Evaluating Motivations for Idolizing Human Examples Biblically
Idolatry, in its broadest sense, is the worship of any created object or the payment of divine honor to it [3]. This includes bowing down to images, worshipping them, or sacrificing to them [1]. Biblically, idolatry is not limited to overt acts of worship towards statues but encompasses a range of behaviors and attitudes that divert ultimate devotion from God [1].
One form of idolatry is "hero worship," which involves the worship of deceased ancestors or heroes [3]. While the Bible does not explicitly use the term "idolizing human examples," it strongly condemns any practice that elevates created beings or objects to a position of divine reverence. The first two commandments forbid having other gods before the Lord and making or worshipping graven images [1]. Matthew Henry notes that Israel's idolatry was a "great provoking sin" despite God's favors to them [8].
The motivations behind such idolatry can stem from various human failings. Ambition, for instance, is condemned by God and Christ, and saints are encouraged to avoid it [4]. When ambition leads individuals to seek glory or recognition that rightfully belongs to God, it can manifest as a form of idolatry. Similarly, covetousness is explicitly identified as idolatry in Ephesians 5:5 and Colossians 3:5 [6]. This suggests that an inordinate desire for worldly possessions or status can displace God as the ultimate object of one's affections and pursuits [6].
Paul describes the origin of idolatry in Romans 1:21-25, explaining that people forsook God and consequently sank into ignorance and moral corruption [3]. In this context, idolizing human examples could be seen as a manifestation of this turning away from God, where human achievements or qualities are admired to such an extent that they become substitutes for divine glory. Ezekiel 14:5 indicates that God takes hold of the hearts of those estranged from Him due to their idols, suggesting a deep-seated spiritual issue [7, 9].
While the Bible encourages emulation in certain contexts, such as Paul's desire to provoke his kinsmen to emulation to save some of them (Romans 11:14) [2], this is distinct from idolatry. Emulation, in this sense, means striving to imitate positive examples, particularly in faith and good works, without deifying the human example itself. True zeal should be directed towards God's glory and the welfare of saints, not towards the worship of human figures [5]. The prophet Isaiah challenges idolaters to recognize the vanity of their practices and to "show yourselves men" by renouncing the childishness of idolatry [10].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Idolatry — Forbidden -- Ex 20:2,3; De 5:7. Consists in Bowing down to images. -- Ex 20:5; De 5:9. Worshipping images. -- Isa 44:17; Da 3:5,10,15. Sacrificing to images. -- Ps 106:38; Ac 7:41. Worshipping other gods. -- De 30:17; Ps 81:9. Swearing by other gods. -- Ex 23:13; Jos 23:7. Walking after other gods. -- De 8:19. Speaking in the name of other gods. -- De 18:20. Looking to other gods. -- Ho 3:1. Serving other gods. -- De 7:4; Jer 5:19. Fearing other gods. -- 2Ki 17:35. Sacrificing to other gods. -- Ex 22:20. Worshipping the true God by an image, & c. -- Ex 32:”
- King James Version “[KJV] Romans 11:14 — If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Idolatry — Image-worship or divine honour paid to any created object. Paul describes the origin of idolatry in Rom. 1:21-25: men forsook God, and sank into ignorance and moral corruption (1:28). The forms of idolatry are, (1.) Fetishism, or the worship of trees, rivers, hills, stones, etc. (2.) Nature worship, the worship of the sun, moon, and stars, as the supposed powers of nature. (3.) Hero worship, the worship of deceased ancestors, or of heroes. In Scripture, idolatry is regarded as of heathen