We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry – Book Review
by Daniel A. Webster
The average American Christian is quick to dismiss a book about idolatry on the grounds that worshipping graven figurines is not a modern church practice. However, when one considers that over one-third of the world’s population claims to be Hindu, Buddhist, or Catholic—all of which implement statues or icons in their worship—the topic seems strikingly pertinent. Even still, for many American pastors, the topic of idolatry is only considered in preparation for the evening service of Super Bowl Sunday.
In We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry, Gregory K. Beale traces the rise of idolatry in Israel’s worship and explains specific Old Testament texts to prove the following premise: the worshiper becomes what he worships and thus suffers the same doom of the idol he worshipped. This truth is explicitly stated in Psalm 135:18 (and is also repeated in Isaiah 44:9-11), which states, “Those who make them will be like them, yes, everyone who trusts in them.” Beale stresses this point repeatedly: “What you revere you resemble, either for ruin or for restoration.”[1] The author brings this truth into focus as he tackles interpretive challenges by considering syntactical and grammatical difficulties, explaining the cultural background of key passages, and considering the greater context of many misunderstood passages.
Idolatry in the Old Testament
Beale writes,
One presupposition of this book is that God has made humans to reflect him, but if they do not commit themselves to him, they will not reflect him but something else in creation. At the core of our beings we are imaging creatures. It is not possible to be neutral on this issue: we either reflect the Creator or something in creation.[2]
This statement is a fitting summary of where he is headed.
A foundation for understanding idolatry is laid by surveying Israel’s practice of it in the Old Testament. This foundation begins by observing Isaiah’s vision of the worship that takes place in heaven where the encircling seraphim declare the One seated on the throne to be “holy, holy, holy” (Isa. 6:1-7). This vision reveals worship as it should be. After Isaiah’s lips are cleansed by a hot coal, God commissions him to be a prophet unto God’s people (Isa. 6:8-13). Because the word “idol” does not appear in Isaiah 6, this passage’s connection to idolatry is easy to miss. In order to appreciate this connection, several important concepts within these six verses must be considered.[3]
After Isaiah accepts God’s call (6:8), he is given a description of how his message will be received (6:9-10). This description reveals the state of the nation, and more specifically, the idolatrous state of the nation. This is evident by the use of the “sensory-organ-malfunction language. When this language is used in the OT, almost without exception, it refers not just to sinners in general but to one kind of sin—the sin of idol worship!”[4] Support for this is found throughout Isaiah 41-45 and in Psalm 115:4-8.
After the unfortunate end of idolatry is explained to Isaiah (6:11-12), another important concept that reveals that idolatry is the thrust of this passage is present in the use of the terebinth tree imagery (6:13). “In particular, Isaiah 1:30 is the only other use of terebinth in the book outside of Isaiah 6:13. This unique parallelism is heightened by the observation that burn appears in close relation to terebinth in both passages.”[5] The idolatrous practice of Israel was despicable in God’s eyes; He explicitly forbade it in the Decalogue.
Beale also support his claims about idolatry by surveying the remainder of the Old Testament. This survey examines the Golden Calf narrative (Exodus 32), the renewal of God’s covenant (Deuteronomy 29), reflections by the Psalmist (Psalm 106), as well as Hosea, Jeremiah, and other passages in the Psalms and prophets. An especially important connection is present with Isaiah 6 and Deuteronomy 29. Beale explains, “The common wording between Deuteronomy 29:4 and Isaiah 6:9-10 indicates a probable allusion by Isaiah to Deuteronomy. The striking and sober statement of 29:4 follows: ‘to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to know, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear.’”[6] For whatevear reason, the nation of Israel did not comprehend that their incorporation of idol worship was abominable in Jehovah’s sight. Their attempt to make God into a graven image seemed like a noble task, but in the process, they became like the lifeless gods they created and sealed their doom as being the same as these idols.
