58. For they provoked him to anger with their high places. This was their first error—will worship, or the worship of God,
otherwise than according to his command. Many think lightly of this, but indeed
it is no mean sin; and its tendencies to further offense are very powerful. The
Lord would have his holy place remain as the only spot for sacrifice; and
Israel, in willfull rebellion (no doubt glossed over by the plea of great
devotion) determined to have many altars upon many hills. How much of the
worship of the present day is neither more nor less than sheer will worship!
Nobody dares plead a divine appointment for a tenth of the offices, festivals,
ceremonies, and observances of certain churches. And moved him to jealousy with their graven images. This was but one more step; they manufactured
symbols of the invisible God, for they lusted after something tangible and
visible to which they could show reverence. This also is the crying sin of
modern times. Images, pictures, crucifixes, and a host of visible things are
had in religious honor, and worst of all people nowadays worship what they eat.
Surely the Lord is very patient, or he would visit the earth for this worst and
basest of idolatry.
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