In my congregation, we have been reading and studying the book of Isaiah now for quite a while. A theme that I have come across a few times now is this: You become what you worship. And when one worships false gods, he takes on their characteristics. And when one worships the true God, the same thing occurs. Let us note a time or two when worship of an idol leads Israel to become like the idol they worship.
In Isaiah 6, Isaiah is called to preach so that the people of Israel would not hear, and that they would actually become blind and deaf. And again in Isaiah 42, the Lord speaks of His people as being deaf and blind. The idols they worship are unable to speak, hear, or move. For more, see Isaiah 44. You can see a great story about this in 1 Kings 18, where Elijah’s showdown with the false priests of Baal takes place on Mount Carmel.
This phenomenon of becoming like what you worship is not isolated to Isaiah or 1 Kings 18, though. It can be traced at least to Exodus. In Exodus 32, the Israelites are waiting on Moses, who had gone up Mount Sinai to speak with the Lord and receive the Instruction (Torah/Law) of the Lord. However, the Israelites lost interest in waiting for Moses. They cry to Aaron to make for them a god to worship. Aaron gathers gold from the people; he melts it down and makes a golden calf. Left unbroken, calves are difficult to manage, especially if you desire them to wear a yoke. They are stiff-necked and stubborn. How is Israel described in later episodes by Moses and the Lord? They are “stiff-necked” and “stubborn” because they do not follow the Lord and His Word. Israel worships a golden calf, so Israel becomes like a stubborn calf unwilling to follow its master.
During this Lenten season, I encourage you to examine yourselves. What are we fearing? In what are we placing our trust? Whom or what do we love? Luther says in the Large Catechism, “Anything on which your heart relies and depends, I say, that is really your god.” So, what are you becoming like?
Is there something positive to say about the phenomenon that we become like the thing we worship? Indeed! And it is a true blessing from God. Through His Service to us, He is working to conform us to His image as we hear His Word and receive from the Sacraments. We are to become like that which we worship. What does the Lord look like? Consider how He is self-sacrificial, giving His life for us at the cross. Christ our Lord intercedes for us as our Great High Priest before the Father in Heaven. What can we do that emulates this? We cannot save another; only Christ can do that, but we can and should love our neighbor through our prayers on their behalf. Like Jesus with us, let us be patient with one another. Like Jesus listening to His Father in Heaven and coming to earth as a man, let us listen to and obey our parents and those put in authority over us. Coming to the Divine Service to hear and gladly learn God’s Word. This how we become more like the God that we worship.
As Lent continues, let us continually pray: Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word, that we be brought into a life that conforms more with Your good and gracious will, now and into eternity. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Lord, keep us steadfast in Your Word, that we might be brought into a life that conforms more and more with Your good and gracious will now and into eternity. Through your Son Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog
The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack
Rev. Jacob Hercamp
Pastor
Christ Lutheran Church
Noblesville, Indiana
©2026 Jacob Hercamp. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy, share and display freely for non-commercial purposes. Direct all other rights and permissions inquiries to cosmithb@msn.com
