Here in our series of posts on Joshua and Jericho, we are increasingly getting our toes stepped on. This week will be no exception. Check verse 18 out from Joshua 6:
But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it.
God, through Joshua, instructs the Israelites to destroy everything within the city as a sign of their devotion to Him, the Giver, instead of the city, the Gift. This is the fundamental defintion of avoiding idolatry: holding Giver above Gifts. But lest we think that we’re safe, God throws this verse into the Scriptures. If we follow Him, and have our devotion towards Him, we are loved and are the recipients of all of God’s promises. But the minute we turn to idols, whether ourselves or something else in creation, we also throw ourselves into the wrath of God. In taking one of the things devoted to destruction, the Israelites would make themselves a thing devoted to destruction as well.
I’m in charge of leading our city in repentance this Friday. While 3 minutes is a very short time to repent of all the particular sins we are guilty of(it’s the time all of the prayers are given), one categorical sin sums them all up: idolatry. You and I, and our city, are all guilty of idolatry. No matter how we cut it. If we are steeped in religion, we have made the events/processes/organizations our idol. If we are rebellious towards God, we have made ourselves our idol. Our city is consistently guilty of lifting the gifts of money, sex, alcohol, and work above the Giver. So this verse in Joshua 6 raises one particular question:
What should you be devoting to destruction instead of keeping to yourself, for yourself? Put simply…what do you hold above Christ? Even simpler: what is your idol?
I am from a country that commonly practices witchcraft and am familiar with the statues of the demons worshiped. After I became a Christian I had a revulsion for such things. Something in me would trigger a great dislike for such things and I would quickly move away from them or get rid of them.
I now live in the US and recently saw such a statue (the monkey demon worshiped by the hindus) in my landlady’s house. Her husband is a retired Baptist preacher. They regarded the statue as a mere souvenir. I told them what I knew about the statue and asked them if I could get rid of it, offering to pay for it, if it helped. The home has had problems.
I am now wondering if I did the right thing. If they did not know its nature as a demon symbol worshiped by those who are not saved, would it have mattered if they had it in their home? I would appreciate scriptural references in an answer.