American Idol & Hosea

It's amazing isn't it. I never thought of it before this moment, but the title of America's favorite reality show is about worship. What good is an idol if you don't worship it? Ironically I don't think most Americans worship the singers, although I am sure there are some who do. Maybe the American Idol has nothing to do with singing at all. Israel (or as Hosea like to call them Ephraim) made idols in their day. They did it with their hands. You might say it was like going to a craft show only the craft was little gods. America has created another kind of god.

During the time of Hosea the chosen people of God had begun worshiping Idols. Undoubtedly many of these same people attended worship gatherings on a weekly basis. Certainly they believed they were worshiping Yahweh. Yet if you entered their house or watched them the rest of the week you would certainly see the worship of idols. They did not see it as idolatry because they were simply worshiping the same god in different forms and using different methods.

Today in America our idol worship has become much more sophisticated. We don't generally worship wooden carvings or golden calves. We worship a god made in the image of man. We look at God and instead of seeking out Him we seek to change Him into something else. We want God to be a god that we like, one we can control, or one we can understand. The American Idol is one of the mind. These people who worship this false god are found all over the place. Many of them are found in the temple (church) worshiping on Sunday mornings. They believe they are worshiping Yahweh. They think they are worshiping Jesus the God-Man! In reality they are worshiping idols created by their own mind.

As seen continually throughout the book of Hosea the answer is first to see the error (exegetical preaching would help in this area) and then to repent. WOW, that is a little too Old Testament for me...wait, I guess the New Testament isn't really that much different. I guess Jesus demanded worship as the only way to the father. There is also that one passage that says something like there is only one name by which men can be saved. Hmmmm.

The idols in America are pervasive and found everywhere. Perhaps what hurts most to God is not that people worship idols, but that they confuse Him for someone else. Let me illustrate, I once went to a wedding where one of my former students was getting married. I knew the family well. I don't often where a suit (most people are shocked when they hear that I own one). As I was going through the greeting line the mother of the bride, whom I know well, did not recognize me. She thought I was from the grooms side of the family. Potentially that could hurt. This mom was embarrassed and apologized profusely (all is forgiven of course). This is the same kind of thing that happens with God. We have created this image in our mind, but it does not resemble the real thing. When we see the real thing we are confused, we realize we have been worshiping something that is not real.