Exodus 34:12-14 (ESV)
“Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst. 13 You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim 14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),”
Righteous Jealousy
The righteous jealousy invoked by the Lord is much different than the jealousy you and I possess. If we look through His eyes, we see the church as His bride; bone of His bones and flesh of His flesh (Ephesians 5:22-32). He has not saved us so we can live for ourselves again; He has saved us for Himself (Colossians 1:16). Therefore, see our salvation as a betrothal and our idolatrous ways, born of our independence and rebellion, as a catalyst that kindles the fires of His jealousy.
We must remember an idol—anything that takes precedence in our heart over Him—is not a once-in-awhile sin; it is something that rules over us and enslaves us. Whatever challenges Jesus’ right to our hearts becomes His enemy. When we accepted Christ, we accepted Him as Lord and Master over us. If we have placed something or someone in front of our Master, we are in rebellion against Him.
Removing our Idols
Our study verses today indicate that we are not to meagerly get rid of our idols, but we are to TEAR DOWN, BREAK, and CUT INTO PIECES those things which stand between you and Him. This strong language clearly indicates that it is to be so destroyed that it can never be used again. It must be gone. If we exalt money, status, or sex above the Word of God, we are living in idolatry. Every time we inwardly submit to fear, bitterness, and pride, we are bowing down to the rulers of darkness. These idols we create must be torn down.
We cannot become numb to the fact of what He did for us on the cross. Our God, humiliated Himself by becoming one of us so that He could die on our place, just so we could be reconciled to the Father. What perfect love! And it is a love that endures forever.
Regardless of what you think of yourself today, Jesus wants a relationship with you. He wants you to destroy those things that are getting in the way of fellowship with Him, because he jealously wants you to know Him.
Only in death to self can you live in Christ.
Commit to Him today.
