Yeshua Explored

10th October 2022

Special people

What did God think about ‘other gods’?

Previous articles are still available on the Premier Christian radio website – https://www.premierchristianradio.com/Blogs2/Yeshua-Explored  – (until they finally pull the plug!)

Before we start getting all ‘political’ and retreat into our chosen positions for the battles to come let’s remind ourselves of what Kingdom we inhabit and who is the Master of our lives. We often default to human perspectives, even those of us who are Christians and fail to ask the most important question of all … what does God think of this?

First the human perspective. Some quotes on multiculturalism:

We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams. (Jimmy Carter)

“Pit race against race, religion against religion, prejudice against prejudice. Divide and conquer! We must not let that happen here.” (Eleanor Roosevelt)

“The deal with multiculturalism is that the only culture you’re allowed to disapprove of is your own.” Martin Amis

That last quote is quite telling because it is true to say that the current focus is on how flexible Christianity is in order to live comfortably with rival worldviews, specifically ‘gods of other nations’.

It is tempting and wrong to draw parallels with the ancient Hebrews in their relationship with the ‘gods of other nations’ that had insinuated themselves into their society. Penalties were severe and were laid out quite clearly in the Torah.

“Whoever sacrifices to any god other than the Lord must be destroyed.” (Exodus 22:20)

Of course, the seduction of God’s people by these ‘gods’ was to lead to permanent exile in Assyria and temporary exile in Babylon, so it was clear that punishment was not going to evade these errant people. OK, those were different times, but what of today? How do we live with our Hindu, Muslim and Buddhist neighbours? What does God think of the ‘gods of other nations’ that live with us?

We must never forget that the Israelites, on accepting God’s offer at Sinai, were now His special people, a holy incubator for God’s promises. They were to be His witnesses to the Nations, His possession. It was no trivial undertaking; they were His public face to the World. God was feared and respected when they won battles in His Name, but not so much when their conduct fell below the high standards expected for a people cemented together by a set of Laws governing all aspects of their life. But most importantly, they were to provide the means to produce the Messiah for all mankind. The messianic line had to be protected at all costs, despite all the enemy would throw at it to destroy it before it brought forth that helpless baby in the Bethlehem stable. For this reason, God had to be strict with His people, even if it meant some pruning. There was a Divine purpose, one not given to any other people at any time in human history.

This is an extract from the book, Sinner’s Charter: Are the ten commandments for today?, available for £10 at https://www.sppublishing.com/the-sinners-charter-260-p.asp