the beginning from the end and knows the depths of the man’s heart as his Maker. There is no other god like our God for there is no other god. The very logic of having more than one Almighty is absurd — even our English dictionaries have no plural counterpart for Almighty. Because there is one God, to worship another is not really another, but is the worship of something that is less than God — and even us! — altogether.

The Lord was establishing for Israel the magnitude of the sin of idolatry. Sacrificial altars in just about every ancient culture was an act of worship — and the Lord commands that He would not share His worship with anyone else, especially a false, non-existent god.

“I am the LORD, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images.” (Isaiah 42:8)

It was not uncommon for most ancient cultures to jump around from god to god like a frog on a pond of lily pads. Even more, it seemed that the gods were content in sharing their glory with each other — which is hardly the description of an all powerful god.

But this is not our God! He cares. He is jealous and zealous for the worship of His people, and rightly so, because He alone is God!

“…you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God…” (Exodus 20:5)

“…for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God…” (Exodus 34:14)

It’s amazing that the Lord God would have to repeat Himself on such a matter after Israel had witnessed all of the glorious signs and wonders at Egypt, at the Red Sea, in the wilderness and at Mount Sinai! Did they not see the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night? Did they not hear the blast of the angelic trumpets at Mount Sinai, and the thunder of God’s voice from the mountain? Yet within 40 days’ time they would be worshipping a golden calf.

How quickly we forget that glory and honor belong to One. Yet, the consequences are grave. If an Israelite were to ignore this, and intentionally sacrifice to another false god, they were to be utterly destroyed. And this happened. Had Moses not interceded for Israel, they may all have perished! (see Exodus 32:11-12, 35)

This shows us just how jealous God is for His name, and how terrible the sin of idolatry is. And while the laws of the Old Covenant, which Paul calls the ministry of death and condemnation (see 2 Corinthians 3:7), have faded away and been replaced by the New Covenant, the ministry of righteousness by the Holy Spirit (see 2 Corinthians 3:9, 16-17) — it does not change the gravity of idolatry and what God thinks of it.

Don’t be fooled! The ancient gods of silver and gold have been replaced by the contemporary gods of money and self. God forbid that we, the bride of Christ, would ignore the One True and Living God to sacrifice after our pocketbooks. God forbid that we would ever pinch incense to our own vanity. Mankind has replaced the physical idol with the American dream, but what a pathetic dream to the Christian who has his eyes fixed on the glorious heaven to come, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Therefore, Beloved, place all of your hope and faith in the Almighty in this life. Tear down the altars of self and money. Let the world run after these things, but you seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and God will give you all things (see Matthew 6:33). May God’s altar be the only altar of worship in your life.

“Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” (1 Timothy 6:17–19)

“Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8)