The term “iconoclast” today means a belief denier, but originally described an idol destroyer.
Just as God gave a review for His people before they faced the tests in Canaan, I think we would benefit from an overview of the secrets of blessing through obedience. First, consistent obedience will be based on love for the Lord, not slavish fear (Deut 11:1). Second, there is clear evidence that God is worthy to be trusted (vv 2-7). He summarizes, “your eyes have seen every great act of the Lord which He did” (v 7). Third, the life of obedience is the pathway to victory (v 8). Fourth, God loves to bless His people (see vv 9-15). Five, no one is happy with half a heart. From this point on through chapter 12, the Lord explains that there is only room for one supreme love, so we must be ruthless with competing affections. Thus, said the Lord, “You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. And you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and burn their wooden images with fire” (12:2-3). Why so important? Recall that idolatry is placing any thing or person between me and the Lord. Worship is worth-ship, and idolatry places ultimate worth where it doesn’t belong. Idolatry is impotent. Pride finds it attractive because it pretends I’m in control, but behind the idols lurks the enemy of our souls. Idolatry diminishes God, making Him in our image, not the other way around. Idolatry distracts us from worshiping the true God, occupying us with those that cannot help in times of need. Idolatry distorts our world into a war zone of competing forces, rather than a universe ruled by a benevolent deity. There’s no substitute for worshiping the Lord! And in seeking Him, I find everything else worth having.