Exposing Evil: Idols

Welcome to a thought-provoking episode of The Heartbeat of Faith Podcast. In this installment, Dr. Andrew Farley delves into the profound concept of idolatry and its timeless relevance. As he explores the story of the golden calf, we are reminded that we are inherently designed to worship. The episode kicks off with a poignant reflection on how our deepest treasures can either lead us towards a meaningful existence or render us hollow shells, alluding to the notion that we become like the people or things we hold dear. Dr. Farley's insightful narration evokes a sense of introspection, encouraging us to ponder whether the idols we construct in our lives are worth the potential loss of our very souls.

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In this engaging episode, Dr. Farley guides us through the story of the golden calf, a narrative that serves as a stark reminder of the allure of idolatry and its consequences. Just as the ancient Israelites crafted a golden calf in moments of uncertainty, we, too, are susceptible to constructing idols when we grow impatient in our waiting for divine guidance. Dr. Farley's compelling storytelling brings to light the seductive nature of idols and the inherent danger in investing our faith and devotion in fleeting, hollow substitutes. The episode concludes with a powerful quote from the book of Mark, urging us to reflect on the ultimate cost of prioritizing worldly idols over the well-being of our souls.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Let us pray. Their idols are silver and gold, the
work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they don't speak.
They have eyes, but they don't see. They have ears,
but they don't hear. They have noses, but they don't smell.
They have hands, but they don't feel. They have feet,

(00:24):
but they don't walk, Neither do they speak through their throat.
Those who make them will be like them, Yes, everyone
who trusts in them, Psalm chapter one, fifteen, verses four
through eight. Dear Lord, you alone are worthy of my
worship and devotion. I confess that sometimes my mind gets

(00:47):
drawn away toward earthly things. These things never truly satisfy me,
and my heart still cries out for something deeper. I
ask you to renew my mind to day to the
powerful truth that sin is beneath me. I'm raised up
and seated in a heavenly place with you. Lord, remind

(01:08):
me to set my mind on things above, not in
the fleshy things of the world. I choose to walk
by your spirit today in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you
for praying with me today. Now discover the profound intricacies
of scripture through prey dot COM's podcast The Heartbeat of

(01:31):
Faith with doctor Andrew Farley. Stay tuned after this quick
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eight nine eight nine eight. We were made to worship.

(02:43):
There's no way of escaping that part of our design,
and we ultimately become like the object of our worship.
Idolatry turns humans into hollow shells, shiny on the outside
but lacking substance. The story of the Golden Calf and
the Old Testament isn't as outdated as some might think.

(03:08):
Humans form these idols in their lives today and in
some cases miss out on true worship.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
As a result, they willingly gave up what was precious
to them, yet all for a fabrication, a false sense
of security. Aaron, using fashioning tools, constructed a golden calf
with his own bare hands. He brought the calf before

(03:36):
the people, erected high into the air so everyone could see.
Applause roared throughout the camp, dancing and revelie began to spread.

Speaker 3 (03:47):
Hello, I'm doctor Andrew Farley. With today's episode of the
Heartbeat of Faith podcast. We're attempting to draw from biblical
stories and piece together themes, motifs, and images that glorify
God and empower us to live a life of purpose.

(04:08):
The Word of God is the lifeblood for believers, as
it pulsates with a heartbeat of faith. It's the weak
of Halloween, which means darkness is on full display. People
meditate on evil, and some even celebrate it. So today
we want to shine some light in the midst of

(04:31):
the darkness. Some may ask, aren't idols just statues that
ancient religions used to worship. The answer is yes, but
not just that. We humans may not have statues or
altars in our backyards today, but without Christ, idols can

(04:51):
still consume our lives. Idols are people, places, or things
that become objects of worship. By this definition, anything good
or bad can become an idol if we aren't careful.
Any way that humanity seeks to get its needs met

(05:11):
outside of Jesus can be an idol. Of course, some
things aren't inherently wrong, and we as believers can even
give thanks for them, but they become idols for those
who look to them for purpose, meaning, and fulfillment. The
Bible gives us examples of inanimate idols, but idols can

(05:35):
also be people. Before the age of kings, God ruled
over Israel as their sovereign, but they rejected God as
their ruler an exalted Saul as their king. He became
an idol, a replacement for God.

Speaker 4 (05:58):
Seven days later, Samuel call the people of Israel together
a sea of people stood before him, and the crowd
hung on every word Samuel said. Samuel spoke for God
as a prophet and said, I brought you out of Egypt,
and since then I have delivered you from every kingdom
that sought to oppress you. But today you have rejected

(06:20):
your God. You seek a king to rule over you
instead of me. You will have the blessings and curses
that come from having a man rule over you. So
Samuel brought Saul up from the tribe of Benjamin. He
stood tall, and his head was above the entire crowd.
Saul looked upon the people, eyes wide and afraid. Behold,

(06:43):
Samuel shouted, your king.

