The Worst Exchange

The Worst Exchange

“My people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols. Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 2:11-12

IN WORD It’s perhaps the strangest of ironies. The nations who worship false gods wouldn’t think of adopting another nation’s god (v. 11). But Israel, the only nation in that era worshiping the true God, did. God had brought them out of Egypt through the Red Sea, sustained them in the wilderness, made them victorious in the Promised Land, sent them prophet after prophet, and did amazing miracles all along the way. And yet at some point in its history, Israel essentially said, “Never mind. We’ll just worship these stone idols instead.”

What a trade. The infinite, almighty, loving, compassionate, all-wise God was removed from their hearts, and small statues of metal, stone, and wood were put in His place. The God who crafted life and this universe in intricate, awesome detail was taken out of the picture; common materials made by His own hand were brought in to replace Him. If ever there was a miscarriage of justice, this was it. If ever there was a travesty of mind-boggling proportions, this qualifies. Israel exchanged the awesome for the pitiful, the holy for the defiled, the majesty for the misery. We’ve heard about some of history’s bad deals—state-sized tracts of land sold for a few beads, millions of dollars paid for soon-to-be-worthless stock, Babe Ruth sold to the Yankees for some cash—but this was the worst. This was metal and rocks in exchange for the eternal God.

IN DEED We do the same. We worship gadgets, cars, sports, styles, clothes, entertainment, and other worthless junk. We’re not sure why. We just know that in the absence of God, we need something else. The problem is that we’ve miscalculated. God isn’t absent.

That was Israel’s problem too. They thought He wasn’t available, but He was—just not on their terms. And He’s the same with us: always available, always on His terms. Forsake foolish exchanges. Embrace your Glory.

A man’s god is that for which he lives.

—MARTYN LLOYD-JONES