Deuteronomy 4:15-20 -

Warning against heathenish idolatry.

I. THE ORIGIN OF HEATHEN IDOLATRY . The result of a "corruption" (Per. 16). Not a stage in the advance upwards from fetishism, etc.; but, as inquiries are tending more and more to show, the consequence:

1. Of a depravation of the idea of God.

2. Of a corruption of the worship of God.

3. Arising in turn from the substitution of the creature for God in the affections (cf. Romans 1:20-26 ).

II. THE FORMS OF HEATHEN IDOLATRY .

1. Hero-worship ( Deuteronomy 4:16 ).

2. Animal-worship ( Deuteronomy 4:17 , Deuteronomy 4:18 ).

3. Nature-worship ( Deuteronomy 4:19 ).

Greek idolatry furnishes conspicuous instances of the first; Egypt was notorious for the second, so Hinduism; while Parseeism, and the early Vedic worship illustrates the third (cf. Job 31:21 ).

III. THE FRUITS OF HEATHEN IDOLATRY .

1. A degraded intellect.

2. Degraded affections.

3. Degraded morals ( Romans 1:1-32 .).

Therefore Israel must not "corrupt" themselves.—J.O.