Leviticus 26:1“‘Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the LORD your God. 

From Money to Materialism: Recognizing Today’s Idols. Money consumed her thoughts from the moment she woke up to the time she went to sleep, becoming a central theme in her life. She dreamed of it and idolized it, indulging in the finest pleasures it could provide. Once she experienced wealth, she craved only the best—fast sports cars, luxurious mansions, and exquisite champagne defined his existence. Cash became her ultimate pursuit, a modern-day deity she cherished above all else.

What exactly is an idol, and how do we define idolatry? What did idols look like in Biblical times, and what do they look like today? According to the Meriam-Webster dictionary, an idol is an object of extreme devotion, a representation or symbol of an object of worship. Broadly, an idol is a false god, an imposter, a visible form without life. Idolatry is the worship of such an item as a god.

An idol can be anything, such as money in the above example, that becomes a reverence focus higher than God. Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, tells us that we cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve both God and money. Often, we don’t recognize the things we put on a pedestal and worship, because they look different from those the Israelites submitted to in the Old Testament. Today’s idols aren’t Asherah polls or images made of stone, wood, or metal.  They can be anything that takes God’s place as the most important focus and priority in your life. 

I’m not saying we shouldn’t want certain things or strive toward goals. I am saying we have to be careful not to prioritize them in our hearts and minds, leaving no room for God. Whatever we treasure more than God becomes an idol that dulls our spiritual hearing and hardens our hearts toward Him. God specifically tells us not to make idols or erect images to bow down to, because He is the Lord your God. When the things of this world seduce us to the point that they become indispensable in our lives, that’s idolatry. What are you making more important than God in your life? Is it money, your career, your appearance, or material things? If you’re not sure, remember the ABCs of Idolatry.

Ecclesiastes 2:8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man’s heart.