In a world of many beliefs and practices we need to think about the nature of our faith and the object of our worship. Today we’re going to look at a tough question: Does God listen to idol worshippers? This comes from brother Eli Soriano’s powerful teaching that challenges us to examine our spiritual loyalties and understand the biblical view of idol worship.
At the center of this is a simple truth: God doesn’t listen to idol worshippers. This may sound harsh at first but it’s based on the very character of God as revealed in the Bible. To understand this we need to look at spiritual separation and the incompatibility of true faith and idolatry.
Brother Eli looks at a passage in 2 Corinthians where the Apostle Paul says we should not be “unequally yoked” with unbelievers. This isn’t about social segregation but spiritual discernment. Paul uses strong contrasts to make his point: righteousness vs unrighteousness, light vs darkness, Christ vs Belial. These aren’t just figures of speech but to show the huge gap between true worship and idolatry.
Think about it: can light and darkness coexist? The moment light appears darkness disappears. When we embrace the light of God’s truth there’s no room for the darkness of false worship. This is a powerful reminder of the transformative power of true faith.
But why does God want to separate us from idol worship? The answer is because He wants an intimate relationship with us. The scripture says we, as believers, are the temple of the living God. Imagine that – the Creator of the universe wants to live within us, to walk among us, to be our God while we are His people. This is the reason why He tells us to “come out from among them and be separate”.
Now let’s get to the elephant in the room: the nature of idols themselves. Brother Eli doesn’t mince words about the futility of idol worship. He pulled from the book of Habakkuk and describes idols as mere creations of human hands – graven images and molten figures that are nothing more than “teachers of lies”. Despite being overlaid with gold and silver they are dead. They have no breath, no power, no ability to respond to the prayers of their worshippers.
This is emphasis in a Psalm that seems to ridicule the impotence of idols. They have mouths but can’t speak, eyes but can’t see, ears but can’t hear. A stark reminder of the foolishness of putting our trust in something that can’t even do human functions let alone divine intervention.
The point is clear: if these idols can’t even hear their worshippers, how can they expect the real God to hear those who worship such powerless objects? It’s not just about God disapproving of idol worship; it’s about the fundamental mismatch between the true God and the lifeless idols made by human hands.
Brother Eli challenges us to look at our own lives. We might not bow down to physical statues, but are there things in our lives that we’ve elevated to idol status? Career, money, relationships or even our own desires – anything that takes God’s place in our hearts can be an idol.
“Touch not the unclean thing” isn’t about physical contamination but spiritual purity. It’s an invitation to line up with God’s will, to purify our worship and to experience fullness with the living God.
This lesson reflection brings us to a deep truth: God wants an exclusive and intimate relationship with His people. He calls us to separate ourselves from false worship not out of narrow-mindedness but out of love and desire for real communion. The difference between the living God and lifeless idols is a powerful reminder that we should put our trust in nothing other than the Creator of the universe.
As we think on these things let’s challenge ourselves to look at our hearts. Are we fully devoted to the real God or have we let idols – physical or metaphorical – into our lives? The invitation is clear: to step out of empty worship and into a living, life-changing relationship with the God who hears and responds, the God who wants to dwell in us and walk among us.
