1. God Knows Our Idols (verses 1-5)
2. Repent from Your Idols (verses 6-11)

At Rock Valley Bible Church, we have been working our way through the book of Acts. Two weeks ago (the Sunday before Easter), we finished up Acts, chapter 17, when Paul was preaching to the intellectuals in Athens. Before we proceed to chapter 18, I would like for us to pause a week. Because, there was a phrase in that passage that I would like us to return to this morning. It's found in verse 16, when Paul first enters the city. We read, "While Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols" (Acts 17:16).

I want for us to return here to this verse this morning, because it's easy for us to think that our society is so different than the culture in Athens. After all, we don't have religious shrines along our streets. We don't have many idols lining our countryside, like Athens did. In most of our homes in America, we don't have Buddha statues. So, we tend to think that these sorts of things are only seen in third-world countries. I have been to India and Nepal on a handful of occasions, and indeed, there are idols all around.

You don't have to walk very far to see a Hindu Shrine or a Buddhist Temple. They are on the streets. They are outside of homes. They are in the public square. They are everywhere. It's not uncommon to enter a restaurant and see a fat Buddha statue greeting you as you enter. I would suppose that this is what Athens was like. As Paul walked the city, he saw these shrines and objects of worship all over the city. I told you two weeks ago that William Barclay made the statement that it was easier to meet a god in Athens than a man, a religious place, full of idols. Paul's heart was provoked to see the false worship all around. It stirred him to speak to those in Athens about the true God, about Jesus, how he raised from the dead, and will judge those who don't believe in him.

Now, our danger this morning is to think that we are above Athens, because we don't have idols in our society today. Look around. I don't see any shrines. I don't see any Buddha statues. We aren't guilty of idolatry. In this 21st century, we have come so far. I want for us this morning to understand that America is a country full of idols. They just look different than the idols of the ancient world. They aren't overt for all to see, which makes them all the more dangerous to our souls.

See, it's one thing for the Ukrainians to see the Russian tanks coming. They know that they are in danger. But it's another thing to step on a land-mine, planted by the Russians. It catches you off-guard. You never knew that it was there. You thought all was well, when actually, you were in great danger. You step on the mine, and it blows off your leg. This morning, I want to address the issue of idolatry, that you might see it in our society, that you might see it in your own souls, that you might repent of your sinful ways.

To do that, I would like for us to work through a passage in the Old Testament: Ezekiel 14. The title of my message this morning is this: "Idols of the Heart," because that's what we see in Ezekiel 14. We see the people of Israel taking idols into their hearts. This is what I want for you to see this morning. Though the idolatry of Athens was plain and obvious to all, there is an idolatry of America that lies in our hearts.

Let me read the text for you:

Ezekiel 14:1-11
Then certain of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me. And the word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them? Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols.

"Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations. For any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, who separates himself from me, taking his idols into his heart and putting the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to a prophet to consult me through him, I the LORD will answer him myself. And I will set my face against that man; I will make him a sign and a byword and cut him off from the midst of my people, and you shall know that I am the LORD. And if the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. And they shall bear their punishment—the punishment of the prophet and the punishment of the inquirer shall be alike—that the house of Israel may no more go astray from me, nor defile themselves anymore with all their transgressions, but that they may be my people and I may be their God, declares the Lord GOD."

So, picture the scene. It takes us back to ancient Israel. The northern kingdom had been destroyed by Assyria because of their sin. The southern kingdom was on the verge of destruction for the same reason. Judah had forgotten the LORD, and had strayed from him. They were beginning to experience God's judgment upon them. Now, some of the Jews had already been taken into captivity in Babylon. Ezekiel was one of them. Ezekiel was a prophet, who was called by the LORD (see Ezekiel, chapter 2), who spoke for the LORD.

There was a day when some of the elders came to speak with Ezekiel. From verse 3, it seems as if they were coming to the prophet of God as representatives for the people, to tell the prophet of God what to do. Instead, they received a message from the LORD. Ezekiel gave them a message from the LORD. The heart of Ezekiel's message to the elders of Israel has to do with the hearts of the people of Israel and how they had taken idols into their hearts, and how they needed to turn from these idols. Thus, the title of my message this morning, "Idols of the Heart."

