Day 264

Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day.

Chapter 22, Paragraph 2.

“…not to Angels, Saints, or any other Creatures;…”

Scripture Lookup

Romans 1:25

Colossians 2:18

Revelation 19:10

Reflection

Angel statues, angel art prints, “Angels in the Outfield”, “Touched By An Angel”…angels are quite popular.  Are they worshiped? You don’t see many church buildings devoted to bowing down before angels. Yes, people might pray to angels and seek their help, but is that actually worship? Look at this prayer I remember reciting from my Roman Catholic childhood:

“Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this might, be at my side, to light, to guard, to rule and guide.”

This prayer calls upon the angel to rule and guide the supplicant. Isn’t that the work of God alone? This prayer is an act of worship.

Spiritual beings are being feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served by many who deny they are worshiping them. Yet they are giving angels the the glory that is due God alone. The same goes for saints. Stories of miraculous men and women who forsook all for the sake of piety, who supposedly have the ability to help us from heaven. Once again, they are called upon, trusted in, and given the glory that is God’s alone. Such worship of angels, saints, or any other creature is repugnant to Him. “My glory I will not give to another.” (Isaiah 48:11, NASB)

God alone is to be worshiped. He makes that very clear in Scripture: “I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God…” (Exodus 20:5, NASB) Worship is not to be given to angels, saints, or any other creature. As followers of the true and living God, we should guard God’s honor and not let it be given to another. To God alone be the glory!

Questions to Consider

• Is “venerating” a creature the same as worshiping them? How would you respond to someone who says they don’t worship a creature because they don’t bow down to it?