1 Samuel 4:19–22

Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas’ wife, was with child, due to be delivered; and when she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and gave birth, for her labor pains came upon her. And about the time of her death the women who stood by her said to her, “Do not fear, for you have borne a son.” But she did not answer, nor did she regard it. Then she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. And she said, “The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”

She’s wrong. The ark isn’t Israel’s glory, and its capture isn’t the issue. That said, the wheels definitely are falling off the wagon. The glory may not have departed, but something’s gone.

Yeah, and what else is new?

Phinehas’ wife’s focus on the ark—and Eli’s similar attitude—raise an important issue. Where do we draw the line between legitimate interest and idolatry? Is their extreme focus on the ark idolatry?

Obviously, the ark wasn’t created as an idol; its creation was specifically commissioned by the LORD. Does that mean it can’t be an idol? What is the standard?

As we drill into this, the first thing to note is that since this is about sin, the core issue is our actions.

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.” — Exodus 20:4–5a

The sin is in the verbs—make and bow. That’s what’s prohibited. You can, for example, look at an idol in a museum. Ancient artifacts from pagan cultures can be studied and written about. That’s not sinful. It’s when we ascribe undue significance to them that there’s a problem.

Secondly, the sin is idolatry, not idols, and not all idolatry involves a physical idol.

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. — Colossians 3:5

Question 95 of the Heidelberg catechism asks, “What is idolatry?”

1. Idolatry is having or inventing something in which one trusts in place of or alongside of the only true God, who has revealed himself in the Word. (1 Chron. 16:26; Gal. 4:8-9; Eph. 5:5; Phil. 3:19)

It’s the attitude toward the thing being idolized that’s sinful. It’s sinful because something else is supplanting the one true God.

The second commandment derives from the first—there is but one God.

These Monday—Friday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. The Weekend DEEPs are written by Matt Richardson. To subscribe to all the DEEPs click here:

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV stands for the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV stands for The Holy Bible, New International Version®. © Copyright 1973 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. KJV stands for the King James Version.