Idolatry in the Bible: Old vs New Testament part 3
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 3 of a multiple part series.
Laws of Idolatry and Paganism
- Not to prophesize in the name of idolatry, Not to listen to a false Prophet, Not to prophesize falsely in the name of God, and Not to be afraid of killing the false prophet
- Deut. 18:20 (ESV)
- But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’
- Deuteronomy 18:20-22 ESV
- But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.
- Matthew 7:15 ESV
- “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
- 2 Peter 2:1 ESV
- But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
- 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.
- Acts 20:29-30 ESV
- I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
- 1 Timothy 4:1 ESV
- Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,
- 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 ESV
- For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
- Galatians 1:8-9 ESV
- But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
- Deut. 18:20 (ESV)
- Not to swear in the name of an idol
- Exodus 23:13 ESV
- “Pay attention to all that I have said to you, and make no mention of the names of other gods, nor let it be heard on your lips.
- Matthew 5:34-37 ESV
- But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
- James 5:12 ESV
- But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
- 1 Corinthians 10:14 ESV
- Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
- 2 Corinthians 6:16 ESV
- What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
- 1 John 5:21 ESV
- Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
- Exodus 23:13 ESV
- Not to perform ov (medium)
- Leviticus 19:31 ESV
- “Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.
- Leviticus 20:6 ESV
- “If a person turns to mediums and necromancers, whoring after them, I will set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people.
- Deuteronomy 18:10-12 ESV
- There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you.
- Acts 16:16-18 ESV
- As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
- Leviticus 19:31 ESV
- Not to perform yidoni (magical seer)
- Leviticus 19:31 ESV
- “Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.
- Acts 19:19 ESV
- And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.
- Galatians 5:19-21 ESV
- Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
- Leviticus 19:31 ESV
- Not to pass your children through the fire to Molech
- Leviticus 18:21 ESV
- You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.
- Leviticus 20:2-5 ESV
- “Say to the people of Israel, Any one of the people of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones. I myself will set my face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given one of his children to Molech, to make my sanctuary unclean and to profane my holy name. And if the people of the land do at all close their eyes to that man when he gives one of his children to Molech, and do not put him to death, then I will set my face against that man and against his clan and will cut them off from among their people, him and all who follow him in whoring after Molech.
- For information on this topic please read: The Truth About Abortion.
- Leviticus 18:21 ESV
- Not to erect a column in a public place of worship and not to plant a tree in the Temple courtyard
- Deut. 16:21-22
- “You shall not plant for yourself an Asherah of any kind of tree or wood beside the altar of the Lord your God, which you shall make. You shall not set up for yourself a sacred pillar which the Lord your God hates.
- Deuteronomy 12:3 ESV
- You shall tear down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and burn their Asherim with fire. You shall chop down the carved images of their gods and destroy their name out of that place.
- Leviticus 26:1 ESV
- “You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God.
- For more information please read: Understanding Deuteronomy 16:21-22: A Message for Worship
- Deut. 16:21-22
- Not to bow down on smooth stone
- Lev. 26:1
- You shall not make idols for yourselves, nor shall you erect an image, a sacred pillar or an obelisk, nor shall you place any figured stone in your land so that you may bow down to it; for I am the Lord your God.
- Acts 17:29 ESV
- Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.
- 1 Corinthians 10:14 ESV
- Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
- Lev. 26:1
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