Modern Religious Idols and False gods, Part 3
Posted by Michael Bunker editor@biblicalagrarianism.com

The idol named “sleep”

“Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Rom 13:10-14)

For me to mention sleep as an idol may be confusing to some of you. Surely God has given us sleep, has he not? So it must be a good thing? God has formed us and caused us to need our regular sleep, and Jesus Christ during His time on earth is seen sleeping in the scriptures, so we need to be careful to define what we mean by “sleep”. In Romans we are exhorted to “awake out of sleep”. Dr. John Gill calls this sleep “the carnal security and drowsy frame of spirit which sometimes attend the churches and children of God, the wise as well as the foolish virgins; and lies in grace being dormant in, the soul; in a backwardness to duty, and a slothfulness in the performance of it; in resting in the outward duties of religion; in lukewarmness about the cause of Christ; in an unconcernedness about sins of omission and commission; and in a willingness to continue in such a sluggish frame: all which arise from a body of sin and death, and an over anxious care for the things of the world; from a weariness in spiritual exercises, and an abstinence from spiritual company and ordinances and from outward peace and liberty: such a frame of spirit, when, it prevails and becomes general is of bad consequence to the churches of Christ; the spirit of discerning, care and diligence in receiving members, are in a great measure lost, and so they are filled with hypocrites and heretics; Christ absents himself from them; leanness of soul is brought upon them; and they are in danger of being surprised with the midnight cry: the methods God takes to awaken his people out of such a sleep are various; sometimes in a more gentle way, by the discoveries his love, which causes the lips of those that are asleep to speak; sometimes by severe reproofs in the ministry of the word; and sometimes by sharp persecutions in providence; and at last it will be done by the midnight cry” (John Gill Commentary on Romans).

This sleep, called “an unconcernedness about sins” and “carnal security and drowsy frame of spirit”, a “lukewarmness about the cause of Christ” will at last be ended by what Gill calls “the midnight cry”, which will be the trumpet blast when Christ suddenly returns to judge the quick and the dead. What a wake-up call that will be.

We ought not be surprised that in the scriptures those who “sleep” are called the children of darkness. In 1^st Thessalonians Chapter 5 it is said, “But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober”. Keep all those words in mind... “sleep”, “night”, “darkness”... In Greek mythology the god of sleep was named Hypnos. From his name we get “hypnosis” and “hypnotism”. Hypnos dwelt in the darkest of caves, a place where the sun would never shine. He was a child of darkness. The Roman name for the god of sleep was Somnus, and from his name we get “insomnia”. The twin brother of Hypnos was Thanatos or “death”. The mother of Hypnos and Thanatos was Nyx, whose name meant “night”. In art, Hypnos is always pictured as a youthful man who sleeps on a comfortable bed owned by his father. He is almost always accompanied by his twin brother Death. I think much can be derived from an examination of these facts, and we can also now see how sleep becomes a false god or idol.

Now, when we are studying the scriptures, we make sure to examine the typology so that we can know how to better apply spiritual lessons. The idol of sleep, built up in the mind of the slothful, is that idol which robs the mind of care, attentiveness, and alertness. There are those who love carnal sleep, and they will make an idol of stupor and unconsciousness. Generally those who most love sleep are those who desire to be anesthetized to the work of God around them. They do not want to face each day with obedience and duty, so they prefer to sleep. Sleep, then, is often the byproduct of depression, which is a result of inordinate pride and self-centeredness. Depression almost always leads to inordinate sleep. Sleep after a long hard day of work and diligence is a blessing, but to stay in bed when there is work to do, or when we are unprepared for what is required of us is a great sin. It is a type. The idol of sleep, constructed in the mind by the devil, is likened unto drunkenness, because in it reality is dulled or skewed, and the mind is unable to grasp things that ought to be evident.

“Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered” (Isa 29:9-10).

Here we are told that the sin of sleep (that sleep which dulls us and separates us from our work, and from what we are called to do) is a foul spirit, and it is poured out upon the wicked by God. During a period of apostasy, God pours out this slothful spirit on the prophets and the rulers so that they will not see judgment coming, and so they will not warn the people.

“All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest. His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant” (Isa 56:9-12).

The sin of professing “christians” is not that they do sleep, or that they sleep as much as is necessary for them, but that they come to love sleep and to prefer it to duty, honor, obedience, and God. This is the very definition of a religious idol because to love sleep over God is to make an idol of that which God has created. It is to worship the creature instead of the Creator. This is the same sin committed by Israel in the desert, who made for themselves an idol of brass to worship in God's stead. The love of sleep is the sin of unbelief, because to be not wary and attentive to duty is to declare publicly that there is no God who will judge you:

“Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread” (Pro. 20:13).

God promises to bring judgment on those who sleep when their duties are not complete:

“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man” (Pro 6:6-11).

“Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger” (Pro 19:15).

There is a sleep which is good and valuable and true, and there is a sleep which is almost certain to bring eternal death. Remember, typology works on both end of the equation. Just as immoderate physical sleep will deprive you of your food and your needs so that you will suffer physical want and need in your body, immoderate spiritual sleep – which is an unconcernedness to your spiritual well-being, a lack of diligence in spiritual duties, a denial of God's pending judgment of you, and a lukewarmness or carelessness in the duties of true religion – will deprive you of spiritual life. The ten virgins are a prime example given to us in scripture of the issue at hand:

“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh” (Mat 25:1-13).

