How do we know that idolatry is a sin?

Idolatry, as depicted in passages like 2 Kings 17, leads to divine judgment and separation from God. The Israelites failed to heed God's warnings about worshiping false gods and ultimately succumbed to practices that provoked Him to anger. In Scripture, idolatry encompasses not just the worship of physical idols but also any practice that detracts from the exclusive worship of the one true God. The seriousness of this sin is clear throughout the Bible, emphasizing that God demands singular devotion and such disobedience results in dire consequences.