It is evident from the record of Daniel that there is a very definite recognition of

idolatry as being deeply rooted in the affairs of man. We find this not only in the

beginning of Israel's national existence, but in the very genesis of human race itself.

What was the bait used in the garden of Eden? "Ye shall be as gods (or as God) knowing

good and evil" (Gen. 3: 5). When God would deliver Israel from Egypt, He dealt not

only with Pharaoh and the Egyptians, but directed His plagues and judgments "against all

the gods of Egypt" (Exod. 12: 12). The Nile, the frogs, the flies, the ashes, and the

locusts that figure in the plagues had definite reference to Egyptian idolatry.

At the very beginning of the great covenant which God made at Sinai, stands the

commandment: "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me" (Exod. 20: 3). It was by an

act of idolatry that Israel caused the tables of stone to be broken by Moses

(Exod. 32: 19). At least thirty false gods are named in Scripture, such as Dagon, Bel,

Diana, Rimmon, &100:

Idolatry was prevalent throughout the world at the time of Christ and the apostles.

Acts 14:, 17:, and 19: give three diverse examples of the idolatry of the times, to

which must be added sorcery (Acts 8: 9-11; 13: 6-8; 19: 13-20), and divination

(Acts 16: 16-18). In confirmation of this statement let us take Paul's epistles. It might

be thought that in setting out the gospel of grace, the nature and object of faith and hope,

the regulation of church discipline and ministry, idolatry, as such, would not need to be

mentioned. Yet what do we find? Rom. 1: 18-23 reveals the close connection between

Gentile reprobation and idolatry, which is only overcome by the glorious reconciliation

which Paul preached. Gal. 4: 8 alludes to the bondage of idolatry and shows the

astonishing fact that when a believer draws back from the glorious liberty of the gospel to

the servitude of the law, he is really acting in the spirit of idolatry. In chapter 5: 20

idolatry is included in the list of the works of the flesh.

I Corinthians devotes more than one passage to the question of idolatry (8:, 10:, and

12:). II Cor. 6: 16 asks, What agreement hath the temple of God with idols? I Thess. 1:

speaks of the repentant Thessalonians as "turning to God from idols". And II Thess. 2:

reveals the goal of all idolatry, the man of sin. John in his first epistle does not hesitate to

say: "My little children, keep yourselves from idols." Peter warns against "banquetings,

and abominable idolatries" (I Pet. 4: 3), while the Revelation shows that, at the time of

the end, idolatry with all its obscenity and demonism will be again dominant in the earth

(Rev. 2: 14-20; 9: 20; 21: 8; 22: 15). In Eph. 5: 5 the covetous man is said to be an

idolater, and in Col. 3: 5 covetousness is said to be idolatry.

While, therefore, in this land, actual and literal idolatry may not be so evident,

the spirit of idolatry as revealed in the pride, vain wisdom and thanklessness of

Rom. 1: 20-23, in the legalizing of the gospel as shown in Gal. 4:, and the magnifying of

self as contained in the word covetousness, and revealed in the prophetic utterance,

"lovers of pleasure, more than lovers of God", shows that it would be a simple process of

devolution to bring back idolatry in all its hideousness, even upon a so-called civilized