Psalms 96:4

UNREALITY OF THE IDOL GODS OF THE GENTILES

"For great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised:

He is to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the peoples are idols;

But Jehovah made the heavens."

The major prophets, especially, exposed the futility of the worthless gods of the Gentiles. Isaiah especially excelled in doing so. See Isaiah 2,8,18,20; 40:19ff; 41:21-24; and 44:12ff.

Contrasted with the feeble, helpless gods of the pagan Gentiles is the majestic power and holiness of the true God, Creator of the heavens and everything else in the universe. The galaxies themselves unfurled as a banner in the night sky proclaim God's glory. "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork" (Psalms 19:1).

"To be feared above all gods" (Psalms 96:4). Leupold remarked that, "If any of the entities commonly called gods produced fear in the minds and hearts of their worshippers, how much more would the knowledge of God Most High do so? This naturally implies that the fear which the knowledge of Almighty God evokes is wholesome and true; it is a godly reverence."[7]

"All the gods of the peoples are idols" (Psalms 96:5). And what is an idol? It is a man-made device resembling some human being or some allegedly mythical character, and it supposedly represents a "god." An idol cannot see, cannot hear, cannot move itself, is utterly helpless, having no abilities whatever. This writer once visited the temple of the Diabhutsu in Japan, and a number of the niches surrounding the great idol were adorned in posters, printed with red and black letters, carrying the message, "THESE GODS ARE OUT OF REPAIR!" The near-insanity of idol-worship is surely indicated by this.