Gideon – Part 3 – Tearing Down Idols
Reading Time: 8 Minutes
At first, Gideon doesn’t believe God can use him. But through patient relationship, God shows His power and promises to stay with Gideon and help him lead Israel to victory. Gideon has become a disciple of the Lord and tearing down idols is the next step in his relationship with God!
Here are links to the first two parts:
To get the most from this post read Judges 6:25-35.
Tearing Down Idols
The very same night after Gideon’s first encounter with the Lord, He tells Gideon to tear down his father’s altar to the god, Baal. Gideon was also instructed by the Lord to cut down the Asherah pole beside it– another form of idol worship. Then the Lord told Gideon to build a proper kind of altar to the Lord using the wood from the Asherah pole. Lastly, Gideon was to offer a specific bull as a burnt offering. So, that night in the cover of dark, Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord told him.
Obey The Lord– At All Cost
Gideon knew his life would be threatened but he obeyed the Lord anyway. Something happens when you have a personal encounter with the Lord. He becomes more important than your reputation or even your physical safety!
It is apparent that Gideon’s family were very influential in the community and these family idols were made available for public worship. The next day, the town was in an uproar when they saw that Baal’s altar and the Asherah pole had been torn down. They were ready to kill Gideon, but to everyone’s amazement, Gideon’s father stepped in to defend him.
Gideon’s family idols stood in the way of Israel’s victory but Gideon’s personal relationship with the Lord gave him the courage to tear them down! Fear had once motivated Gideon to hide in a winepress. But after encountering the Lord, his motivation was love for others. He wanted to see his family and nation free and knew that the Lord was leading the way!
The Proper Altar
Gideon didn’t stop at tearing down the idols. He offered the bull upon a proper altar as the Lord had instructed him. This “proper altar” symbolizes Jesus Christ who died as the “Spotless Lamb” upon the wooden cross for the sin of the world! The idols in our lives must be torn down so we can make Jesus our proper altar of worship!
I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to idols. Isaiah 42:8 NASB
It was after Gideon tore down his idols and built a proper altar that the Holy Spirit came upon Gideon and anointed him for battle as a mighty warrior!
God Keeps His Word
The Lord promised Gideon freedom for Israel. When God makes a promise to us, it can be considered fulfilled even before we see it come to pass. The idols in our lives stand in the way of our breakthrough. The Lord is faithful and He always keeps His Word. But we have to follow His lead toward the promise if we want to take hold of it. Like Gideon, it is our obedience to His Word that brings the promise to pass!
Disciples Tear Down Idols
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:2-6 NIV
Israel knew that they were not to worship any false god but they were lured and enticed by the cultures all around them. They wanted to be like the rest of the world. The same demons that enticed them then are at work today, turning heads away from the Lord and His goodness.
Yes, people still bow down before idols (gods) made of wood and stone– even in America. And the worshipers of those false gods will tell you that they literally invite the spirit of that “god” to inhabit the image. Those spirits are actually demon spirits.
Tearing down idols like these is very important today. If you have idols in your possession, denounce and crush them– even if you don’t actively “worship” them. Demons may have been invited to inhabit them. The same is true for any celebration of other religions. We do not hate the people who worship other gods. On the contrary, we love them and want them to know Jesus!
Strange gods
Our idols may not be made of wood or stone, but in God’s eyes they are just as evil. We cannot live in victory until the idols in our lives are torn down! What is an idol? It is anything or anyone that we are not willing to let go of– if the Holy Spirit wills. If you are afraid to ask the Holy Spirit whether something is an idol in your life– it probably is. And like idols of wood and stone, idols of the heart are also inhabited by demons. Tearing down idols for us can mean literal deliverance from demons. But when we submit to God and resist the devil he will flee. In order to move forward in victory every idol must be demolished.
Some common idols, or gods, Christians can find themselves worshiping are the love of money, entertainment that keeps us from spending time with God and self. Then there are the obvious sin-addictions such as gossip, substance abuse, pornography, a judgmental spirit, lying, etc.
Idols of Religion
Idols of religion cause a Christian to stop pursuing the Lord intimately and “go through the motions” of Christianity instead. They make church programs more important than people and finishing projects more important than love. Becoming works-driven can make the heart lukewarm or even cold, making it easy to judge fellow Christians over trivial matters. When we fear what people think about us over what the Holy Spirit says about us we worship the opinions of others. But God wants us to tear down the idols of religion and remember who we are in Christ!
I will sprinkle you with pure water, and you will be clean from all your impurities. I will purify you from all your idols. I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 NET
The Idols of Culture
The sin we choose to participate in entertainment, advertisements, conversations, etc. may seem harmless but it can lead to compromise. Defending the darkness in our culture is a sign that pride is forming idols in our lives. Every Christian must follow the Spirit for themselves and their families in these areas.
We can’t avoid the world altogether and we’re not supposed to. God has called us to shine brightly in a dark world and He will protect our minds of the unintentional exposure to the culture around us. Bringing these unwanted exposures to the Lord daily keeps us cleansed, and if necessary, delivered.
Like Gideon, the Lord might ask you to let go of wrong beliefs, cultural strongholds, the love of money, gossip or other idols that will make your friends or family angry. They may want you to keep living like you did before you met Jesus. But the Holy Spirit will give you the courage to move forward with Him. God will set you free and you will become a powerful blessing in the Kingdom of God!
The Reward of Tearing Down Idols!
I waited patiently for the Lord’s help; then he listened to me and heard my cry. He pulled me out of a dangerous pit, out of the deadly quicksand. He set me safely on a rock and made me secure. He taught me to sing a new song, a song of praise to our God. Many who see this will take warning and will put their trust in the Lord. Happy are those who trust the Lord, who do not turn to idols or join those who worship false gods. You have done many things for us, O Lord our God; there is no one like you! You have made many wonderful plans for us. I could never speak of them all—their number is so great! Psalm 40:1-5 GNT
In Christ you are not the idols in your life. Tear them down and build a proper altar– the cross of Jesus and His resurrection– His presence! You have been cleansed by the Blood, set apart to be holy and filled with God’s Spirit! I hope you will read: Gideon – Part 4 – Signs
To learn how Jesus can become your Savior, please follow this link: Meet Jesus
Gideon - Part 2 - The Rock
