Idolatry and Idolaters

In the Salvation Cantata, Psalms, 115, v4-8, "But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them."

Very recently, I read about a Pompeii excavation, a four wheeled "Ceremonial Chariot" made of iron, bronze and wood, which has been found. Some archaeologists claim that the chariot was used for marriages for bringing bride and the groom and others claim that the chariot was used to carry the idols of gods and goddesses as a ceremonial possession on the roads. (Look for information on Tensa and Pilentum are given in the pictures below). Even today we can see such ceremonials happen all around the world.

In Roman history, we can see temples for the emperors like Julius Caesar and Augustus, and the adoration that took place in the temples, as like we can see the divine forms of the Egyptian Pharaohs as well. 

In the Holy Bible, we can see idolatory in the times of Moses. Aaron makes a golden calf and says, "Behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of Egypt", in Ex.32:4. In the next verses we can clearly see that an alter was built and sacrifices were made.

After the reign of King Solomon, Jeroboam with a contemptuous intention, if let the tribes on his side go to the temple in Jerusalem, may join Rehoboam and might kill him. So, he made two golden calves and said, "here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt", 1Kings 12:28. And he made a special festival and offered sacrifices.

There are some more instances of the idols in the Bible.

"Your calf-idol is rejected..", (Hosea 8:5) says the Lord. You made those idols with your own hands and brought distruction upon yourselves (Hosea 8:4). Colossians 3:5 says that, "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." 1Corinthians 10:7,14, says "Do not be idolaters..", and "..flee from idolatory". The boasting Philistines, after capturing the Ark of Covenant, and placed it in the temple of Dagon. The next morining the people of Ashdod saw that the idol of Dagon fell facing ground before the Ark of Covenant and the next day they saw the fallen broken idol of Dagon (1Samuel 5:1-5). The Lord we serve is the Living God who calls Himself as "I am" (Ex 3:14) and even our Lord Jesus refers Himself with the same title in John 8:58, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abharam was, I am".

I want to close with a verse from Habakkuk 2:19,20, "Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it. But the Lord is in his Holy Temple: let all the earth keep silence before Him". And the Temple is your body, and the Holy Spirit lives in you and "You are not your own, for you were brought at a price. So glorify God with your body" (1Corinthians 6:19,20).