Home
>
Spirituality
>
No Other gods Before Me

No Other gods Before Me

The passenger had to be carried onto the plane and carefully strapped into a first-class seat. She said nothing. As the airliner achieved cruising altitude, perhaps the flight attendants came around. "Would you like a beverage?" one may have asked. No reply. "What about a meal?" The question was ignored. Undoubtedly, the passenger said nothing. She didn't move, didn't look out the window, didn't make a sound. In fact, she didn't even breathe.

The passenger was Matsu, a gold-plated statue believed to be an actual goddess. The mainland Chinese sent her on a tour of Taiwan, some say as a ploy by Beijing to bring Taiwan eventually under its rule through cultural infiltration. The Taiwan Independence Party denounced the goddess's arrival with banners that read, "Chinese people should worship Chinese gods, Taiwanese people should worship Taiwanese gods."

The Bible bluntly rejects idolatry. Isaiah speaks of a man who chops up a tree. Half of it he burns as firewood to keep warm, and the other half he fashions into an idol and worships as his creator. "No one stops to think!" Isaiah exclaims (Isa. 44:19). The half he burnt as firewood did him more good than the other half!

The psalmist twice speaks of gods with eyes that don't see, ears that don't hear, hands that don't feel, and feet that cannot take them anywhere. Those who trust them, he says, will be like them (Ps. 115:4?8; 135:15?18).

Before we gloat over the foolishness of the blind, deaf, and mute, and unbreathing first-class passenger, let's look closer to home. We sing, "I have all for Him forsaken, and all my idols torn from my heart." Is it true? Whatever our idols are--money or booze, sex or power, drugs or food, or just self--it is just as mistaken for us to allow these to usurp God's place as it is to think that Matsu can do anything for us.

"No other gods" means the LORD has an exclusive claim to the temple of our hearts. Our God is a jealous God. There is room for no one else. No one else can save us. No one else will hear our prayers. No one else even cares.

Steve Singleton has written and edited several books and numerous articles on subjects of interest to Bible students. He has taught Greek, Bible, and religious studies courses Bible college, university, and adult education programs. He has taught seminars and workshops in 11 states and the Caribbean.

Go to his deeperstudy.com for Bible study resources, no matter what your level of expertise. Explore "The Shallows," plumb "The Depths," or use the well-organized "Study Links" for original sources in English translation. Sign up for Steve's free "DeeperStudy Newsletter."

professional maid services Park Ridge ..

In The News:

ShinyHunters claims responsibility for stealing 94GB of Pornhub user data affecting over 200 million records and demands Bitcoin ransom.

ChatGPT 2025 now connects to Apple Music, Canva, Expedia, TripAdvisor and OpenTable through built-in apps that help users create playlists, design graphics and more.

Apple releases emergency patches for two zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in attacks. iPhone and iPad users urged to update immediately.

DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.

Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.

New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.

Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.

New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.

Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.

Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.

San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.

Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.

Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.

Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.

Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.

Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

No Other gods Before Me

Spirituality