Here the professors of right religion are lumped into two categories. There are virgins who are wise, and there are virgins who are foolish. They are “virgins” in that they are betrothed (at least nominally) to Christ and they do profess openly to serve no other God at all. They are not open and professed heathen or pagans. Now, some are wise meaning that some know that there will come a reckoning, and that it will be necessary that they have spiritual light when the Bridegroom comes; and others are foolish, meaning that they take advantage of grace teaching and they have deceived themselves into thinking that the Bridegroom is all grace and no wrath, and all mercy and no justice. They have a faulty and erroneous view of the Lord, so they naturally assume that they can blow off spiritual duties and cruise into the kingdom on a mere light profession of faith. Now, our scripture says, “they all slumbered and slept”, which means that they all sinned in this way, that they did not stay awake and watch for the bridegroom who they knew to be coming. I agree with John Gill's take on this sleep, and I could not define this sleep better than he did, as a “dead, lifeless, and sleepy frame of spirit in the wise virgins: which lies in grace not being in exercise; in a slothfulness to perform religious duties; in taking up a satisfaction with the outward parts of religion; in an indifference about the interest of Christ; in an unconcernedness at the omission of duty, or commission of sin; and in an entire ease of mind with regard to such a frame and state: the causes of it are a body of sin; an anxious care of the world; a being weary of spiritual exercises, and a leaving them off; abstaining from an awakening ministry, and spiritual conversation; and keeping company with sleepy and slothful professors, or the men of the world: and often it arises from ease, peace, and liberty; and sometimes from long watchfulness, and waiting for the bridegroom's coming; in which, being disappointed, such a frame of spirit ensues: and also in the foolish virgins it intends great carnal security in themselves; a rest and confidence in their external profession; and a laying aside all thoughts of Christ, and his coming to judgment: for a difference there is between the sleep and slumbering of the one and of the other; the wise virgins are children of the day, and not of the night; though they sleep, their hearts wake, and they sleep with grace in their hearts; neither of which can be said of the foolish virgins, or formal professors” (John Gill Commentary on Matthew 25).

Note that both the wise and the foolish virgins sin through their unwatchfulness, yet the foolish virgins compound this sin by resting in carnal security. It seems they are certain they are saved though there has never been any sign of a work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. They profess to be Christians, and they may even know a lot about Christianity and the Bible. Maybe they count themselves Christians because their parents were Christians and so assume themselves to be Christians too. They exhibit every sign of the deceived and false professor, but they go on into their sleepy lives thinking that some day they will put more attention into the things of God. They show a love of the world, in that as soon as they feel they have a need or lust for anything they go to the world to try to buy it; and they show a disdain for the Bridegroom, in that they expect and hope that He will not be diligent in His duty of only receiving those whom the Father has chosen and whom the Spirit has signified as a true believer. They love the company of true believers, so long as nothing is expected of them, and nobody challenges their deceptions. When the going gets tough, they expect the wise virgins to bail them out. They hope the Bridegroom will not be just (in fact they count on Him being unjust) and that He will not have the attributes that any true and good Lord must have. They expect mercy and grace from their Lord while they do not even offer Him obedience, trust, and submission. They expect leniency while they hold the weapons of their warfare in their hands – their sin, their love of the world, and their disdain for God's Word. While they claim to be virgins, in reality their hearts are given over to idolatry. They say “tomorrow will be like today, and we have plenty of time to be obedient”. Now, both the wise and the foolish virgins slumbered and slept, but the wise virgins were diligent to make certain that they were in a good state before they laid down, and that they were not caught unawares. The wise did not put their trust in Vanity Fair, or in those that sell, for their salvation. They sinned by sleeping when they should have watched, but they excelled in that they did their duty before sleeping. They had concern for their relationship with the Bridegroom before they slipped into sleep.

There is a great example of typology given for us in the Old Testament which will show us what a little spiritual sleep will do to us. Sampson was a strong Israelite, given to God by a vow. But he fell in love with Delilah (a type of the world and of the false “church”). Delilah was a deceitful woman, a Philistine and a lover of the Philistines. The Philistine is a type of the people of the world, usurpers in God's land and haters of all that is good and righteous. Sampson is torn between his vow to God and his love of Delilah. His lust and concupiscence becomes more than he can handle, and he becomes vexed by Delilah who constantly pressures him to give her the information that will destroy him. “And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man. And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand. And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him. But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house” (Jdg 16:16-21).

The whore Delilah deceived Sampson with her wiles, then, it is supposed, she gave him a potion or concoction which sent him into a deep sleep. While he slept she gave him over to the Philistines and he became unable and too weak to resist them and they overcame him. Delilah is a servant of the world. She represents all that draws men back into the world and into the service of the world. Soon a man is blind (he cannot see truth) because his eyes are put out, and he is bound with fetters of brass (he cannot free himself), and he is put to work serving the world – grinding in the prison house. Too many of those who claim to be given to God by a vow are actually blind Sampsons, grinding in the prison house. Too many of those who claim to belong to God are easily tricked into a sleep that will destroy them. Just a little slumber. Just a little folding of the hands and closing of the eyes!

“For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober” (1Th 5:3-6).

Let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. Let us make certain our lamps are full, and be diligent to see that our duty is done. Let us stop making excuses for worldliness and syncretism. Let us stop lying to ourselves. Let us stop counting on the world, and relying on it for our lives and livelihood. Let us never think that we can be obedient tomorrow, while we refuse to be obedient today.

Do not be deceived. Your love of sleep will be fatal to you. The Bible says of the wicked that “their foot shall slide in due time” (Due. 32:35). Do not be deceived, these are wicked professors whose feet will slide.

“O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up? For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges. For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps. Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures? To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left. And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted, Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection. See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever. If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me. I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy” (Deu 32:29-42).

Wake up Church.

I am your servant in Christ Jesus,

Michael Bunker