Speaker 3 (06:48):
In the ancient world, kings were revered as gods. Israel
was the only nation that didn't have an established king. Instead,
God was their provider and protector. But Israel rejected God
to become like other nations and chose a king, Saul.

(07:10):
We humans would be foolish to think that we don't
make the same mistakes today. Think of those who follow politicians, celebrities,
and even pastors and put their hope in them instead
of God. We humans can make idols out of anything.
In the wilderness, when Faced with uncertainty, Israel turned to

(07:35):
idolatry in the form of a golden calf. It was
a desperate attempt to control their circumstances when they were
tired of waiting on God.

Speaker 2 (07:51):
Moses had ascended back up to Mount Sinai to hear
from God on behalf of the people. The thunder still
rolled down the mountain like waves crashing on a shore.
The people took note of Moses's delay to come down
from the mountain, so they turned to Erin for guidance.
We do not know what has become of Moses. He

(08:11):
is the one who brought us out of Egypt. Quick,
make God for us to protect and nurture us. Arin,
just as confused and desperate as the people, agreed, He
said to them, take off all your rings, earrings, and
necklaces of gold and bring them to me. So while
the people began to lay down their possessions at the

(08:34):
feet of Erin, they willingly gave up what was precious
to them, yet all for a fabrication, a false sense
of security. Arin, using fashioning tools, constructed a golden calf
with his own bare hands. He brought the calf before
the people, erected high into the air so everyone could see.

(08:55):
Applause roared throughout the camp, Dancing and revelry began to spread.

Speaker 3 (09:03):
We humans were made to worship. There's no way of
escaping that part of our design, and we ultimately become
like the objects of our worship. Idolatry turns humans into
hollow shells, shiny on the outside but lacking substance.

Speaker 2 (09:25):
When Aaron saw how happy the calf made the people,
he built an altar for it. He hosted a large
feast to celebrate their new God. They rose up early
the next day to give peace offerings. As the day
dragged on, they feasted like gluttons, filling their bellies with
meat and wine. The strange days of drunkenness slithered around

(09:48):
camp as people rose up and dancing in orgies. Their
laughter was not joyful praise, rather inebriated and lustful cackles.
They paid homage to their created God by creating their
own worship, satisfying every selfish desire they could come up with.
The newly freed slaves of Israel began to look a

(10:10):
whole lot like their old masters, the Egyptians.

Speaker 3 (10:15):
The story of the Golden Calf and the Old Testament
isn't as outdated as some might think. Humans form these
idols in their lives today and in some cases miss
out on true worship as a result. Just like the
Golden calf was quickly burned and destroyed, the people and

(10:38):
things in our lives that we humans idolize will ultimately
fail us. That's why everyone in the whole world needs
to ask, is it worth losing out on eternal life
just to gain the things of this world?

Speaker 4 (10:56):
For what shall it profit a man if he shall
gain the whole world and lose his own soul?

Speaker 2 (11:03):
Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mark eight thirty six through thirty seven.

Speaker 3 (11:12):
Of course, as believers in Christ, we don't need to
wake up every day, analyze our every move and wonder
if the enjoyment we experience in life is somehow an idol. Instead,
we can start each day knowing that we've been given
a new heart, a heart that is pure and filled

(11:34):
with the love of Jesus. We no longer have idols
in our hearts, because Christ himself is in our hearts,
and He won't share us with an idol. We now
desire to worship Jesus alone. Remember, God has poured out
his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, and

(11:58):
this love compel us to worship Him above all else.
So let us fix our eyes on the one who
is worthy of all our worship. Let us embrace our
new identity in Christ, and live from the depths of
our new hearts where His love resides. May we be

(12:21):
reminded of the words of the apostle Paul in Ephesians
six twenty four. Grace be with all those who love
our Lord Jesus Christ, with love incorruptible. Did you know
that you have an undying, incorruptible love for Jesus within you,

(12:42):
and you can walk in this profound truth about your
new heart, knowing that you have been recreated to worship
Jesus alone, and nothing else will satisfy. Thank you for
listening to today's heart Beat of Faith podcast. If you
enjoyed today's episode or learn something new about the Bible,

(13:07):
share it with a friend or family member. Download thepray
dot Com app, and for more encouragement in God's grace,
visit Andrew Farley dot org. That's Andrewfarley dot org.