Psalm 96: Worthless Idols

Today’s reading is Psalm 96.

If you have followed our devotions throughout the psalms, you have heard the term “henotheism.” Henotheism is a polytheistic concept. The henotheist believe numerous gods exist, but devotes him or herself to one god in particular. The nations surrounding Israel were often henotheists. They believed in gods of the hills and the valleys, gods of the sun, moon, and stars, gods of varying nations. However, each nation gave their allegiance to a specific god. They liked to believe their god was the most powerful or ruler of the gods. In other words, they were happy to believe YHWH existed. However, they gave devotion to the god of their land, their ancestors, their nation.

I have no doubt many Jews were themselves henotheists. They filtered their belief in YHWH through that concepts they picked up in Egypt and learned from their Canaanite neighbors. Judaism, however, was not henotheistic. YHWH is great, and is to be praised greatly, and is to be feared above every god. However, not because YHWH was simply the strongest or had more control in Israel. When the nations around Israel presented their Baals, Ashtoreths, Molechs, Ras, Marduks, Dagons, and Zeuses, Israel was not simply to believe YHWH was bigger, badder, and better than these gods. They were to understand these gods were merely worthless idols. YHWH created the heavens. The sun, moon, and stars were not divine, but creations of the truly divine One.

Of course, most of us scoff at these supposed gods. Yet, what keeps us turning to sin? Is it not the idols set up in our hearts? Jesus says we cannot serve God and Mammon (Matthew 6:24). That is, if part of our heart trusts in money, we have an idol in it. We have a god in addition to the Lord. Maybe we pursue pleasure, fame, power, ease, convenience, education. If our heart is divided, we are like those Jews who spent too much time listening to their neighbors. We like to think of YHWH as the greatest God, sure. But we still have other gods sitting on the dais with Him. And that simply won’t work. In fact, the first commandment God gave Israel was not simply condemning considering some god as greater than YHWH. It was condemning bringing other gods before Him, that is, into His presence. YHWH is not the King of our personal pantheon. He is the only God. We must follow Him with single-minded devotion, with purity of heart. Every other god is worthless. We must let Him crush and conquer all our idols. We must fear and worship Him alone.

Praise the LORD! He alone is God!

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 96.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 96 prompt or improve your trust in God?

Psalm 86: You Alone are God

A few years ago, I learned a new term. I think I’ve mentioned it in our psalms talks before. The word is “henotheism.” Henotheism is a form of polytheism. It refers to a family or tribe worshiping a particular god while not disbelieving in the existence of other gods. It usually contains the idea of believing in multiple gods, but believing one god is supreme or sovereign over the rest.

Some scholars suggest the Jews were initially henotheistic and progressively became monotheistic. The monotheism was entrenched following the captivity in Babylon and the restoration.

On the one hand, there is simply no doubt many of the Jews throughout Israel’s history were individually henotheistic. They thought of YHWH the same way many of the neighboring nations thought of their own gods. Sure, there is Ra, Baal, Marduk, Ashtoreth, Molech, and on the list goes. But YHWH is the most powerful and sovereign over them all. He is the Most High, El Elyon.

There is no doubt YHWH made use of this belief (accommodatively, I believe) to demonstrate His own sovereignty. In Exodus 12:12, God says He will execute judgment on the “gods (elohim) of Egypt.” In Numbers 33:4, Moses recounts that is precisely what YHWH did, executing judgment on their gods (elohim). In Deuteronomy 4:7, God asks Israel to consider the other nations and their relationship with their gods (elohim) and how it compares to Israel’s relationship with Him.

However, let us not take this to mean the YHWH-ordained religion for the Jews at any time was henotheism any more than we should think the YHWH-ordained approach to worship was through statuary and idolatry even though most Israelites worshiped Him that way for most of Israel’s history. Psalm 86 drives this home.

In Psalm 86:8, the psalmist says, “There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours” (ESV). That sounds henotheistic. It sounds like “YHWH, there are lots of gods out there, but You are higher, stronger, and better than all the rest.” However, vs. 10 explains why this is so. Not because all the other gods are weaker, but because “You alone are God (elohim).” There is none like YHWH among the gods for one simple reason: none of the other gods are real.

Of course, some will say this psalm must have been written after the exile because Israel’s monotheism wasn’t settled until after the exile. But that is a bit like evolutionists telling us a fossil is a million years old because it is found in million-year-old rock, but when asked how they know the rock is a million years old they tell us because it contains a million-year-old fossil. Maybe Israel’s monotheism wasn’t settled until after the exile, unless, of course, this psalm was actually written by David as the ancient heading declares.

No matter how you cut it, we shouldn’t be surprised if many Israelites themselves misunderstood the nature of YHWH. But this psalm nails down the official, YHWH-ordained understanding. YHWH alone is God and there is none like Him among the gods because none of those other “gods” are actually gods.

The LORD our God is one. Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 86.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 86 prompt or improve your trust in God?