Scripture: Genesis 31:29-36, Isaiah 17:7, 8
Unlike Catholicism, Protestantism is wary of statues or icons. Some even argue that the cross itself should be removed from sanctuaries to avoid idolatry. But are idols only physical? Is it enough simply to not worship an object?
When Rachel fled her father Laban’s house, she stole his Teraphim (household idols). She didn’t steal them because they were made of gold, but because they were seen as "guardians" of the home—portable charms believed to bring luck. Laban’s desperate pursuit of Jacob wasn’t primarily for his daughters or his wealth, but to recover these idols.
The contrast is clear: An idol is a god that humans must create and protect. If a person does not guard an idol, it can be stolen or lost (as seen when Rachel hid them under a camel’s saddle). In contrast, the True God is the One who created and protects humans. While Laban was hunting for his lost "gods," the True God appeared to him in a dream to protect Jacob (Gen 31:24). If you have to keep watch over your "god" so it doesn’t disappear, it is an idol.
Isaiah 17:7-8 teaches us how to avoid idolatry: Stop looking at what your hands have made and look to the One who made you. In modern terms, "what our hands have made" includes our career, credentials, wealth, and the "glory days" of our past (often called "Latte" in Korean—referring to the phrase "Back in my day..."). If these are the things that give us confidence and identity, they are our modern Teraphim. True worship is a paradigm shift where we stop obsessing over our own achievements and start magnifying the work of God.
How can we tell if something is an idol? Look at your reaction when things don’t go your way or your prayers aren't answered. If you feel uncontrollable rage or despair, you were likely worshipping an idol of your own making.
Cain vs. Abel: God rejects worship that seeks self-satisfaction.
Simon the Pharisee vs. The Sinful Woman (Luke 7): Simon invited Jesus for his own prestige. The woman, however, ignored her own reputation and focused entirely on Jesus, washing His feet with her tears.
True worship is determined by the direction of our gaze. Idolatry is any gaze fixed on oneself—whether it is "self-righteousness" (pride) or "self-pity" (obsession with one's own wounds). The sinful woman was not focused on her misery; she was focused on the One who could heal her.
To let go of "Self-Love," we must learn "God-Love" and boast only in the Cross (Galatians 6:14). In Korean, a humble and submissive heart can be expressed through four phrases ending in "So" (which also means "Cow"). This year, let us "raise these four cows" in our homes and communities:
Naega Jyeo-so: "I have lost (I surrender)."
Dangsin-i Ol-so: "You are right."
Dangsin Tteut-daero Hai-so: "Do as You will."
Nareul Yong-seo-hai-so: "Please forgive me."
When we die to ourselves, God brings us to life. That is the path to destroying our idols and offering true worship.
"In that day people will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands, and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles and the incense altars their fingers have made." (Isaiah 17:7-8, NIV)
Q1. Finding My Teraphim: Have you recently felt uncontrollable anger or despair when a plan failed or something was lost? Could that thing be a "Teraphim" you were holding onto?
Q2. Protecting vs. Being Protected: We often exhaust ourselves trying to "protect" our children's future, our reputation, or our finances. What area of your life are you struggling to hand over to the God who protects you?
Q3. The "Latte" Idol: Is there a past success or a "self-made" identity that hinders you from looking solely at the Creator?
Q4. Gaze of Self-Pity: Do you tend to focus more on your "wounds" (Self-pity) or on the "Lord who heals"? What is the difference in the fruit of these two perspectives?
Q5. Raising the Cows: Which of the four phrases—I surrender, You are right, Do as You will, Forgive me—do you need to practice most this week?
Would you like me to create a small "card news" style summary or a prayer based on this text for your congregation?
aa0002, aa0002 Host 2026-01-31 08:30:14 Comment