In fact, you can see this phrase in the text on three separate occasions. In verse 3, we read of how the elders had taken "idols into their hearts." In verse 4, we read of how God will deal with anyone who takes his "idols into his heart." In verse 7, we read of how people separate themselves from the LORD, taking his "idols into his heart."

What I find most interesting from this passage is how God identifies "idols." He doesn't identify them as the external idols that we typically think of as idols, such as the idols of Athens, idols that you can see and touch and bow down to. In fact, I would suspect that these elders who came to Ezekiel and the exiles in Babylon were not worshiping the idols of the land. They were steeped enough in the Old Testament teaching to see the futility of idols, that have eyes, but cannot see, that have ears, but cannot hear, that have feet, but cannot walk. I doubt that the people of Israel were worshiping these idols. Nevertheless, God says, they were worshiping idols. They were worshiping idols that they had taken into their hearts. God was not unaware of these idols. In fact, this is my first point this morning:

1. God Knows Our Idols (verses 1-5)

Look at verse 3,

Ezekiel 14:3
"Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them?"

When these men came to consult with Ezekiel, God knew what was in their hearts. He knew that they had idols in their hearts. God knew their true gods. It wasn't the LORD. Rather, it was other desires of their hearts. The LORD had commanded Israel, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).

Instead of worshiping the LORD with all their hearts, they had taken idols into their hearts. That is, they had taken into their hearts other affections and desires, which the LORD called, "Idols." God knew all about these idols. So, you say, "What is an idol of the heart?" Regarding a definition, I can do no better than the definition I mentioned two weeks ago. It is from Brad Bigney in his excellent book, "Gospel Treason: Betraying the Gospel with Hidden Idols." He says this: "An idol is anything or anyone that captures our hearts, minds, and affections more than God."

If you think about this for any length of time, you discover that everything in our lives could be an idol. You can make an idol of your possessions. Your house can be an idol. Your car can be an idol. Your phone can be an idol. If you think about it further, you discover that you can easily make an idol of people. Famous people. Rich people. People with more gifts and abilities than you. Your spouse can even be an idol. You can make an idol of something that you don't even have.

Consider Colossians 3:5, "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." Paul tells those in Colossae to put to death the sin in their lives. Of importance to us this morning is the last sin he mentions: covetousness. That is, the desire for something that you don't have, and Paul says that covetousness "is idolatry." Covetousness is something that captures our hearts, minds and affections more than God, which is Bigney's definition of idolatry.

This verse, Colossians 3:5, demonstrates that idolatry isn't tied, necessarily, only to the overt shrines that are worshiped. Idolatry can be something that can be intensely internal. If there is anything in America that defines us, it is covetousness. America loves its materialism. Advertisers get at this in all of our media. Always wanting more and more is the drive of America. So, don't think that just because we don't have religious shrines in America, that we are free of idolatry. It is all around us. We are a nation of coveting people, always wanting more.

This coveting isn't merely the danger of non-believers, out there in the world. It can easily be in our hearts as well. That's what we see here in Ezekiel 14. We see God identifying in the hearts of the people of Israel, "Idols of the Heart," because he knows our idols. These idols were leading the people of Israel into sin. Look again at verse 3, "Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces."

We read the same thing in verse 4,

Ezekiel 14:4
Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face.

Somehow, these idols were causing them to stumble into sin. Now, I'm not exactly sure what the idols were of the ancient Israelites, who found themselves in exile in Babylon. Perhaps their idols were security. They didn't like the uncertainty of a life in exile. I don't blame them. So, they were willing to follow along with the pagan practices of the Babylonians to survive.

Perhaps their idols were prosperity. Here they were, poor in a foreign land, and they needed to make ends meet. So, rather than worshiping the LORD on the Sabbath, as God had commanded them, they were out working, selling their wares. Perhaps their idols were other interests. They were more interested in hanging out in the marketplace, than hanging out with God in private devotion. But, whatever they were, they were the source of sin that came from their hearts. The result of their sin comes at the end of verse 5. They were "all estranged from me through their idols." That is, these idols had caused the people of Israel to distance themselves from the LORD, so that now, God was a stranger to them.

In many ways, this is the core of the idols of the heart: they pull us away from God. Again, Brad Bigney's definition of idolatry, "An idol is anything or anyone that captures our hearts, minds, and affections more than God." So the question, obviously is this: Do you have idols in your heart? In other words, if you were one of these elders, coming to seek counsel with the LORD, would he rebuke you as having taken "idols into your heart?" Here are some questions for you.

