Worshipping the gods of the nations

“God said about the Flood in Genesis 6: [5] And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

“Their thoughts had been so corrupted . . . How did they get corrupted? The angelic host came down and corrupted mankind and that angelic invasion led men away to worshipping them," explains Richard Jordan.

“You see, idolatry didn’t begin in the Bible until Genesis 10. The gods had come down and men began to make idols to memorialize their visit. They began to get the idea about the idols to represent them. You do that. You take mementos when you go somewhere. You take pictures; selfies.”

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Isaiah 45: [20] Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.

[21] Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.
[22] Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

“God’s the big ‘G’, but He’s not denying that there are other creatures. He wouldn’t be saying, ‘I’m God and there’s none else beside me,’ if there wasn’t something over there to compare Himself with. Wouldn’t make sense if He said, ‘I’m God and I compare myself to nothing.'

“Notice how your Bible uses this terminology. In chapter 47, he’s talking about Babylon, the city: [8] Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:

“When the city of Babylon is reported as saying, ‘I am and there’s none else beside me,’ is she saying there’s no other city in the world? No, she’s saying there’s no other city that can compare to her; ‘I’m incomparable.’

Zephaniah 2:15: [15] This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.

“In other words, they know there’s other cities, but she says, ‘I’m the top dog.’

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“The Bible teaches the existence of other spirit creatures who are supernatural. They’re not human, but they're also not Jehovah.

“Satan says to Eve, ‘You see those gods out there? They know things you don’t know; they have an enhanced intelligence you don’t have and God doesn’t want you to be like them. When you eat of that tree you’re going to have the enhanced intelligence they have; you’ll be able to do the marvelous supernatural things they do—fly around and all that stuff.’ They were real; Adam and Eve could see them.

Psalm 96:5: [5] For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.

“So they make these representations, these idols, of the invisible gods they’re worshipping.

Psalm 97. [7] Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.

 “A graven image takes time and effort and dedication and love and commitment. He said, ‘Don’t put your skills to work and service of these gods by making representations of them.’

“Psalm 106, talking about Israel: [35] But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.
[36] And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.
[37] Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,
[38] And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.
[39] Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.
[40] Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.
[41] And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.

“Heathen, idols, devils. Those three things are tied together because the heathen, the Gentile nations, worship and are literally under the control of these gods.

“This is what Paul’s talking about in Ephesians 6 when he talks about ‘the rulers of the darkness of this world.’

Deuteronomy 32: [7] Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.
[8] When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
[9] For the LORD's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

“That’s the governing control that these gods have been given over the nations of the world. Every Gentile nation has been placed under the authority of these gods.

“When did He separate the sons of Adam and divide the nations? The Tower of Babel. They were engaged in universal global idolatry that was going to take that spiritual wickedness and permeate the whole planet with it.

“This is where Romans 1, historically, fits in: [21] Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
[22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.

(new post tomorrow)