Psalms 81:8 “Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me; 9 There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.”
It is a perilous thing to have a “strange god” “in thee”; that is, in our homes, in our lives, in our communities, in our schools, in our Country, and in our Church. It seems that many like these “strange” “gods” because of the carnal pleasures that are associated with them. But, there are others who go beyond the carnal pleasures, they actually “worship” these “strange” “gods”. To “worship” is to subserviently bow down to, to reverently kiss, and to claim the “strange god” as their master and lord. People have been led away into miserable ruin and awful wars have been fought (and still are) by those who are guided by and submit themselves to “strange” “gods”. These “strange” “gods” are no “gods” at all, but wicked men are the architects and sustainers of them. Through the use of these “strange” “gods” wicked men (ultimately the devil) make people their bondservants, leading them into gross greed, immorality, and all manner of lasciviousness. The “born again” Children of God are Commanded to not have these “strange” “gods” “in” our lives, and we must certainly not “worship” them! Moses told Israel, “thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Exodus 34:14). When we get “jealous” our feelings are hurt, our heart is broken, and we are very sad; but, when “God” is “jealous” He takes action (sometimes severe) to remove the object of His jealousy. God Himself Commanded Israel and Commands us, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:3-6).