Idolatry in the New Testament
Before moving to the New Testament, Beale considers the origin of idolatry and specifically questions whether idolatry was a part of original sin. He also looks at Judaism as a whole, which helps bridge the gap of the intertestamental period: “It would be strange to find the sin of idolatry so often throughout the OT but not in the first sin of Adam and Eve at the beginning of history.”[7] Never has a man (except when God became flesh) ever resembled God since Eden. Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden to reflect God’s image by ruling and subduing the earth. While “there is no explicit vocabulary describing Adam’s sin as idol worship the idea appears to be inextricably bound up with his transgression,”[8] Adam failed to revere God and thus failed to reflect God, leading man down a path of idolatry. One can’t help but recall the words of the serpent: “You shall become as gods…”
Beale further examines the New Testament, and specifically how the letters—Paul’s epistles and John’s Revelation—support the idea that we become what we worship. During the first century, Israel did not worship graven images like their ancestors did, and yet, idolatry is still addressed in the New Testament. This is an especially significant point as we consider how we might apply these truths in our modern context. Beale carefully unpacks references from Christ, “No man can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13),” and Paul, “Immorality, uncleanness, passion, evil desire and greed….is idolatry (Colossians 3:5).” Additionally, the New Testament writers likened the hard-heartedness of first century people to the idolaters of the Old Testament, and referred back to passages that had idolatry as their backdrop.[9] Beale also helpfully explains the use of Isaiah in the synoptic Gospels. This section is especially helpful for understanding Isaiah.
Beale offers practical help on how the reader can reverse the “anesthesia of idolatry” and begin reflecting the Creator’s image. He explains that this reversal is possible by beholding the Lord’s glory (Isaiah 6 and 29). This is only possible when the King is on throne (Isaiah 31) and the Spirit is poured out (Isaiah 32). Beale makes an interesting point concerning the potter and the clay. The clay is a picture of God (the potter) reforming Israel back to their original image—His image, no longer resembling the idols that they were following. “Isaiah’s apparent intentional contrast between Israel as the work of God’s hands and idols as the work of men’s hands is that God has set up humans as the only legitimate images of God,” explains Beale, “since they are made by divine hands, and to function as legitimate living images they are to reflect the glory of the image of the living God.”[10]
The author also brings the New Testament passages to bear on this reversal from idol worship to Creator worship. This is most explicit in Luke’s account of Paul on Mars Hill (Acts 17). Paul calls the idolaters to repentance from the “ignorance” of their idol worship.
In the conclusion, Beale does not just make the typical application—sports and wealth—but takes it a step further. He discusses the temptation for God’s people to get caught up in consulting daily horoscope, worshipping the elements of the Eucharist (Lord’s Supper), as well as the cross and the Bible. “What we revere,” he writes, “is what we resemble, either for ruin or restoration.”[11]
Recommendation
This is a great book which I highly recommend. It is a brilliant survey of idolatry in both the Old and New Testament. Beale tackles a tough subject in a way that is readable and clear. In my reading, I only identify one insufficiency. It lacks a convincing reason as to why Isaiah 6 is pivotal for this discussion. Why choose to use a passage that does not specifically mention idolatry as a starting place for the discussion? While Beale otherwise explains that idolatry is the backdrop of this passage, I would have liked to hear him explain why he chose this as the starting place.
The following statement is not simply a clear thesis for this work, and an important principle, but a suitable conclusion to this review:
God has made humans to reflect him, but if they do not commit themselves to him, they will not reflect Him but something else in creation. At the core of our beings we are imaging creatures. It is not possible to be neutral on this issue: we either reflect the Creator or something in creation.[12]
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About the Author: Daniel lives in Asheboro, North Carolina with his wife, Kimberly, and their three children (Aaron, Julianna, and Noah). He has pastored Glad Tidings FWB Church since 2013. Before moving to Asheboro, he served for 10 years in Virginia Beach, Virginia as Associate Pastor of Music and Worship at Gateway FWB Church. He holds an M.A. in Biblical Studies and is concurrently seeking the M.Div and M.A. in Church Music at Maranatha Baptist Seminary. His academic interests include biblical theology, worship, and church music.
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[1] G.K. Beale, We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2008), 11.
[2] Ibid., 16.
[3] On a macro level, Beale helpfully points out that Isaiah bookends his entire prophecy with the subject of idolatry (Isaiah 2:8, 18, 20; 66:3). Without a doubt, idolatry is a major theme in his prophecy.
[4] Beale, 41.
[5] Ibid., 52.
[6] Ibid., 72.
[7] Ibid., 128.
[8] Ibid., 133.
[9] Beale is careful to add, “We should not read too much from such OT contexts, especially without clear warrant from the immediate NT context. Just because an OT passage might have had idolatry as the target does not mean that the NT author was consciously importing all of that into his message” (Ibid., 163).
[10] Ibid., 276.
[11] Ibid., 161.
[12] Ibid., 16.
February 5, 2016
Will have to check it out! Excellent summary!
February 9, 2016
Thanks, Rodney. G.K. Beale is one of my favorites in the area of Biblical Theology. I read his writings whenever I can. Köstenberger is another go-to BT author for me.