Worship the Creator, Not the Creation
2 Kings 18:4: "He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan."
Contrary to King Azariah, which we wrote about yesterday, King Hezekiah actually followed through and did what was necessary; he began tearing down and removing the high places of Israel. In fact, he was so thorough that he even took a very valuable and historic heirloom to the nation of Israel, namely, Moses’ brazen serpent, and broke it to pieces. Imagine how that must have gone over with the people who worshipped it.
I point this out only because we need to learn a valuable lesson here. You see, the brazen brass serpent was only symbolic in nature, causing Israel to look to Christ for salvation through its foreshadowing of His work on Calvary which was yet to come. Regardless, Israel set it up as an item to which to offer incense, as if there were something divine in the item itself. In other words, they missed the whole point! In fact, they broke God’s commandments by worshipping something that was only meant to point them to the One who was truly to be worshipped.
This brings me to my point; I wonder just how many Christians today worship their religious systems, methods, denominations, buildings, facilities, styles, preferences, etc., rather than the One it should all be pointing to! Too often we get so caught up in a past experience, memory, tradition, method, etc., that we spare no expense to protect and preserve old relics while forsaking our true obligation, which is to worship God in spirit and in truth.
Here is the lesson: Never make idols of anything that assists in pointing us to Christ. If the teaching aid becomes more important than the great Teacher, then the teaching aid must go, no matter how traditional, valuable, or effective it may have been. I’ve literally seen churches more worried about being known for their traditional leaning than for their commitment to Christ and His kingdom. In essence, Christ wasn’t worshipped, because tradition was more important. Let us never make this mistake, and let us always be willing to know when it is necessary to part ways with our past when our past takes our eyes off of Christ Jesus!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
Contrary to King Azariah, which we wrote about yesterday, King Hezekiah actually followed through and did what was necessary; he began tearing down and removing the high places of Israel. In fact, he was so thorough that he even took a very valuable and historic heirloom to the nation of Israel, namely, Moses’ brazen serpent, and broke it to pieces. Imagine how that must have gone over with the people who worshipped it.
I point this out only because we need to learn a valuable lesson here. You see, the brazen brass serpent was only symbolic in nature, causing Israel to look to Christ for salvation through its foreshadowing of His work on Calvary which was yet to come. Regardless, Israel set it up as an item to which to offer incense, as if there were something divine in the item itself. In other words, they missed the whole point! In fact, they broke God’s commandments by worshipping something that was only meant to point them to the One who was truly to be worshipped.
This brings me to my point; I wonder just how many Christians today worship their religious systems, methods, denominations, buildings, facilities, styles, preferences, etc., rather than the One it should all be pointing to! Too often we get so caught up in a past experience, memory, tradition, method, etc., that we spare no expense to protect and preserve old relics while forsaking our true obligation, which is to worship God in spirit and in truth.
Here is the lesson: Never make idols of anything that assists in pointing us to Christ. If the teaching aid becomes more important than the great Teacher, then the teaching aid must go, no matter how traditional, valuable, or effective it may have been. I’ve literally seen churches more worried about being known for their traditional leaning than for their commitment to Christ and His kingdom. In essence, Christ wasn’t worshipped, because tradition was more important. Let us never make this mistake, and let us always be willing to know when it is necessary to part ways with our past when our past takes our eyes off of Christ Jesus!
~ Pastor Gary Caudill