The Golden Image

Exodus 20:4-6 NIV

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

In the book of Daniel 3:1–2, Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold that is very tall and wide; then he invited all the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the judges, and all the officials of the provinces to the dedication of the image. I believe the image was a very big project before the king, and he must have spent huge material resources and time to build that image. In fact, it must have been seen as one of his achievements as the king of Babylon.

He invited all the important officials and leaders to come for the dedication of the project, but he did not inform them that they would be compelled to bow to the image. In such a situation, your decision as to whether to bow or not must be spontaneous because there won’t be time to go and think about it, and the condition does not allow you to have a second chance if you fail to comply. However, despite the death threat attached to the command, it was reported that the three Hebrew men rejected the idea publicly and also refused to bow to the image, daring whatever the consequences would be. They knew it would be wrong for them to bow to other gods except for Jehovah, and so they obeyed God rather than deny Him in public, not minding what people would say.

There are so many things that represent the golden image in our lives today, and the painful thing is that many Christians are bowing to these images on a daily basis.

A golden image is anything that is set up by you or by someone you highly respect but that is against your Christian values. A golden image (for students) is examination malpractice, especially if it is condoned by the school management or the invigilators. It will take deep love and the fear of God for you to see others cheating and refuse to join them.

A golden image (for politicians) can be the sharing of embezzled money or public funds, especially if your refusal can lead to impeachment or a loss of political office. The golden image can appear in any form depending on what you do and what you are exposed to daily, but it’s your responsibility to stand firm in God even if it takes away your means of livelihood. You must not be afraid to let men know where you stand because it is when you take a risk for God that He will show up to glorify himself in your life, and even if he does not show up immediately, your dedication and doggedness towards obeying him will yield positive seed that will later save many and draw them to Christ.

If you stand with God, He will restore whatever you might have lost because of your obedience and lift you above your enemies.

Have you noticed any golden images around you that you would like to share? Kindly send to gsany03@gmail.com or through the comment session below.