The salient theme of today's discussion revolves around the concept of idolatry as articulated in Acts 7:35-43. We delve into the ancient Israelites’ proclivity to create tangible deities, which reflects a broader human tendency to seek comfort in visible power rather than embracing the transformative demands of faith. This examination reveals a critical juxtaposition between the superficiality of religious programs and the profound essence of genuine liberation work. We ponder the economic implications of idolatry, considering how modern constructs such as consumerism and militarism may serve as contemporary idols. Ultimately, we are invited to engage in a reflective audit of our lives, challenging ourselves to identify and dismantle the comfortable substitutes that inhibit our pursuit of justice and true faith.

The "Daily Bible Refresh" is presented each day by Rev. Dr. Brad Miller who has a goal of speaking a bit of the bible into two million ears (one million people) in three years (2025-2028).

He is the author of "The A, B, C-1,2,3 Bible Study Guide" Free to you by clicking HERE.

Brad served as a local church pastor for forty years and has a background in radio and podcasting. Moreover, he is a life-long student of The Bible.

He believes in the words of Jesus that “scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21)

The "Daily Bible Refresh" is available seven days a week by 6:00 am ET. The episodes are no longer than ten minutes long and are...

• Understandable: A reading from the New Testament (usually the Gospel) selected from the Revised Common Lectionary using "The Message" translation.
• Relatable: You will have a couple of "points to ponder" from the text which will relate to your life
• Applicable: Every episode includes a way you can take action based on the reading
• A recommended resource to help you go deeper in biblical study and spiritual direction.
• A prayer for your day.

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The exploration of idolatry as articulated in Acts 7:35-43 serves as a significant reflection on humanity's enduring struggle between the comfort of familiar practices and the often perilous path of genuine faith. I engage with the narrative of Moses, who, despite having led the Israelites out of bondage, is rejected by them in favor of idols that symbolize safety and control. This historical account resonates deeply within our contemporary context, as we too may find ourselves gravitating towards spiritual substitutes that offer ease rather than challenge. The Israelites' creation of the golden calf epitomizes this tendency, as they sought a tangible representation of divinity that conformed to their desires rather than confronting the more arduous demands of spiritual transformation. Through this lens, I invite listeners to consider the 'golden calves' we may be constructing in our own lives, as we seek comfort in spirituality that does not disrupt our privilege or compel us to engage with uncomfortable truths about systemic injustice.

Furthermore, the discussion critically examines the dichotomy between religious ritual and the pursuit of true liberation. I highlight how the Israelites congratulated themselves on their religious practices while neglecting the profound work of justice that Moses exemplified. This critique extends to our modern churches and religious institutions, urging a reflection on whether our congregations are more invested in maintaining their programs and buildings than in pursuing the prophetic call for liberation and justice. We must ask ourselves if we are more concerned with the comfort of our religious practices than with the transformative work that our faith demands. This examination serves as a powerful reminder that true spirituality is not merely about participation in religious programs, but about actively engaging in the liberation of those who suffer under systemic oppression.

Lastly, I delve into the economic implications of idolatry, connecting the ancient worship of deities tied to war and prosperity to contemporary systems of consumerism and militarism. This analysis compels us to interrogate how our modern economic structures may function as idols that perpetuate inequality and exploitation. In this light, I propose a profound exercise: an 'idle audit' of our lives and communities to identify the ways we may have substituted comfortable religious practices for the challenging work of justice. We are called to redirect our resources, time, and energy from maintaining religious comfort towards enacting meaningful change within our communities. This process might involve shifting our contributions to organizations led by marginalized individuals or embracing direct actions that foster equity. Ultimately, I encourage a reexamination of our personal and communal commitments to ensure they align with the liberating mission of our faith.

Takeaways:

• This podcast episode delves into the theme of idolatry as depicted in Acts 7:35-43, emphasizing its relevance in contemporary society.
• We explore the tension between maintaining religious programs and pursuing genuine liberation work, encouraging a critical reflection on institutional priorities.
• The discussion highlights the insidious nature of modern idols, equating worship of consumerism and militarism with ancient practices of idolatry.
• Listeners are prompted to conduct an 'idol audit' to identify and dismantle comfortable religious practices that hinder transformative justice efforts.
• The episode underscores the importance of recognizing and confronting systemic oppression within our communities and individual lives.
• Finally, we encourage proactive steps towards redirecting resources and efforts away from maintaining comfort and towards meaningful actions that promote equity.

Links referenced in this episode:

• voiceofgoddaily.com
• voiceofgoddaily.com
• voiceofgoddaily.com

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• voiceofgoddaily.com

The Economics of Idolatry A study of Acts 7:35 43 on the Daily Bible refresh with Dr.

Brad Miller hello good people.

Welcome to Daily Bible Refresh with Dr.

Brad Miller.

So glad that you joined me today as I continue a quest to put the audible voice of God into two million ears.

That's a million people.

