>>96893432in the scriptures there are two interrelated reasons for God’s hatred of idolatry:
1. Idols (both mental and physical images of false gods, as well as representations of the one true God) always detract from God’s glory; dishonoring and displacing Him.
Idols are literally nothings produced by the human heart and used by the Devil to deceive and enslave us.
The true and living God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the Maker and Ruler of all things. He rightly intends for his universe to be filled with his glory (e.g. Ps 46; 96:4-5; Job 38:1-41:34; Col 1:15-23; Rev 21:22-22:5). All forms of idolatry, including man-made images of the true God (e.g. the ‘golden calf’—Ex 32:1-10), are God as we would think of Him, rather than God as He would have us know and love him (e.g. Deut 6:1-25; 12:29-32; 29:29). All idols are, quite literally, nothings;[1] things produced by the human heart and used by the Devil to deceive and enslave us. The great evil of idolatry is that it dishonours God, obscuring His glory (e.g. Psalm 96:4-5; Isaiah 42:8; 57:1-13 cf. Mark 7:1-23). This leads us directly to the second reason for God’s hatred of idolatry.
2. Idolatry dishonours human beings by detracting from God’s glory reflected in us—distorting our true identity and making us less than he intends us to be.
God made us in his image. We are like mirrors which reflect his glory in the universe. The Serpent lied, and we believed him (Gen 3:1ff). We didn’t need to ‘become like God,’ for we were already made in his likeness (Gen 1:27-28; Ps 8). God did not hold out on us; his goal has always been to conform us to the perfect image of his Son (John 17:26; 2Cor 3:12-18; Col 3:1-4; 1John 3:1-3). The devastating evil of idolatry is that we settle for a counterfeit; a parody of human greatness which is bent in on itself. And most devastating of all, we become what we worship.
Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them. (Psalm 115:8)
