Digital Age Idolatry
“When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah his sores, then Ephraim turned to Assyria, and sent to the great king for help. But he is not able to cure you, not able to heal your sores.”
Hosea 5:13
Israel was in sin because of the weak spiritual leadership of the priests. Israel had arrogance that led to their unfaithfulness to God. While God rebuked them, Israel chose not to repent and adhere to that correcting discipline. That is why when the Israelites sought after God after, they would not be able to find Him. Like Israel, Judah also fell into sin because of pride just as their neighbor. It was not a genuine repentance that His people were responding with. God knows the heart of every individual and He sees their sinful and wicked deeds on display. He gave them an opportunity to repent after His warning and correction but the people chose to continue to live in sin, commit adultery against the Lord. Even when they were in distress, they asked the king of Assyria for help rather than God and fell deeper into idolatry and sin. Yet it is not the king of Assyria that can provide healing and restoration, only the Lord can.
We live in a digital age today where the internet provides instant information for those that seek it. In addition, one is able to access information on the social media with an immediate swipe of their finger. If we had a question about anything, we can simply google it or even go on reddit. Quite amazing at how fast we can get our questions answered. Yet the internet and social media has become an idol for many Christians. When we are experiencing a difficulty in our lives, we turn to social media or the internet. Sometimes we search for answers to our difficulties, other times we simply tune in to drown out the negativity that we are experiencing in this world.
A perfect example is seen always at group settings. When there is an awkward silence in a group or between two people, often times someone pulls out a cell phone and begins to scroll through social media or other mobile apps. It is to drown out the sense of awkwardness or silence in the social setting. It’s not the best response obviously. If there is an awkward silence in a group setting, our response shouldn’t be to pull out our phone but it should be to create (and learn to create) conversations to fill that silence.
In similar aspects, this is our relationship with God. We should know what we should do when we are facing awkward situations in our lives but we turn to other means rather than seek (and learn to seek) God in the midst of our trials and difficulties. Yet unfortunately, we choose to pull out our phone or turn to other idols in response. In this day and age of Christianity, we may not even know what we should do when we are facing trial in our life.
Do we know how to repent? Are we genuinely turning to God in difficult times? Sometimes when we are in distress, we say a simply prayer and expect everything to be okay. Sometimes we sin and we expect God to be just okay with it if we “sort of” of repent about it. Yet repentance is a 180 degree turn in our heart, mind, and soul. When we are going one direction, repentance will lead us to the other direction. It isn’t 45 degree, acute angle.
If we are not genuine in our repentance and completely seeking God, we will eventually face the consequences of our idolatry and sin. While our God is a gracious God, He is also a just God. God warned the Israelites and those in Judah that they would not be able to find Him if they continue in their idolatry. We too, if we continue to be embedded in idolatry, eventually no longer be able to find God. Not because God is no longer there but because we have fallen so deep in our sinful state that our hearts and mind no longer seeks Him even in the slightest bit.
Our first response to difficulties must not be in this world, the internet, social media, or the cell phone. It must be towards God and we must continually be intentional in learning to discipline ourselves to seek the Lord every time we face an awkward situation in our life.
“Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. 26 Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. 27 Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.”
Proverbs 7:15-27
This chapter is a fair warning to the reader about the adulterous woman. When I was in seminary, I was always warned that there are three areas that will always hinder a pastor and his ministry: (1) Ego/Pride (2) Greed (3) Adultery. This also applies to really any leader in any field if you really consider it. Presidents have been removed from office or had their reputation tainted because of one of these three areas (although that may no longer be the case in the United States unfortunately, it shows the moral decline of our nation). This chapter is a warning to avoid the temptation of sin and can be applied not only to adultery but to any temptation one may struggle with.
Solomon begins with a story of a simple and young man he saw walking through the streets from his window. He had no vision or sense about his life and it was clear it was very young and immature in his life experiences. He was going down the street and began to walk in the direction that led to the home of the adulterous woman. Here is the fact about temptation, if we don’t avoid it - it will eventually engulf us. We are never above temptation and we must set boundaries to avoid it. If we do not, we will eventually fall into sin, every single time. No one can completely and always ignore temptation. They are not superhuman nor are they supernatural. Avoid the path to the adulterous woman’s home.
In this digital age, the greatest temptation for man to commit adultery is no longer found in the public streets but on the public internet. Pornography usage is rampant in this day and age and it is an epidemic that has destroyed many lives and marriages. Every individual must seek to avoid the temptation to commit adultery through the internet. We must set accountability with our church family, with our spouse, with our close same-gender friends, and ourselves. If you are dealing with the temptation of pornography, seek help from the Lord and through the church. You must quell that addiction and temptation immediately! It is easy to access the internet and fulfill the desires of your flesh but the consequences of sin are too grave (and will lead your relationships to the grave).
The man was compared to be an ox that goes to the slaughter. The adulterous woman was successful in her temptation and he went to her bedroom straightforward. The promise of immorality and sensual pleasure was too much to bear for this man and without realizing it, he is likened to an animal that was going into the pasture without realizing he was going in to be sacrificed. Solomon says to his son to avoid this path for it is a way to Hell. Many have fallen into adultery, do not think you are above that temptation as well. A fair warning to his son which is a fair warning to all of us to never to think we can avoid temptation always whether physically or emotionally.
