articlesforchristians

What does the Bible say about Idolatry and paganism in the Old Testament? How does that compare to what the New Testament Says? Read on to find out. This is part 2 of a multiple part series.

Laws of Idolatry and Paganism

• Not to turn a city to idolatry
  • Ex. 23:13 Now concerning everything which I have said to you, be on your guard; do not mention the name of other gods [either in a blessing or in a curse]; do not let such speech be heard [coming] from your mouth.
  • 1 Corinthians 10:14 ESV
    • Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
  • 1 John 5:21 ESV
    • Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
• To burn a city that has turned to idol worship, not to rebuild it as a city, not to derive benefit from it
  • Deut. 13:12-18 amp
    • “If you hear [it said] in one of your cities, which the Lord your God gives you to live in, 
    • that some worthless and evil men have gone out from among you and have tempted the inhabitants of their city [to sin], saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods’ (whom you have not known), 
    • then you shall investigate and search out [witnesses] and ask thorough questions. If it is true and the matter is established that this loathsome thing has been done among you, 
    • you shall most certainly strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying it and all that is in it, even its livestock with the edge of the sword. 
    • Then you shall collect all its spoil (plunder) into the middle of its open square and burn the city and set fire to the spoil as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. It shall be a ruin forever. It shall not be built again. 
    • Nothing from that which is put under the ban (designated for destruction) shall cling to your hand, so that the Lord may turn away from His burning anger and show mercy to you, and have compassion on you and make you increase, just as He swore to your fathers, 
    • because you have listened to and obeyed the voice of the Lord your God, keeping all His commandments which I am commanding you today, and doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord your God.
  • Acts 19:18-20
    • Many of those who had become believers were coming, confessing and disclosing their [former sinful] practices. 
    • And many of those who had practiced magical arts collected their books and [throwing book after book on the pile] began burning them in front of everyone. They calculated their value and found it to be 50,000 pieces of silver. 
    • So, the word of the Lord [concerning eternal salvation through faith in Christ] was growing greatly and prevailing.
  • Today we can’t burn cities for sinful practices, however, as you learn that something that you own is wrong, it is a great idea to destroy it.
    • Here are two article that deal with things that have a connection with evil.
      • Do Common Items Invite Evil Spirits?
      • How to Identify Items That Attract Evil Spirits
• Not to missionize an individual to idol worship
  • Deut. 13:1-3
    • “If a prophet arises among you, or a dreamer of dreams, and gives you a sign or a wonder, 
    • and the sign or the wonder which he spoke (foretold) to you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us follow after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve and worship them,’ 
    • you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and all your soul [your entire being]. 
• Not to love the missionary (one who teaches idol worship), Not to cease hating the missionary, not to save the missionary, not to say anything in his defense, Not to refrain from incriminating him
  • Deut. 13:5-11
    • But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the Lord your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to draw you away from the way in which the Lord your God has commanded you to walk. So, you shall remove the evil from among you.
    • “If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or daughter, or [a]the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as [precious to you as] your own life (soul), entices you secretly, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods’ (gods whom neither you nor your fathers have known,
    • of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other),
    • you shall not consent to him or listen to him; and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare him or conceal him.
    • Instead, you shall most certainly execute him; your hand shall be first [to be raised] against him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.
    • So, you shall stone him to death with stones, because he has tried to draw you away from the Lord your God who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery.
    • Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such a wicked thing among you.
  • Today will are not to destroy the people. God will do that. Instead, we are to be aware of the false prophets and stay away from them.
    • Matthew 7:15 ESV
      • “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
    • 1 John 4:1 ESV
      • Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
    • Galatians 1:9 amp
      • As we have said before, so I now say again, if anyone is preaching to you a gospel different from that which you received [from us], let him be condemned to destruction!
        • This is the destruction that God will bring.