Have No Other Gods

“I will also stretch out My hand on Judah and on all the people of Jerusalem. And I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, the name of the idol-worshipers, with the priests, and those bowing to the host of heaven on the housetops, and those bowing, swearing to Jehovah, also swearing by Malcham; and those drawing back from Jehovah, and who have not sought Jehovah, nor asked for Him.” (Zephaniah 1:4-6)

During the reign of King Josiah, the sixteenth king of Judah, about seven hundred years after King Saul, about three hundred years after the Jewish kingdom was divided and about a hundred years before the Babylonian invasion, the people were deep into idolatry. Josiah came to be king at eight years old when his father was killed. The notable thing about Josiah was that he rediscovered the Law and implemented it. “And he did the right in the sight of Jehovah, and walked in all the way of David his father, and did not turn aside to the right or to the left.” (2Kings 22:2) But the people continued in their sin. It was at this time that the prophet Zephaniah prophesied the coming judgement on Judah.

Zephaniah prophesied against the two Jewish kingdoms, Israel and Judah. From this Scripture we see that the people participated in Baal worship which slaughtered bulls and had child sacrifices during crisis. The people also worshipped the sun, the moon and the stars and would get on the rooftops to bow to them. There was also the practice of worshipping Malcham, another name of Molech, the Ammonite god and making oaths to him. These worshippers had child sacrifices and other things condemned by God. The people’s hearts had grown cold toward the Lord and didn’t even seek Him.

Idol worship is so foreign to those who were brought up going to church and those who were brought up believing that God exists, even if they’re not devote. But statistically a little more than 86% of people in the US believe in God and affiliate with a denomination that worships God. And about 14% worship in a religion other than Christian, including Judaism. These statistics do not include the rise of Heathenry or Heathenism in the US.

Heathenry has been classified as a religious moment by the Defense Department which they are not, but because of our country’s tax laws, it benefits them to be labeled a religion. But they are nothing more than modernized Germanic paganism and Germanic Neopaganism.  So if you didn’t think that idol worship is alive in today’s age, here’s an eye opener. It’s a resurrection of pre-Christianity worship from Anglo-Saxon England, Scandinavia, Germany and Frisia (Modern day Belgium and the Netherlands). “Heathens work to build healthy relationships with Gods and Goddesses, ancestors, spirits of the land, and others in their communities, both through holy rites and through their day-to-day actions” per the Pagan Federation.” (paganfed.org) It’s polytheistic and recognizes a large number of Gods and other spiritual entities. And they practice magic and seership.

First God is not pleased with worship in other religions to other gods. It’s one of the Ten Commandments. “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3) There are religions that have been adapted from other heathen and/or ancient religions from Mexico, other Latin American countries and the islands that worship trees and other things in nature. And some religions believe that inner strength and peace originate and come from self-discipline. Self is not capable of peace nor can strength come from within without God. All these beliefs and religions are false religions which have one thing in common. None can produce proof that their God is alive. They may conjure some spirits, but they are likely demons deceiving their darkened hearts. Only Jesus has proof that He lives today and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

There is also idolatry in church members. Anything that we place before and above the Lord is an idol. Anything we depend on more than we depend on the Lord is an idol. Anything we treasure above the Lord is an idol. For some it may be their spouses or their families. Some have more faith in their jobs than in the Lord. Some have faith in their bank accounts. If it keeps you from prayer. If it keeps you from obedience to the Lord. If it keeps you away from Christian fellowship. It’s an idol. You have placed it above the Lord, above His commandments and above His requirements for a life with Him.

Today in this dispensation, God is merciful and allowing all these things to develop, but the time is coming when this time will come to an end and God will judge all wickedness. The Lord doesn’t change His time-table just because some deceived people are defiling the land. He has a set time to judge wickedness, just like he had a set time for judgement of Judah and Israel, of which Zephaniah prophesied. And it will come suddenly, just like the Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem. “A worthless person, a wicked man walks with a crooked mouth, winking with his eyes, speaking with his feet, teaching with his fingers; perversity is in his heart; he is always planning mischief; he causes fighting. Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; he is quickly broken, and there is no healing.” (Proverbs 6:12-15) We may ask why. Why does the Lord delay judgement? First this times was set since before the world was created. It’s the dispensation of mercy and grace because of Jesus the Lord and His redemptive work. It’s the time of the Gentiles when “whosoever” believes and repents is saved. And there are still (future) brethren that need to come to Jesus. “The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering toward us, not purposing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. And the earth and the works in it will be burned up.” (2Peter 3:9-10)

We can sit and wring our hands and allow these heathen groups to flourish or we can use the most powerful weapon we have, prayer. We can sit back and not recognize idolatry in our lives. Or we can examine ourselves and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal idolatry in our lives. The most pro-active thing we can do is pray. We have power over all power of the enemy. Jesus said, “Behold, I give to you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the authority of the enemy. And nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19) We can annul the devil’s ploy to defile the land, to defile our faith in the spirit realm. It has to happen in the spirit first. And that is done in prayer. We are soldiers of the Lord. “Therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one who wars tangles with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who chose him to be a soldier.” (2Timothy 2:3-4) Our warfare is spiritual. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Therefore take to yourselves the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Therefore stand, having your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, take the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching to this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” (Ephesians 6:12-18)

In summary, idolatry is much alive today as it was in Zephaniah’s time. Let’s not allow the devil to dominate our land and defile it. And do not allow yourself to be lax about giving the Lord 100%. As a soldier of the Most High God, put on your armor and pray bringing down judgement on the works of the enemy. Intercede for the people who are blinded. Pray for the souls of the deceived. And pray for one another, especially if you notice a brother or sister distancing themselves from church services or basic Christian practices. “...praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit and watching to this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” (Ephesians 6:18)

Let us pray:

Father God, I thank You for Your mercy and grace that You so patiently give to all whosever will believe and repent.  I am grateful for the freedom and salvation in Jesus. Your Goodness is abundant. Your blessings are everlasting. I pray for my country, for my state, for my city, for my neighborhood, my family and brethren. Lord open my eyes that I may see where I am putting my trust and confidence. Let me see if I am putting my faith in anything or anyone other than You. Let me see if I am placing anything above You my Lord, above Your commandments to me, above my priority to You, above my devotion to You and above my love for You. I tear down in the Name of Jesus every principality, power, rulers of darkness and wickedness that is raged against me. I tear down in the Name of Jesus every principality, power, rulers of darkness and wickedness that are blinding people and keeping them in bondage. I curse every work of the enemy in the Name of Jesus. It will not prosper in my country nor in my state nor in my city nor neighborhood, nor in my family nor any brethren nor in me in the Name of Jesus. It will come to naught, in the Name of Jesus. Father, I pray for those who are in bondage to sin and those who are in darkness. I thank You Holy Father that You have poured out Your grace and love to all on the earth. Open their eyes and ears of understanding that they may comprehend the love of the Gospel. Help me Lord to be a vessel of Your love and to take the Gospel to those who need to hear. I ask for an anointing for speech that my words will be Your Word which is life and light. I pray for a conviction in hearts that have been darkened by the enemy. And I pray Father God that You will show Yourself strong in the salvation of these souls. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.