1. How do you spend your time? Time is the great revealer of our hearts. We spend our time doing what we want to do.

2. What do you think about? Your thoughts are indicative of our minds. We think about what is most dear to us.

3. Where do you go? Your activities in life are guided by your affections. You go and do what you most want to do.

Now, it's tricky here, because there are many things in life that distract us from our direct devotion to the LORD, which aren't necessarily sin. Take, for instance, our jobs. We have to spend our time at our jobs. We have to think about our jobs. We have to go to our jobs. Or, if you are a student, your school. You have to spend time at school. You have to think about school (after all, isn't this the point?). You have to go to school. If you happen to be a stay-at-home mom, the issues are the same. You have to spend time working on your home. You have to think about the matters of your home.

Though these things may distract you from the direct worship of the LORD, none of these things are necessarily idols of your heart. Remember what Paul said to the bondservants in Colossae and how they ought to serve their master?

Colossians 3:22-24
Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

When you go to work (or stay home or study), and when you think about how to do what must be done, you can honor the Lord in these things, even doing it "heartily," with all of your heart. You can serve the Lord Christ. Yet, at the same time, work can be an idol. Financial gain can be an idol. Your grades can be an idol. This is where a good thing can actually be a god-thing for you. So, these questions about your time and your thoughts are difficult. Because, the way you spend your time can be an idol, or it may not be an idol.

Perhaps another way to think about these things is this: What stirs you? What most excites you about life? What do you really live for? How do you spend your spare time? Again, these questions are tricky, because God has commanded us to rest, and he has given us the good things in life for our enjoyment.

1 Timothy 4:4-5
For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer."

So, perhaps the best question is this: What is it that you simply cannot live without? Or, perhaps another way to ask it is this: What makes you angry when you cannot have it? Anger is a great revealer of idols of the heart. In James, chapter 4, James asks the question:

James 4:1-2
What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.

Or, to say it with the verbiage of "idols of the heart," what causes you to fight and be angry? Is it not this, the idols of your heart? You desire to worship your idols, but when you cannot have them or when they are taken away from you, you get angry and fight to have your idols. It's easy to see in a toddler. The toddler is playing with a little toy, and you take it away. What do you get? You get loud crying and tears in protest. Why? Because the toddler has made an idol of his little toy.

But it's so hard to see in ourselves. What if you have a little toy taken away from you? How do you respond? If you respond with anger, it's an idol of your heart, and you are not so far removed from those in Athens whose city was full of idols. So, church family, I would encourage you to fight the war of your sin at the heart level, where your idols sit enthroned.

I quote Brad Bigney,

In this war against sin, you must not be satisfied to simply stop sinning. As you work with your kids, with yourself, and with your spouse, identifying your heart's idols can help you to understand why you become so irritable, why you raise your voice. Identifying the idols of the heart is when the tide starts to turn. It's not enough to memorize some verses about anger and self-control. Go after the heart! There are heart issues behind all that anger. Anger, irritability, and verbal outbursts are indicative of heart issues gone awry. When you react to someone else, what is it that you are protecting? What is it that you must have? Our sin can be traced back to our idols every time.^[1]

So, as you battle against sin, seek to find the sin beneath the sin. Why are you lacking peace? You have an idol. Why are you lacking self-control? You have made an idol of food. Husbands and wives, I just want for you to think about your fights and quarrels. What is the root cause of them? It may be the idols of your heart. It may be that the idols of your heart are the root cause of your marital conflicts.

So, how do you know and discern the idols of your heart? Again, it's tricky. Proverbs 21:2 says, "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart." We will quickly justify our own actions. We will quickly say that the idols of our hearts are not really idols. But God knows our idols (verses 1-5). So, let's go to him to find them out.

Psalm 139 is a great Psalm. In it, David begins and ends with the same theme: God searches us and knows all about us. "O LORD, you have searched me and known me!" (Psalm 139:1). David continues to describe how God knows when we sit down, when we rise. God knows what we will say before we say it. God is with us, wherever we are, at home, at church, at work, while on vacation in the Bahamas. God has made us from the womb. God knows all of our days.

So, what can we do, but pray the prayer that David prays at the end of the Psalm? "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139:23-24). Seek for the idols in your life and turn from them. This is the message that Ezekiel gave to the elders who came to him.

