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."

licensed cleaning services Park Ridge ..

In The News:

Scammers create fake Evite invitations that mimic legitimate event emails, requiring users to verify senders and use antivirus software for protection.

The new Apple Watch hypertension feature passively monitors blood pressure patterns over 30 days using sensors to detect chronic high blood pressure signs.

Chrome extension spyware disguised as a free VPN service highlights security risks after it captured private browsing data from trusted sites.

New research shows how fatty acids in cooking oil can safely dissolve and recover silver from circuit boards without harmful chemicals or environmental damage.

The Fox News AI newsletter gives you information on the latest AI technology advancements, and about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Anthropic investigates alarming AI abuse case where hacker automated entire cybercrime campaign using Claude, stealing sensitive data from defense and healthcare firms.

TikTok, Meta and YouTube restrict Charlie Kirk shooting videos with age gates and warnings while X faces criticism for allowing continued circulation.

Cybercriminals use fake troubleshooting websites to trick Mac users into running terminal commands that install Shamos malware through ClickFix tactics.

San Francisco startup Fable launches Showrunner, an AI platform dubbed the 'Netflix of AI' that generates animated episodes from text descriptions with Amazon support.

Apple raised iPhone prices for some models despite receiving tariff relief from President Donald Trump, with the new lineup starting at $799 for the base model.

A two-story 3D concrete printed home in Western Australia demonstrates faster construction methods that could reshape American housing amid rising costs.

Credit scores remain important during retirement for insurance rates and housing applications, while seniors become prime targets for identity theft and financial scams.

Scammers now send unexpected packages with QR codes that redirect victims to fraudulent websites or download malicious software to steal sensitive information.

Meeting AI tools record private conversations alongside work discussions, creating privacy risks that can be managed with proper settings and awareness.

Hotel privacy concerns are valid but rare, with methods to detect hidden tech using smartphone flashlights, mirror tests and scanning apps.

Improve your Wi-Fi speed and reliability with 10 simple router optimization tips that don't require special apps or expensive subscriptions.

A Columbia University breach exposed names, Social Security numbers and academic records of nearly 869,000 people, with notifications beginning in August.

Rental car drivers use AI-powered apps like Proofr to protect themselves from unfair damage fees as major companies deploy automated inspection tools.

Fox News' AI newsletter brings you the latest on technology advancements around artificial intelligence.

OnTrac data breach between April 13-15, 2025, exposed personal information of over 40,000 people including Social Security numbers and medical records.

A woman named Wika announces her engagement to an AI chatbot sparking worldwide debate about virtual relationships and technology.

The notorious people search site National Public Data relaunches despite a previous breach affecting 3 billion individuals, raising fresh privacy concerns.

Revolutionary TRAUMAGEL gel controls life-threatening bleeding from gunshot wounds and traumatic injuries, helping first responders prevent prehospital deaths.

Protect your home network by enabling proper encryption, creating strong passwords, checking connected devices and using VPN and antivirus software.

The Navy's solar-powered Skydweller drone flew nonstop for 73 hours in Mississippi, proving renewable energy can power long-endurance military missions.

No Other gods Before Me

Spirituality