DO NOT WORSHIP THINGS

Proclamation

“And Gideon said unto them, ‘I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey’ … And they answered, ‘We will willingly give them’ … the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold … And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah; and all Israel went thither a whoring after it; which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.”  Judges 8:24-27 (KJV)

Explanation

These are the words of God which were written by the prophet Samuel under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After the Israelites captured the leaders of the Midianite armies, Oreb and Seeb, and killed them (Judges 7:15-25) Gideon was questioned by the men of Ephraim as to why he had not called them to help him. (Judges 8:1)  He gave them an ego stroking answer which pacified them.  Then he went on over the Jordan river pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna the kings of the Midianites. (Judges 8:2-4)  When he and his three hundred men got to Succoth, he asked them for bread to feed his men and they refused him.  Gideon responded by telling them that after he caught the kings of Midian he would return and deal with them. (Judges 8:5-7)  He continued on to Penuel and asked the men there for bread and they also refused him.  He told also told them that after he caught the kings of Midian that he would return to deal with them. (Judges 8:8-9)  When Gideon caught Zebah and Zalmunna and they admitted killing his brothers, he killed them. (Judges 8:10-21)  Afterwards, the Israelites wanted to make him their king but Gideon refused.  He asked instead that they give him the gold earrings from the plunder they had collected.  Then he had the golden earrings made into an ephod and put it on public display in his home city.  Unfortunately, the children of Israel began to worship the ephod. (Judges 8:22-27)

Application

It is not good to worship anything other than The Lord God, in fact it is sinful to do so.  Most people deny worshiping idol gods.  However, people put their cars, their homes, their family, or their grandchildren before God.  Some people will miss going to worship services on Sunday in order to go to brunch with their children, but they cannot get their children to attend worship services.  Some people will attend a sporting event on Sunday instead of going to a worship service.  Putting any material thing, person, or event before The Lord God is a sin.  The Lord God is jealous and He wants nothing put before Him. (Exodus 20:3 and Deuteronomy 5:7)