No Other Idol Can Stand
MCGEE NALL // SENIOR
In response to October 1's Bible study.
I’m barely going to touch Vic and Joel’s sermon because they slayed and the phrase that’s still ringing in my ears (and should ring in yours, too) is “the Lamb of God.”
The LAMB of GOD. Ever since the beginning of time with Cain and Abel, the perfect sacrifice was a spotless lamb. It saved Isaac in Genesis 22. It saved a household during the Passover in Exodus 12, a nation on the Day of Atonement, and it saved all of us when Jesus died on the cross. How else could we respond other than how the elders and saints did it in Revelation 4-5, the same song we will sing when we see King Jesus, the Lamb of God, on the throne:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” (Revelation 4:8, 5:12-13)
It’s humbling, isn’t it? Seeing threads like this that tie our whole history, present, and future together while simultaneously pointing to the majesty, the grandeur, the power, and the glory of God…it’s overwhelming. It makes me want to fall to my knees.
If you will let it, this story should also stab you in the gut. This story should make us tremble before the Lord, not just in worship and awe, but in reverence and fear. Why? Because the same thing He did to Pharaoh, He will do to us, if need be.
“For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the LORD.” (Exodus 12:12)
“Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment…” Couldn’t that be said of the idols of our own hearts? We talked on Sunday about how each plague got progressively closer and closer to Pharaoh. The Lord continued cutting the sin, revealing the ugliness of Pharaoh’s heart, until he and the other Egyptians knew who He was. Fast forward for a sneak peek at chapter 14:
“Thus I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after tem; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.” (Exodus 14:4)
The same is true for us. The Lord will not stop until we know Him, which means pain. It means carving out the sin of our hearts and the idols that have stolen God’s throne in our hearts.
What are those idols for you? Being well-liked? Being the best at everything? Wanting a boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse? Building your resumes or future careers? Your families? Your friends? Losing weight or getting the body you’ve always wanted?
What do you spend your time thinking about? Where do you run to? Where do you go for comfort and ease?
Every other idol will perish. Every other person/thing/job that sits on the throne of your heart will be knocked off, and you will be as well. The Lord will convict and discipline you until the only thing left before you is His glory. Follow Moses’ advice to the Israelites:
“Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today…” (Exodus 14:13)
But don’t be fickle like the Israelites were, as we will see in the coming weeks. Fickleness and faithlessness is in our blood, it’s our sinful nature—resist it. Open your eyes and see that the Lord is enough, and He is the Almighty God. That alone should be enough to bring us to our knees.