Posts from April 2010 (Page 4)

Relationship of Idolatry and Pagan Worship

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There is a relationship of idolatry is worship of other gods and goddesses and pagan heads of state. Devils are always attached to different territories, leaders and have an emotional impact upon the people. An example of having to accept the local gods in order to prosper is recorded for us in (2 Kin. 17).

After the Assyrians had carried off the Israelite populations, they filled the vacuum they had created by transplanting large groups of people from other conquered areas.

These new settlers did not worship the Lord and so the lions caused much chaos among them that the governor sent a complaint to the Assyrian emperor that the immigrant transplants did not ‘know not the manner of the god of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the god of the land,’ – 2 Kings 17:26.

The emperor discerned the people not worshiping the god who controlled the regions; to change them, he sent the Jewish priest back to Samaria from Assyria ‘to teach the people the law of the god of that land’ –2Kings:17:25.

The priest sent to the colonists was not a true priest or God, but one of those who had been attached to the calf-worship, probably at Bethel. Hence, he would be willing to tolerate the mixed religion, which a true priest of the Lord would have unsparingly condemned. — 2 Kings 17:28

The Old Testament reveals high places on which the people offered sacrifices to the god residing there (I Sam. 9:12-13; 10:5; 1Kin. 3:2; Hos. 2:13, etc.). High places were places people sacrificed to the god of the area. High places were associated with Baal (‘high places of Baal’ in Numbers 22:41), or other alien deities (Lev. 26:30)

Neo Paganism Revival

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“Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments,” (Ex. 20:3-6).

Neo Paganism is the revival of the old gods and goddesses of pre-Christian polytheistic mythologies, mystery cults, and nature religions, such as Celtic, Egyptian, Roman, and Sumerian. Prudence Jones and Caitlin Matthews writes: “Pagans’ are people who follow the Old Religion, the native religious tradition of Europe which predated more abstract world religions such as Christianity . . . In a sense the new Pagans are neo-Pagans, since they derive their impetus from a spiritual re-emergence and reinstatement of ancient Pagan principles.”

Neo Paganism also includes existing tribal religions and shamanism. Then it includes new religions inspired by avant-garde science fiction and fantasy works as well as diverse occultic sources and traditions; related to witchcraft covens are other neo-pagan groups.

Moses stayed on the mountain for 40 days and received from the Lord all the laws that were to govern the religious and secular life of the Israelites. The Israelites felt abandoned by Moses during his absence and went to Aaron and said to him, “up, make us gods, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him,” (Exodus 32:1).

Intercession of the Holy Spirit

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In connection with the subject of intercession, the question is to whether the Holy Spirit is not presented in Scriptures as an intercessor.

(Rom. 8:26). “In like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered; and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

One explanation has been given that the Holy Spirit is here referred to as dwelling in us and thus making intercession. The Divine Spirit is said to be a Spirit of supplication, Zachariah 12:10.

The distinction which is made between the intercession of Christ in heaven in His priestly office and that of the Holy Spirit interceding within the souls of believers, referred to by Shedd (see Commentary on Romans), must be carefully used, for if pressed to its extreme it would lead to the materialization and localization of the Divine nature. Moreover, may not the intercession of Our Lord be regarded as being partially exemplified in that of the Spirit whom He has declared to be His agent and representative? If Christ dwells in believers by His Spirit, His intercession, especially if subjective in and with their spirits, may properly be described as the intercession of the Holy Ghost.

The Scripture makes it clear that the battle is not our personal battle. We are part of the war but the battle is the Lord’s. We are led by the unconquerable One. The battle rests upon His ability and He has already won the war! Read (Jn. 14: 15-27).

A Mighty Engine in Thy Hand

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Intercessory prayer is the sweetest God ever hears, for the prayer of Jesus Christ is of this Spirit. In all the incense which our Great High Priest now puts into the golden censer, there is not a single grain for Himself. His intercession must be the most acceptable of all supplications. Moreover, the more like our prayer is to Christ’s, the sweeter it will be; thus while petitions for ourselves will be accepted, our pleadings for others, having in them more of the fruits of the Spirit, more love, more faith, more brotherly kindness, will be. Through the precious merits of Jesus, the sweetest oblation that we can offer to God, the very fat of our sacrifice.

Believer, thou hast a mighty engine in thy hand, use it well, use it constantly, use it with faith, and thou shalt surely be a benefactor to thy brethren. When thou hast the King’s ear, speak to Him for the suffering members of His body. When thou art favoured to draw very near to His throne, and the King saith to thee, “Ask, and I will give thee what thou wilt,” let thy petitions be, not for thyself alone, but for the many who need His aid. If thou hast grace at all, and art not an intercessor, that grace must be small as a grain of mustard seed. Thou hast just enough grace to float thy soul clear from the quicksand, but thou hast no deep floods of grace, or else thou wouldst carry in thy joyous bark a weighty cargo of the wants of others, and thou wouldst bring back from thy Lord, for them, rich blessings which but for thee they might not have obtained

Father, we stand in our authority as Your children and ready to push back the powers of darkness. We belong to You by the virtue of the price Jesus paid. Your Word says, “. . . Upon this rock (Petra) I will building my church; and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.” We are a majority here, because Jesus Christ and just one person is more powerful than all the powers of darkness. Jesus gave us this promise: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” In Jesus’ name means that it is for His glory and to carry out His purpose.