The Idols of Egypt: A Warning for the Modern Church

While meditating on the similarities between the Israelites' enslavement in Egypt and the modern church, I came across a perplexing question: Why was the almighty God unable to fully deliver Israel out of Egypt? This question may shed light on why believers and the church today find themselves in a similar struggle. 

To put things into proper perspective, around 600,000 men left Egypt, and if we factor in women and children, it's estimated that between 1 million to 2 million Israelites left Egypt. After doubting God, God declared that everyone above the age of 20 would die in the wilderness, except Caleb and Joshua. We can estimate that around 1 million Israelites died in the wilderness. If God promised to take them to the promised land, what changed? I have a theory: Egypt never left them. 

In simpler terms, they never fully embraced the freedom God had given them. They still clung to the mindset, culture, and practices of Egypt, even after God had freed them. 
 

The gods of Egypt 

The gods of Egypt were very prominent at that time. God dealt with them through the 9 plagues—each one undermining the power of Egypt's gods. Perhaps that's a topic we can explore later. The issue, however, was that the Israelites did not let go of Egypt’s idols. They kept the influence of Egypt alive in their hearts. The most notable example is the golden calf, forged shortly after God delivered them. The calf mirrored Egyptian religious practices, particularly the worship of the bull-god Apis (one of Egypt's gods). 

• Ezekiel 20:7-8 – God recounts how He commanded the Israelites to abandon the detestable practices and idols of Egypt, but they rebelled and did not forsake them. 
• Joshua 24:14 – Joshua urges the Israelites to fear the Lord and serve Him sincerely, instructing them to put away the gods their ancestors worshipped in Egypt. Despite 40 years in the wilderness, they still refused to let go of those idols. 
• Exodus 32:1-4 – While Moses was on Mount Sinai, the Israelites made a golden calf, reminiscent of Egyptian idol worship, and proclaimed it as the god who brought them out of Egypt.
• Acts 7:39-41 – In his speech, Stephen recalls that the Israelites refused to obey Moses, turned back to Egypt in their hearts, and made a calf to offer sacrifices to it.
• Scholars note that ancient Israel practiced monolatry—acknowledging the existence of multiple deities but worshiping Yahweh exclusively. This perspective suggests that while the Israelites were devoted to Yahweh, they still recognized and sometimes embraced other gods, including those of Egypt. 

Egypt’s Lifestyle: They Missed the Egyptian Food

One of the more striking examples of Israel's lack of freedom is their desire for Egypt's food. After being freed, they began to long for the food they had in Egypt: 

Numbers 11:4-6 (NKJV) 
 “Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: 'Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!'” 

You would think that if God could provide manna directly from the sky, He could also provide garlic and onions. Yet, the point here is that Israel never embraced the freedom God gave them. True freedom comes with responsibility. At every small obstacle, they wanted to return to slavery.  

The Modern Church 

How is this relevant to the modern church today? The mission of our Lord Jesus could not have been clearer. 

He came to set us free. 

John 8:36 (NIV) – “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” 

Galatians 5:1 (NIV) – “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” 

He came to fulfill the law. The requirements of the law are completely obsolete. 

Romans 10:4 (NIV) – “Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.” 

Instead, we are saved by faith in Him—not by our works. 

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) – “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” 

I guess some things haven’t changed. Because all He ever asked Israel to do was to trust Him. Yet, at any small obstacle, we, like Israel, often revert to our animalistic instincts. We start to believe that we can earn things from God. We believe we can earn financial blessings, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, or even God’s anointing. We fall into the trap of trying to impress God with our works. 

Works vs. Grace 

Why did God hate idol worship so much? God is not intimidated by objects that people create and worship. Here’s my theory: At the heart of idol worship is works, not grace. Idol worship occurs when people place their trust in something other than God—whether it’s physical idols, false gods, or even worldly possessions. 

In today’s age, idol worship is more subtle than ever, and unfortunately, it’s present in the church. Here are a few examples of things that can easily replace full trust in God: 

• Self-Righteousness – You may not verbally brag about it, but deep down, you think your holiness is better than someone else’s. Jesus' attitude toward self righteous pharisees could not have been any more clearer. 
• Faith in Things – Anointing oil, handkerchiefs, prayer water, cloths (from someone you consider more anointed than yourself), Holy Communion, even the altar of your church.
• Location – Some Christians believe that there is special anointing or power in Israel. Ministers often visit the burial sites of their heroes of faith. Location (including your church building) can be an idol.
• Tithes & Offerings – Many Christians believe God will bless them because they give, making their faith in their offerings rather than in God Himself.
• Prayer and Fasting – Often, we believe that fasting is what will get God's attention. 

Any of these can lead to legalism before God, which is ultimately a form of pride. Legalism is about self-reliance—trusting in our actions to earn God’s favor. Trusting in physical things that we can feel or touch. This content isn’t entirely about works vs. grace, but perhaps at a later time, we’ll explore this more in-depth. 

In Conclusion 

The Egyptian culture and lifestyle centered around idol worship, and in the New Testament, that represents works—the opposite of grace. The problem Israel faced wasn’t just the physical location of Egypt or Pharaoh’s oppression. The deeper issue was that they adopted Egypt’s lifestyle and worshiped the same gods. God could not force Israel to trust Him or Embrace His Grace. That is not in His Character.

God did many signs and wonders to show them who He was, just like He did signs and wonders in the New Testament. It was not enough. The disciples still left Him when the Romans came. Egypt was part of their identity.  Egypt is still part of our identity in the New Testament. A complete renewal of mind is necessary to achieve this. It was not going to happen right away, but Israel was also not willing. 

As believers, it is Jesus OR Nothing.

So, what’s the point of all these? 

Exodus 8:1 (NIV) – “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.’” 

This is what it’s all about. God desires worship. In the Promised Land, in freedom.  In the next and final part, we will explore a few important questions:

•  What did God mean by “Worship Him”?
•  Why did Israel need to be free to worship Him?
• Why was Freedom From Egypt Not enough? (answered here)
• Where did God intend for Israel to worship Him, and what did it mean?
• How is this relevant today?