We use year C of the Revised Common Lectionary and we're in the lent season, the 40 days prior to Easter.

We bring this to you in a way that's understandable because we read the New Testament from the message version, relatable by giving you some points to ponder and applicable.

I'll give you an action step.

We have a prayer and we do it all in under 10 minutes.

It's all brought to you by our website, voiceofgoddaily.com the home of the Daily of the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible Study Method here's our reading for the day from Acts 7:35 43 reading from the message this is the same Moses whom they earlier rejected, saying, who put you in charge of us?

This is the Moses that God, using the angel flaming in the burning bush, sent back as ruler and redeemer.

He led them out of their slavery.

He did wonderful things, setting up God signs all throughout Egypt, down all to the Red Sea and out into the wilderness for 40 years.

This is the Moses who said to his congregation, God will raise up a prophet just like me from your descendants.

This is the Moses who stood between the angels speaking at Sinai and your fathers assembled in the wilderness and took the life giving words given to him and handed them over to us.

Words our fathers would have nothing to do with.

They craved the old Egyptian ways whining to Aaron, make us gods we can see and follow this Moses who guided us out here miles from nowhere, who.

Who knows what's happened to him?

That was the time when they made a calf idol, brought sacrifices to it, and congratulated each other on the wonderful religious program they had put together.

God wasn't at all pleased.

He let them do it their way.

Worship every new God that came down the pike and live with the consequences.

Consequences described by the prophet Amos.

Did you bring me offerings of animals and grains those 40 wilderness years, O Israel?

Hardly.

You were too busy.

Too busy building shrines to war gods, to sex goddesses, worshiping them with all your might.

That's why I put you in exile in Babylon.

Wow.

Just a really pointed and direct passage of scripture that we're dealing with here.

It's really about some the idolatry of comfort in the ancient time and in our modern context.

And it's a challenging text, to be sure.

It's about our tendency to create comfortable substitutes for transformative faith.

Let's talk now for a moment or two about some points to ponder.

There is the seduction of visible power the Israelites demand for gods.

We can see, reflects our human tendency to prefer manageable, controllable deities over the challenging calls for justice and liberation.

In a contemporary context, this might look like preferring comfortable spirituality that doesn't really challenge things like wealth inequality, white supremacy or environmental destruction.

Ask yourself, what golden calves have we created to avoid the harder work of transformation?

A second point is the religious program versus actual liberation work.

There's a striking critique here of people who are congratulating each other on the wonderful religious program they put together.

This challenges us to examine how our churches and religious institutions might have been more focused on maintaining programs and buildings than on continuing Moses work of liberation.

Are we more invested in maintaining religious institutions than in challenging systematic oppression?

One more point.

It is about the economics of idolatry.

This text connects idolatry with war gods and sex goddesses, suggesting how false worship often serves economic and political power.

So today we might see this as worship of militarism, consumerism and political systems that commodify both people and our planet.

How do our economic systems function as modern idols?

Several things to think about there.

Here's an action step for you.

I would invite you to conduct an idle audit of your life and of your community and identify one way you may have substituted comfortable religious practices for challenging justice work.

Then take more concrete steps towards redirecting resources, time, money, energy from maintaining religious comfort towards liberation work.

This might mean such things as moving some of your giving to organizations led by marginalized communities.

Or maybe think about interchanging a church program for some direct action that impacts your community.

Or maybe just examining your own personal consumption habits.

We're going to pray in just a moment about all of this, but I did want you to know that we do have a resource for you that's going to help you read your Bible and deal with difficult passages like we had one here today.

It's the ABC 1, 2, 3 Bible Study Guide.

And it's really all about making Bible study pretty direct, straightforward kind of a process.

An ABC 1, 2, 3 process.

It's just a few pages long.

It's going to be helpful to you.

You can pick it up for free@voiceofgoddaily.com that's also where you can find over 800 episodes of the Daily Bible Refresh.

Please check them out.

Let's pray.

Oh, God, you are a divine liberator.

And we confess our attraction to comfortable gods, to spirituality that doesn't disturb our privilege.

To religious programs that substitute for justice.

Forgive us for building golden calves while your people cry for liberation.

Help us recognize our modern idols, the gods of like military might and political power and the goddesses of endless consumption.

The altar of white supremacy, the shrine of environmental exploitation.

Give us courage to topple false deities, to redirect our worship towards true justice.

To choose the uncomfortable path of transformation over the seductive way of religious comfort.

Make us restless with easy answers, uncomfortable programs and help us to be to be the people who set others free.

Amen.

Well, hey, it's always a joy and a privilege to be with you.

Love it.

I love it, love it, love it, love it, love it.

Every day we drop an episode here.

Every day we drop an episode of Daily Bible refresh.

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You can find everything you need@voiceofgoddaily.com until tomorrow then, folks.

My name is Dr.

Brad Miller.

Until tomorrow.

Remember that God's loyal love doesn't run out.

His merciful love hasn't dried up.

It's created new every morning.