The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in the form of man, of man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine. He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among he trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow. It is man’s fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it. Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.” From the rest he makes a god, is idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says “Save me; you are my god.”

What a clear picture this is of the foolishness of idol worship. MAN cuts the tree, kindles a fire, cooks over it, warms by it, and then he bows down to this same wood for worship, salvation and hope. Man makes the wood serve him, he is master of the wood, and then he submits to this same wood for worship? We cannot conceive of this. Because of God’s salvation through Jesus, we have a new mind and heart. And that heart longs to know the One True God and His Son Jesus Christ.