Answered According to Our Idols: When God Confronts Hidden Loyalties

By Hakim Taliaferro – Founder of Alpha Talk

Answered According to Our Idols: When God Confronts Hidden Loyalties

Scripture Focus

Ezekiel 14:3–5 (KJV)
“Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.”

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Hidden Idols in the Heart

In Ezekiel 14, elders of Israel sat before the prophet to “inquire of the Lord.” Outwardly, they looked pious and spiritual. But God exposed the deeper reality: they had set up idols in their hearts (gillûlîm — “worthless, dung gods”).

They were asking God for answers, but their motives were split. They didn’t want the truth of God’s will—they wanted divine approval for what they already worshiped.

This is why the Lord said He would “answer them according to the multitude of their idols.” In other words, His response would mirror their inner corruption.

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What Does It Mean for God to Answer by Our Idols?

The Hebrew phrase כְּרֹב גִּלּוּלָיו (kerov gillulav) points to the abundance of idols in the heart. God is saying: the weight of your idolatry will shape the weight of My answer.

• Instead of blessing, God gives exposure.
• Instead of clarity, He allows confusion.
• Instead of freedom, He allows entanglement.

His purpose? “…that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart” (v.5). God isn’t being cruel—He’s allowing their idols to backfire so they see the futility of divided loyalty.

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How This Looks in Real Life

Here are some modern examples of how God “answers according to idols”:

1. Money as Security
   A person prays for financial blessing, but their heart idolizes wealth.
   God may allow them to prosper, but peace never comes. Or they lose it quickly.
   Their idol exposes that their trust was in mammon, not in Him.
2. Relationships as Identity
   Someone asks God for guidance but clings to an ungodly relationship.
   They interpret every sign as confirmation—until heartbreak comes.
   The idol became the lens through which they “heard” God.
3. Reputation in Ministry
   A leader prays for revival, but secretly longs for recognition.
   God may allow a platform to open, but pride causes a collapse.
   The answer exposes their true pursuit: glory, not presence.
4. Control as Comfort
   A believer asks for deliverance from anxiety but won’t surrender control.
   God allows situations that strip control away, forcing surrender.
   The “answer” is painful but purifying.

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The Principle

When we set up idols in our hearts, we don’t come to God neutrally—we come already leaning toward what we want Him to bless. And often, He lets us walk into it.

Some of us don’t truly and sincerely want God’s will — we just want Him to bless ours. We don’t sincerely desire His heart or purpose; we just want to keep Him involved in what we already plan to do.

Not because He’s harsh, but because exposure is mercy. Only when idols fail us do we realize that Jesus alone satisfies.

This is why Proverbs 4:23 warns: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

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Reflection Questions

• What idols might you be tempted to “set up in your heart” while still outwardly seeking God?
• Have you ever prayed for something and later realized the “answer” exposed more about your motives than about God’s silence?
• How can you keep your heart postured to seek God for who He is—not just for what He can do?

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Alpha Identity Index Connection

• Potential Impact – Hidden idols limit the capacity of your influence because they skew your motives.
• Revenue Readiness – Money itself isn’t evil, but when it becomes an idol, God may expose it by letting it slip away until trust is redirected.
• Marketplace Value – Your integrity determines whether your gifts are sustainable. If reputation is your idol, your voice loses weight in the marketplace.
• Identity Health – A divided heart cannot stand. Spiritual health requires continual surrender of idols so Christ remains at the center.

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