| WHY ALL THE FUSS ABOUT IDOLS? |
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| God. What Was the Appeal? Why did Baal and the other idols prove so appealing to the Israelites? Like peasants gawking at big-city life, the Israelites moved from 40 years of wilderness wanderings into a land of cities and more advanced technology. They had been landless nomads and shepherds. When they settled down to a new occupation of farming, they looked to a Canaanite god, Baal, as a possible means of guaranteeing good crops. In other words, they sought a shortcut through magic. Similarly, when a mighty army threatened their borders, they smuggled in a few of that army's favorite idols, hedging their bets in case their own religion did not bring them military sucess. Idols became a phantom source of power, an alternative place to invest faith and hope. Idolatry made such inroads into Israel and Judah that God had to tear apart both kingdoms in order to root it out. Second Kings clearly blames idolatry as the chief sin leading to both nations collapse. History records that the punishment untimately worked. After the Assyrian and Babylonian invasions, never again did the Israelites dabble in idolatry. Life Questions: Idolatry need not involve images of wood or stone; it's possible to worship such things as money, another person, or fame. What are some 'idols' you might be temped to worship? |
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