The Iconoclast
For he [King Asa] took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: — 2 Chronicles 14:3
Asa was what is known as an iconoclast—One who breaks down images or an image buster (cf. Ex. 23:24; 34:13; Dt. 7:5; 1 Sam. 5:15). Gideon and King Josiah were also iconoclasts (Judges 6:25-32; 2 Kings 23).
Church history had it’s share of image smasher also. Among them was the French Reformer John LeClerc. John Mockett Cramp, writes about LeClerc in his book “The Reformation in Europe” (pp. 207-211). In 1525, LeClerc made a placard denouncing the Pope as an antichrist and attached it to the gate of the Catholic cathedral in his city! He was promptly arrested and sentenced to be whipped through the streets of the city for three days in a row. Then he was branded as a heretic with a red-hot iron on his forehead. When he was released his zeal for God was not abated. He continued to minister in Metz and God blessed with numerous converts.
LeClerc was greatly grieved by the presence of the images of several “saints” in a local Roman Catholic chapel. Many of these images were of the Virgin Mary. An annual festival was approaching where people would receive an plenary indulgence for offering veneration to the images in this chapel. Exodus 23:24 weighed heavy on Leclerc’s conscience. The night before the celebration LeClerc entered the chapel and smashed all the images to pieces and returned home just before dawn.
As priests and monks entered the chapel the next morning for their celebration, they were horrified to find the gods of their idolatry had been hurled off their pedestals and their mutilated limbs covered the floor of the chapel.
LeClerc was apprehended. He admitted to destroying the idols while glorying it in. Immediately he was dragged to the place of execution. His sufferings were frightful. First, his right hand was cut off; next his flesh was torn from his body in several places by red-hot pincers; then his arms were broken. Finally, he was burned to death at a slow fire. Sustained by the grace of God, he endured patiently, and repeated with a loud voice the words of the Psalmist—“Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands” (Ps. 115:4-9). He died in peace and joy.
The spiritual application for a Christian is the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. But, using the spiritual weapons of prayer and the Word of God we are to cast down images (“imaginations”) that exalt themselves against the truth of God (2 Cor. 10:4-5). For example, we should break down images of evolution, images worldly philosophies; and evil images displayed on TV screens. We should “break off” bad habits, bad friendships, and reading bad books. “Cut down” on carnal pursuits, frivolous spending, and wasting time on the internet.
