Modern Idolatry

“A person will worship something, have no doubt about that. We may think our tribute is paid in secret in the dark recesses of our hearts, but it will come out. That which dominates our imaginations and our thoughts will determine our lives, and our character. Therefore, it behooves us to be careful what we worship, for what we are worshipping, we are becoming.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

It’s 2am, can’t sleep, and I’m listening to Bob Dylan’s song, “Gotta Serve Somebody;” the first song off his 1979 album, Slow Train Coming. It probably wasn’t what Dylan had in mind when he wrote the song, but it got me thinking about modern worship and what that looks like. Especially in the season of idol worship in America.

Just the other day I screenshot this picture off my phone from my EBay app and couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I don’t know which is worse, that someone was willing to pay $99,900 for a jar of beach sand where Tom Brady announced his retirement; or that 119 people placed bids on said jar of beach sand. It just goes to show you — people literally worship the ground he walks on.

But in the end of the day, Tom Brady, Madonna, and even Joe Biden got to serve somebody. Whether it is God or someone else pulling their strings. Someone made them who they are.

Raymond Arroyo talking about the latest Satan worship from The Grammy’s (sponsored by Pfizer) on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle, said: “When the culture is this depraved, it loses its ability to shock.” I wonder how much the Satan worship is ramped up before a nation’s downfall. Civilizations like the Canaanites, Babylon, and dare I say — Rome, who the United States is modeled after.

It is crazy the things people worship that are not worthy of our worship. Sports players, musicians, gods that are basically demons, and the most illusive: ourselves. The Grammy’s, Superbowl Halftime Show, and the like are all giant rituals who are slaves to an entity that is jealous of mankind who wants to take away God’s glory and destroy us all. In the end of time, God: the creator of all, wins.

We are truly living in dark times, and unless God intervenes, it’s not going to get better. Persecution will grow worse and worse. We may see a day when Christians are fed to lions in the coliseums again; but this time, they’ll be held at places like Giants Stadium, The Xcel Center in Minnesota, or dare I say, The Olympics for $500 a seat.

The LORD tells us in His Word things will get worse before they get better:

"But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 
For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 
unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 
traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 
having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!"

- 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NKJV

Perilous times. Hard to do, to take, or to approach. Hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous, fierce and savage.

As I finish this article, I ended with the last song off Bob Dylan’s album, Slow Train Coming — When He Returns.

Of every earthly plan that be known to man, he is unconcerned.

He’s got plans of his own to set up his throne,

When he returns.

Bob Dylan – When he returns, Slow Train Coming.

Jesus is returning. He will receive due worship. And when He does — it will be glorious.