Chuck Smith addresses the destructive nature of idolatry in Israel, emphasizing that it stems from humanity's emptiness and the difficulty of worshipping the invisible God. He explains that when God is removed from the center of life, a vacuum is created, leading to the replacement of God with idols, which ultimately results in limited and false concepts of God. Smith warns that idolatry can lead to spiritual slavery and captivity, urging a renewed experience with God and adherence to His word as the cure for this pervasive issue. He calls for believers to let Christ reign in their lives and to heed God's final call amidst the distractions of the world.

IDOLATRY - ITS CAUSES & CURE Intro: The nation Israel is no more cities destroyed; men murdered; women ravished; remainder taken captive why? Idolatry. Idol - "that upon which the affections are passionately set." Covetousness which is idolatry. I. IDOLATRY - ITS CAUSE. A. "God has made man subject unto emptiness." 1. Man's attempt to fill that emptiness. B. Difficulty of worshipping the invisible. 1. Missouri adage "show me." C. Loss of consciousness of God. 1. We hold to relics or reminders of better days. a. Hezekiah - brass serpent. 2. A vacuum cannot exist in nature - seek to fill. a. take God out of the center of man's life create vacuum the man will replace - God with idol. D. Idol shows desire to regain that which was lost. E. Disobedience to word of God vs. 13. II. IF IDOLATRY A NATURAL PENCHANT OF MAN, WHY FORBIDDEN? A. God is limitless. 1. The minute you create an idol, defined boundaries. B. God's infinite nature fefies visible representation. 1. His omnipresence. IlI. THE RESULTS OF IDOLATRY. A. Limited concepts of God. 1. He cannot see everywhere. 2. He cannot reach everywhere. B. False concepts of God. 1. I can hide. 2. I can escape the judgment. C. Eventual slavery - Israel went into captivity. 1. "I am free to do as I please." 2. To exercise that freedom the wrong way will lead to captivity. a. Extreme illustration - taking heroin. b. I become a slave to my idol. It demands my time. It drains my finances. It saps my energies. IV. ITS CURE. A. A renewed experience with God. 1. Because a part of the cause is the loss of consciousness, the cure is in a renewed consciousness. a. Paul on Mars hill "In Him we live, we move, we have our being. 2. Let Christ sit on the throne of your life. B. Give heed to God's word. How can you go on another day in sin thinking someday with Christ you will begin - O will you hear above the world's loud din, God's final call, God's final call.