16/05/12

The Idols and gods above the Lord

Ezekiel 22:4, 5 - Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed; and hast defiled thyself in thine idols which thou hast made; and thou hast caused thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years: therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking to all countries. Those that be near, and those that be far from thee, shall mock thee, which art infamous and much vexed.


In the Bible we see that although the people of Israel were called God's people yet their biggest enemy was the Lord Himself. It was the Lord in His anger Who delivered them to their destructions that too after sending them numerous warnings which they did not adhere to.

We see in the world there are some religions who have one God and a defined God (not some power or energy) and these religions are Judaism, Islam, Catholics and Christians (Believers).

It was when I was teaching on the book of Acts where Stephen gives a justification for the accusation against him that I learned about the gods of these religions. What surprised me was the accusation against Stephen and the fact that Stephen did not deny it but goes ahead and explains it.

It is only when we see who is the ultimate authority and who has the say in these religions do we know who really is their god / God.

Almost everyone thinks that YHWH is the God of the Jews and also the God of the Catholics. It is only when we see who's words are given priority that we realise that YHWH is just one of their many gods and their real god is someone else.

Stephen was indirectly accused of calling Moses as the first god of the Jews and this accusation is what Stephen tries to justify. The Jews gave priority to the words of Moses over the Words of the Lord.

You may be puzzled saying brother but Moses spoke the Word of the Lord.

It is true Moses spoke God's Word but the Word was given in such a way that it required people to understand it. These people took the literal words and not the understanding. This caused the Jews to reject many of the understandings and warnings through the other Prophets and even kill them. It was not that they did not have any ability to understand but it was the stubbornness not to understand and this was seen openly in the books of Jeremiah and other Prophets. Even today they claim YHWH is their God but the traditions and words of Moses is above all for them. It was this reason that caused the Lord to hide Moses body when he died.

The same is also with the Catholics, they too have the Godhead as one of their gods and their main god is someone else and every word of that spirit is given priority over and above God's Word. It is this spirit that has caused them to add books, edit scriptures, modify the Ten Commandments, make things like traditions more important than scriptures.

We Believers too can make someone a god over the Lord and that happens when we put that person's word over and above God's Word. As yourself how many times do we check everything which we hear in churches and from preachers with scriptures?

The Lord is telling us He would do with us the same as He did with the Israelites in the Bible in His anger when they made gods and idols above Him. Paul spoke of things and desires which we can make gods in our lives but do we realize we put people and spirits as lord of lord and king of king.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord Jesus, there are many who call themselves as your worshippers but only a few really are. Many among them have put people and spirits above You and made them their real god. Lord, we pray we do not be people of darkness but walk in your Light. Your Word is light and it is by your Word alone all things are exposed and things hidden come to the open. Lord, root us in your Word...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
Acts 6:9-14
9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.
12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law:
14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.

Acts 7:51-54
51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)