What truly is an idol?

[Jason76]

The Bible speaks of idols of stone and wood. However, though, the deep meaning is that idols - are simply anything which draws worship away from God. In other words, God is supposed to be #1, as God claims to be "A Jealous God" and so many romantic connections are made in theology.

However, people, being human, certainly do not place God as #1. That's the main struggle in the Bible - as God tries to convince them otherwise.

 

[NewCreation435]

An idol can be anything that people worship and put ahead of God whether it be family, other people, their job or money or something else. The point is that it has a place of importance over God that it should not have.

 

[MennoSota]

An idol can be anything that people worship and put ahead of God whether it be family, other people, their job or money or something else. The point is that it has a place of importance over God that it should not have.

I would add that even God can be made into an idol. Humans want, so much, to visualize God that they state "I think God is like...", which may result in attributing things to God that He has never revealed in His word.
We see the Israelites doing this. When Moses is up on Mt Sinai receiving the Law, we see the others creating an image they declared to be YHWH. We see Jereboam doing the same thing when the Kingdom split. God never blessed that image making. (This is also why I argue that the icons in the EOC as well as the statute's in the RCC are idols. I also include any artifacts used to try imagine God's being.)
Every human, Christian or not, is tempted by their own limited reasoning to create an image of God. The only way we can discern who God is, is by God's own revelation to us in His inspired word.

 

[Jason76]

I would add that even God can be made into an idol. Humans want, so much, to visualize God that they state "I think God is like...", which may result in attributing things to God that He has never revealed in His word.
We see the Israelites doing this. When Moses is up on Mt Sinai receiving the Law, we see the others creating an image they declared to be YHWH. We see Jereboam doing the same thing when the Kingdom split. God never blessed that image making. (This is also why I argue that the icons in the EOC as well as the statute's in the RCC are idols. I also include any artifacts used to try imagine God's being.)
Every human, Christian or not, is tempted by their own limited reasoning to create an image of God. The only way we can discern who God is, is by God's own revelation to us in His inspired word.

Excellent take on this.