The Hidden Idols

It is amazing that even in the midst of the recorded story of people of faith, that we see examples of unbelief and forms of idolatry. Abraham was a first generation believer with his dad, Terah, a worshipper of idols. It shouldn’t shock the Bible reader that members of the family still are caught in the trap of idol worship.

Jacob, the grandson of Abraham spent 20 years with his uncle, Laban. During that time Jacob married two of Laban’s daughters (Rachel and Leah). (It must not have been against the law to practice polygamy or marry cousins at that time.) As Jacob and his entire family plan to leave Laban’s estate, Rachel steals her father’s household idols.

Laban is irate and catches up with the departing family of Jacob and demands the return of his idols. Rachel cleverly hides the idols and then lies to her dad to disguise her theft. “Laban went first into Jacob’s tent to search there, then into Leah’s, and then the tents of the two servant wives—but he found nothing. Finally, he went into Rachel’s tent. But Rachel had taken the household idols and hidden them in her camel saddle, and now she was sitting on them. When Laban had thoroughly searched her tent without finding them, she said to her father, “Please, sir, forgive me if I don’t get up for you. I’m having my monthly period.” So Laban continued his search, but he could not find the household idols” (Genesis 31:33-35; NLT).

It is important that we not have hidden idols in other words anything that is more important to us than God (money, success, possessions, popularity, hobbies, etc.) in our lives. If we have such idols let’s not be like Rachel and lie about it to those closest to us!