Today, my reading was in Acts - Stephen's address to the Jewish Council when he was accused of blasphemy. In answering the accusation, Stephen recounted the history of Israel, including a quote from the Old Testament book of Amos.
"Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? You also took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, images which you made to worship; and I will carry you away beyond Babylon." (Acts 7:42b-43, NJKV)
I've taken the occasion before to do some research on some of Israel's false gods, but chose to do so again this morning. I was familiar with the god Moloch from past studies, but saw again today that the worship of Moloch was marked by infant sacrifice.
"The ancients would heat this idol up with fire until it was glowing, then they would take their newborn babies, place them on the arms of the idol, and watch them burn to death. I can't help but compare today's abortion massacre to the sacrifice of children by these ancient pagans. In both, innocent life is destroyed for the gain of the parent." (http://carm.org/christianity/miscellaneous-topics/moloch-ancient-pagan-god-child-sacrifice)
Wow ..... Sobering, is it not? A mental picture of the above pagan practice is truly gruesome! Most Americans would shudder at the very thought of such a horror. But it seems many Americans have simply shut their eyes, and put on blinders, when it comes to abortion.
Way back in 1987, we were blessed to be members of First Baptist Kenner (just outside New Orleans). That group of Believers were wise enough to put into action a group they called the "Good Government" action group. They were charged with the responsibility of putting before the church membership political issues on which the Bible had a specific impact - abortion being one of them. As such, they scheduled a showing of a video explaining the process of an abortion, and showing the sonar of an actual abortion. I will never forget the 2-3 seconds of that video that I actually forced myself to watch. I sat there with my eyes squeezed tightly closed for the rest of it; I found it too gruesome to watch any more. It was, indeed, a horror - every bit as gruesome, terrifying, shocking, and repulsive as the picture of sacrificing infants to Moloch ... if not more-so!
I, then, went on to research the false god of Remphan. I discovered Remphan was a name for the "star god, Saturn, whose symbol is a six pointed star formed by two triangles. Does that shape of star remind you of something? Yes ... what we call the Star of David! I was amazed at what I went on to learn. I'd somehow missed this in past studies! Take a look at this article: http://www.moresureword.com/starof.htm.
In a nutshell, what is widely known as "The Star of David" has nothing whatsoever to do with David - the man after God's own heart. It has much to do with his son, Solomon, who in his later years, turned to the worship of false, pagan gods - incorporating the use of a six-sided, hexagon-shaped star. I quote: "It became known as the Seal of Solomon in Egyptian magic and witchcraft. David had absolutely nothing to do with the hexagram and that star most certainly did not, in any way, represent God's people. Solomon gave himself up to satanic worship and built altars" to the pagan gods.
There is much more information presented in the above-mentioned online article, and is well worth your time. After taking it all in, I fully concur with this additional quote:
"What should God’s people do about these things? The prophet Jeremiah states, “Do not learn the way of the nations . . . For the customs of the peoples are FALSE” (Jer.10:1-3, NRSV).
Moses wrote: “You must demolish completely all the places where the nations whom you are about to dispossess served their gods [and their symbols] . . . Break down their altars, smash their pillars, burn their sacred poles with fire, and hew down the idols of their gods, and thus blot out their name from their places. You shall not worship the LORD your God in such ways” (Deuteronomy 12:2-4).
The apostle Paul wrote: “Do not be mismatched with unbelievers. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship is there between light and darkness? What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘I will live in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and TOUCH NOTHING UNCLEAN; then I will welcome you, and I will be your father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty’” (II Cor.6:14-18, NRSV).
As God’s people, we should have NO PART in the use of these perverted and demonic symbols which have been the trademark of pagans, witches, and practitioners of the occult. That includes both the falsely portrayed “Star of David,” which has nothing to do with David..."
As a result of this study, I plan to do some clearing out when I get my Christmas ornaments down. I know of several that use that six-pointed hexagon star... A five-point star will do just fine!
Now ... I've only got 104 days left to complete reading this Bible in 3 years - 3,942 more verses. Monday-Friday are the main days I can depend on for having longer chunks of time, so if I figure on 73 days, I need to read 54 verses a day. With the way I'm prone to take lots of detours, I'd better stop typing and start reading! ;o)
Just realized I failed to include the sobering conclusion. It seems the parallels between what was going on in Israel and what's going on in American today are easily seen. That being the case, God's word to Israel, seen in Acts 7:43,51, seems to take on great significance for us today.
ReplyDeleteTo Old Testament Israel He said, "And I will carry you away beyond Babylon." The historical account proves out that God certainly kept His Word on that judgement! To the New Testament Jews He said, “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you."
I believe we, as a nation, stand guilty as having also worshiped Moloch and Remphan. In our own "variation on the theme" we have sacrificed our children and been taken in by Satan's deception.
May we sense an deep urgency in asking Him to open our eyes!