origin, and as being imported among the Hebrews through contact with ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Ambition — God condemns -- Ge 11:7; Isa 5:8. Christ condemns -- Mt 18:1,3,4; 20:25,26; 23:11,12. Saints avoid -- Ps 131:1,2. Vanity of -- Job 20:5-9; 24:24; Ps 49:11-20. Leads to strife and contention -- Jas 4:1,2. Punishment of -- Pr 17:19; Isa 14:12-15; Eze 31:10,11; Ob 1:3,4. Connected with Pride. -- Hab 2:5. Covetousness. -- Hab 2:8,9. Cruelty. -- Hab 2:12. Exemplified Adam and Eve. -- Ge 3:5,6. Builders of Babel. -- Ge 11:4. Miriam and Aaron. -- Nu 12:2. Korah, &c. -- Nu 16:3. Absalom. -- 2Sa 15:4; 18:18. Adonijah. -- 1Ki 1:5. Sennacherib. -- 2Ki 19:23. Shebna. ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Zeal — Christ an example of -- Ps 69:9; Joh 2:17. Godly sorrow leads to -- 2Co 7:10,11. Of saints, ardent -- Ps 119:139. Provokes others to do good -- 2Co 9:2. Should be exhibited In spirit. -- Ro 12:11. In well-doing. -- Ga 4:18; Tit 2:14. In desiring the salvation of others. -- Ac 26:29; Ro 10:1. In contending for the faith. -- Jude 1:3. In missionary labours. -- Ro 15:19,23. For the glory of God. -- Nu 25:11,13. For the welfare of saints. -- Col 4:13. Against idolatry. -- 2Ki 23:4-14. Sometimes wrongly directed -- 2Sa 21:2; Ac 22:3,4; Php 3:6. Sometimes not accord”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Covetousness — Comes from the heart -- Mr 7:22,23. Engrosses the heart -- Eze 33:31; 2Pe 2:14. Is idolatry -- Eph 5:5; Col 3:5. Is the root of all evil -- 1Ti 6:10. Is never satisfied -- Ec 5:10; Hab 2:5. Is vanity -- Ps 39:6; Ec 4:8. Is inconsistent In saints. -- Eph 5:3; Heb 13:5. Specially in ministers. -- 1Ti 3:3. Leads to Injustice and oppression. -- Pr 28:20; Mic 2:2. Foolish and hurtful lusts. -- 1Ti 6:9. Departure from the faith. -- 1Ti 6:10. Lying. -- 2Ki 5:22-25. Murder. -- Pr 1:18,19; Eze 22:12. Theft. -- Jos 7:21. Poverty. -- Pr 28:22. Misery. -- 1Ti 6:10”
- Ezekiel “Ezekiel 14:5 (BSB) — so that I may take hold of the hearts of the people of Israel. For because of their idols, they are all estranged from Me.’”
- Ezekiel (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Ezekiel 16:15: In these verses we have an account of the great wickedness of the people of Israel, especially in worshipping idols, notwithstanding the great favours that God had conferred upon them, by which, one would think, they should have been for ever engaged to him. This wickedness of theirs is here represented by the lewd and scandalous conversation of that beautiful maid which was rescued from ruin, brought up and well provided for by a kind friend and benefactor, that had been in all respects as a father and a husband to her. Their idolatry was the great provoking si”
- Ezekiel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ezekiel 14:5: That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart,.... By which they are ensnared, and drawn aside to their ruin; being given up to strong delusions, to believe a lie, and worship idols; God threatening to answer them by righteous judgments, and thereby take the wickedness, the hypocrisy, and idolatry, that were in their hearts, and expose and make it manifest unto others; or, by punishing them, to draw out the corruption and sin that were in them, that it might be seen what a wicked people they were. The Targum interprets the text in another way, "that I may ”
- Isaiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Isaiah 46:8: show yourselves men--Renounce the childishness of idolatry as shown in what precedes (Co1 14:20; Co1 16:13; Eph 4:14). In order to be manly we must be godly; for man was made "in the image of God," and only rises to his true dignity when joined to God; virtue is derived from the Latin vir, "a man." bring . . . to mind--rather, "lay it to heart." transgressors--addressed to the idolaters among the Jews.”