Leviticus, primarily a collection of laws, gives us insight into the character of Yahweh through His expectations of Israel. The book repeatedly states, ‘Yahweh spoke to Moses…’, giving us clear indication the laws were of divine origin! I was arrested recently as I read, “They must no longer offer their sacrifices to the goat-demons that they have prostituted themselves with” [Leviticus 17:7]. I was startled! Yahweh’s people prostituting themselves with goat-demons? Put as bluntly as that, it sounds outrageous! Which, of course, it is, and I felt outraged! But the Holy Spirit pulled me up quickly - examine yourself! “Do the people of Yahweh still prostitute themselves?” I asked. “Am I guilty?”
It's easy to recognise an obvious idol, and the worship of an inanimate object as idolatry, but are there other ways of prostituting oneself? The Oxford Dictionary defines an idol as: “an object of extreme devotion; a person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered.” I have to conclude, then, there’s a great deal in our world demanding attentions that are idolatrous! There are pop, film, and sports idols, to name a few. Then there’s a multitude of common idols: for example, money, power, fame, reputation, gaming, sex, and appearance spring to mind; and no doubt you can add to the list. We’re talking about anything that claims huge chunks of our emotions, time, and life.
Yahweh was very clear when He told Israel not to follow the local customs of the land in which they lived [Leviticus 18:3]. In the same way, we’re not to get entangled with the ‘worship’ of the world around us. Yahweh said, “Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them” [Leviticus 18:5]. The apostle John took up this theme when he wrote, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you…And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases [Yahweh] will live forever” [1 John 2:15&17, New Living Translation].
It never hurts to examine oneself!
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You Are The BranchesClick to see the whole passage:
1 timothy 3:16 NIV - Beyond all question, the mystery from - Bible Gateway
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