2. Repent from Your Idols (verses 6-11)

In Ezekiel, chapter 14, basically right after identifying how God knows our idols, the command is there to repent from your idols. Verses 6-8 say,

Ezekiel 14:6-8
"herefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations. For any one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel, who separates himself from me, taking his idols into his heart and putting the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to a prophet to consult me through him, I the LORD will answer him myself. And I will set my face against that man; I will make him a sign and a byword and cut him off from the midst of my people, and you shall know that I am the LORD.

In other words, if you do these things, if you have idols in your heart and they have separated you from God and you have walked in your sin, stirred on that way, and you come before the Lord GOD, it's pretty bad. He says in verse 8 that he is going to "set my face against that man." God promises to "cut him off from the midst of my people." There's the judgment that comes if we think that we're going to come to God fully delighting and satisfying in the idols of our heart. We separate from God. We make a stumbling block.

So I just say, repent and turn.

But know that there's a difference between the one who has an idol in his heart and like cherishes that idol and really loves that idol and does not want to give that idol up, as opposed to the one whose idol comes into his heart and he hates it and he's trying to get rid of it and trying, and it's just sort of there all the time and can't quite seemingly get rid of it. There's a total difference in the perspective there. When you come to God and you say, "Yes, I have these idols, search me and I want to get rid of them," that's the way to come. But if you harbor that in your heart, it's not going to be good. The judgment comes.

This is admittedly hard. John Calvin said, "The human heart is a perpetual idol factory." We make idols from our heart every bit as fast as Chrysler makes cars on their assembly line. Just this factory of all these things working together, churning away, and our heart churns away idols. Idol after idol, because we have desires and we want things. God has made us to want things. God has made us to want him. Instead we want things. We want stuff. We want people. Our hearts are these idol factories, always creating idols in our lives. The result of that is not good. We'll be cut off from people. There will be judgment.

God's promise of condemnation continues in verse 10,

Ezekiel 14:10-11a
And they shall bear their punishment—the punishment of the prophet and the punishment of the inquirer shall be alike—that the house of Israel may no more go astray from me, nor defile themselves anymore with all their transgressions,

In other words, if God cuts you off and destroys you, you're not going to commit idolatry anymore because you're going to be done, whether it's discipline in this age or judgment in the age to come. The only way to escape that is Jesus.

Even we see here that the end result, God always is giving a message of hope. This isn't a message of doom and gloom. It's more a message that God knows your idols, so don't hide from them. Be open with them with God, and repent and turn from them. When you're dealing with your sin, deal with the idols of your heart, the sin beneath the sin, in order to be there. Then God always gives hope. "But that they may be my people and I may be their God, declares the Lord GOD" (verse 11). That's the great refrain at the end of Revelation, that when God comes and dwells with us, he is our God and we are his people, and there's happy unity because we're worshiping him. We're not worshiping our idols. Of course that comes through Jesus.

I think about Paul as he spoke to those in Athens. You remember how he concluded his message? He concluded his message with a message of condemnation and judgment, and yet hope in Jesus as well. He says in verse 30 of Acts chapter 17, "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent." Repent of the idols of the heart. Repent of the sinful ways. God is declaring repentance because he's fixed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness through a man whom he's appointed, and of this he's given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.

Jesus, raising from the dead, demonstrates that he is the one who's going to come and judge the living and the dead. We either turn to the Lord and repent and trust in Christ, or we hold on to our idols and keep them and hold them until our dying day. I think this issue here is the dividing line between believers and non-believers. The non-believers cherish their idols. They're not going to let God have any of those. But the believer says reluctantly, in pain and tears, opens up and says, "God, search me, know me. You know where I am. I'm broken." All of us here in this room, we're not coming perfect. So open up your heart to the idols that God has, and turn from them, and seek God's strength to turn from the idols of our heart.

Realize we're just like those in Athens. We may think that we live in the 21st century, we're all good, we're pristine, we have no idols. "What's it talking about? That's not relevant to us." Oh, it's relevant to us. It's a call to every one of us to forsake our idols and to turn and trust in Jesus, who is both the judge and the savior. He's both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

This sermon was delivered to Rock Valley Bible Church on April 24, 2022 by Steve Brandon.
For more information see www.rockvalleybiblechurch.org.

[1] Brad Bigney, Gospel Treason (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2012), 25.