For in that day every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold your sinful hands have made. – Isaiah 31:7

Today's Scripture Reading (May 25, 2026): Isaiah 31

We believe what we believe. And often we twist the teachings of the Bible to suit our own desires and purposes. As countries continue to clash, I think every nation probably believes that God is with them and honors their actions. In the clash between the United States and Iran, it is not surprising that the United States believes that they are fighting in a just war. Others, including the Pope, aren't so sure. One professor I learned from during my seminary years declared that he didn't believe that there had ever been a "just war." It was an amazing statement, considering the wars fought in the last century, especially the one we call the "Second World War." If there was ever a "just war," that would have to be considered one of them. And yet, as the war was being fought, even Germany believed it was on the side of its God; this was what God wanted it to do.

The reason is that we often construct our gods in our own image, including in our Christian theology. We have divergent beliefs about the character of God because we have constructed him, or maybe her, to reflect the things we believe are important. It is this difference in the gods we have created that has resulted in the conflict between the Trump Government and the Catholic Church over the war in Iran. One side believes they are involved in a war of which God approves, and the other believes that God always stands on the side of peace.

Isaiah argues that the day will come when all of our descriptions of God will fall away, and we will be confronted by the real God. For Isaiah, those false gods were often constructed by talented people working with gold and silver, or even less precious materials. Today, we still have some of those gods around us, but we have also constructed false gods in our minds. We have even called those gods Yahweh or Jehovah, even though it is not the Yahweh of scripture but a god we have created out of the things we find important.

We might all be surprised on the day of our confrontation with God and find a God who is very different from the one we have built in our minds. But in the end, the god we have created with our hands or in our minds will fall away in the presence of the real God of the Universe. And we will reject the false gods we have created in the presence of the God who exists. And he, or she, will be all that matters in that moment.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 32