The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Psalm 106:19-22,
"At Horeb they [Israel, after they left Egypt] made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal. They exchanged their glorious God for an image of a bull, which eats grass. They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt, miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea."
As the psalmist recalls Israel's history, he points out how Israel had the proclivity of exchanging what they knew about God for "fake religion". God had done wonderful things for Israel and yet they turned to their own imaginations to replace him.
"At Horeb they [Israel, after they left Egypt] made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal. They exchanged their glorious God for an image of a bull, which eats grass. They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt, miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea."
As the psalmist recalls Israel's history, he points out how Israel had the proclivity of exchanging what they knew about God for "fake religion". God had done wonderful things for Israel and yet they turned to their own imaginations to replace him.
In this regard Israel demonstrated the corruption of the human heart we all have. It has not been only Israel to exchange God for something invented- all mankind has and does this. Consider Paul's comment in Romans 1:21-23, "For although they [fallen mankind] knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles."
The proclivity of mankind to turn from his Creator is an amazing thing. The drive to deceive ourselves in this regard is nothing short of stunning. It is all about us today. All kinds of religions, -isms and schisms, fake science, fake history, foolish philosophy that never satisfies, politics as the answer to life, and often, just simple distraction we allow into our lives to keep us from wrestling with the truth about God and his looming judgment.
What a feature of mankind's fallen nature!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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