Idolatry is the worship or veneration of images, statues, or anything that is not God. This act is considered a sin in many religions, and the Bible is no different. In the Bible, idolatry is portrayed as a deviation from the worship of the true God, replaced by the veneration of idols or representations of gods. In essence, idolatry is giving something or someone other than God the place that belongs to Him alone. Throughout the Bible, there are numerous verses that revolve around the theme of idolatry and the consequences it brings.
What the Bible Says About Idolatry
The Bible delivers a strong message against idolatry, consistently highlighting the perils of worshipping false gods and images. It emphasizes that God alone is deserving of devotion and worship, and anything that distracts from this relationship is regarded as an idol. It’s not just physical idols that the Bible warns about. It points out that anything which holds a higher place in our affections or priorities than God, be it wealth, status, pleasure, or even another person, can be considered an idol. The Bible’s stance against idolatry is uncompromising, warning of spiritual death for those who engage in it.
Why Idolatry is Considered a Sin
Management of our relationships with things, people, and ideas is a significant teaching in the Bible. As per the Bible, idolatry corrupts these relationships. It is a sin because it involves replacing God with something else in our hearts. This act violates the principle of exclusive devotion to God, as emphasised in the Ten Commandments. By elevating something or someone to the status of a god, creating an idol, we distort the correct order of our affections and allegiances. This is what makes idolatry a serious sin according to the Bible.
Where the Bible Warns Against Idolatry
Warnings against idolatry are found throughout the Bible, from the early Books of Moses to the prophetic writings, and into the New Testament. Besides the explicit warnings in the Ten Commandments, there are numerous other instances. Prophets repeatedly called out their contemporaries for the sin of idolatry, often attributing the downfall of nations to their idol worship. Similarly, in the New Testament, apostles warn the early Church about the dangers of idolatry, urging them to keep their focus entirely on God. It is clear that the Bible consistently echoes the perils of idolatry.
Who Does the Bible Say Will be Judged for Idolatry
The Bible states that all who engage in idolatry will be judged by God. This includes not only those who bow to physical idols, but also those who place anything else above God in their hearts. Idols can be subtle and entwined in our everyday lives, such as the pursuit of wealth, power or status. The Bible emphasizes that all who fail to honor God as the one true God, and instead exalt other things to His rightful place, are committing idolatry. These people, the Bible asserts, will face God’s righteous judgement.
When the Bible Condemns Idolatry
The Bible condemns idolatry throughout its verses. From the earliest days of the Israelites, when they were prohibited from worshipping golden calves, to the New Testament where Christians are admonished not to conform to the idolatrous practices of surrounding cultures. Idolatry in the Bible is depicted in various forms, and not just the obvious worship of graven images. Whenever humans pursue, serve, or derive ultimate meaning from something other than God – be it career, relationship, possessions, even one’s own ego – the Bible classifies it as idolatry. And whenever idolatry is mentioned, it is unequivocally condemned as a disregard for God and His commandments.
Below is the full list of bible verses on idolatry (King James Version – KJV). The list is ranked in order of popularity and we hope you find the inspiration you need.
Most Popular Bible Verses About Idolatry
Exodus 20:3-6
“3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”
Related Themes: Priorities Coveting Worship Adultery
Colossians 3:5
“5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:”
Leviticus 19:4
“4 Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God.”
1 Corinthians 10:14
“14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.”
Related Themes: Letting Go
Psalm 16:4
“4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.”
Related Themes: Impurity
Galatians 5:19-21
“19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Related Themes: Lust Abomination Lust Bitterness Adultery
Psalm 135:15-18
“15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.16 They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;17 They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.18 They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.”
Exodus 20:1-8
“1 And God spake all these words, saying,2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”
Related Themes: Morals Respecting Your Parents Morality Money 10 commandments
Jeremiah 11:12
“12 Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.”
Isaiah 45:20
“20 Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.”
Galatians 4:8
“8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.”
Revelation 9:20
“20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:”
Related Themes: Gold Repentance Repentance
1 Samuel 15:23
“23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.”
Related Themes: Rebellion Fortune Manipulation Disobedience
Jeremiah 7:18
“18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.”
1 Corinthians 10:7
“7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”
Exodus 23:13
“13 And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.”
Judges 10:14
“14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.”
Romans 1:23
“23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.”
Deuteronomy 27:15
“15 Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.”
Related Themes: Abomination Creativity Omnipotence
1 Corinthians 6:9
“9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,”
Related Themes: Lust Abomination Lust Abomination
Isaiah 44:17
“17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.”
Hosea 11:2
“2 As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.”
Micah 5:13
“13 Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.”
Deuteronomy 7:25
“25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God.”
Related Themes: Abomination Gold Coveting
Isaiah 2:8
“8 Their land also is full of idols; they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made:”
Isaiah 46:7
“7 They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.”
Revelation 2:14
“14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.”
Related Themes: Adultery
Acts 17:29
“29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.”
Related Themes: Gold
