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Those of us following our posted weekly readings, found on our website sermon releases, then you would know we just read through Jubilees. Granted it was a frustrating translation. I’ll give my official thoughts once I read the Hermeneia version.
Some of you may be scratching your heads as you flip through your Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox Bibles. You won’t find Jubilees there. It is found only in the Ethiopian Bible and was also discovered among the Desert Sea Scrolls. Prior to the official biblical canon, many Christians viewed Jubilees as a “God-breathed” text. Some saw it on par with similar epistles (letters) that we have in our modern collection.
The book of Jubilees is essentially a re-telling of Genesis and some of Exodus. It was likely one of if not the first commentary on these texts. While it changed how the narratives occurred it kept a similar trajectory. Goal. Same theme. One that kept popping up over and over again. We see it even in the Bibles we know and lean on today. Idolatry.
To understand idolatry we must first look at what exactly and idol might be. It is something created by human thought or actions that takes on worship.
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me. ‘You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me” – Exodus 20:2-5
Most would point to an idol as being an image or statue. A carving, painting, or any inanimate object that one would pray to as if it were a god. However, idols were not simply objects.
“Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and resided there; he went out from there and built Penuel. Then Jeroboam said to himself, “Now the kingdom may well revert to the house of David. If this people continues to go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, the heart of this people will turn again to their master, King Rehoboam of Judah; they will kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah.” So the king took counsel and made two calves of gold. He said to the people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” He set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. And this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one at Bethel and before the other as far as Dan. He also made houses on high places and appointed priests from among all the people who were not Levites. Jeroboam appointed a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month like the festival that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar; so he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made. He went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month that he had selected on his own; he appointed a festival for the people of Israel, and he went up to the altar to offer incense.” – 1 Kings 12:25-33
This section comes after a passage of Judah declaring, “There was no one who followed the house of David except the tribe of Juday (1 Kings 12:20).” Their leaders believed this so strongly that they prepared to go to war against Israel. The northern kingdom in this narrative. Judah being the southern kingdom. The story tells us that Israel as a united people split because King Rehoboam refused to lower high taxes and ease heavy work. And so, ten northern tribes broke away to form their own nation. While only two tribes stayed with the royal family in the south. Judah.
We see a king who oppressed his people. Then, when they left him due to his power trip, he wanted to go to war. He was even using religion to justify it. But God.
Yahweh stopped the power crazed king, “Thus says the Lord: You shall not go up or fight against your kindred the people of Israel. Let everyone go home, for this thing is from me (1 Kings 12:24).”
The readings from 1 Kings 12:25-33 come after Judah obeys the Lord’s command to back down. However, here we see a corrupted king as well. You see, Jeroboam did not want Israel to revert back to following the God of David. He was so concerned that people would begin following the king of the south, Rehoboam. Because they began following Judah’s God. He even feared for his life. He let this corrupt his thoughts. To twist his actions. And so, he had to golden claves made. Then, he announced to his people, “You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough [where the temple of God was located in the south]. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” Idols. King Jeroboam created idols.
“Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” – Romans 1:22-25
In our first reading we see idolatry through corruption of power. And in this one we see Apostle Paul identifying idolatry as turning your back on morals, your value system. But what does that entail?
“Therefore, my beloved, flee from the worship of idols. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel: Are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? What do I imply, then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?” – 1 Corinthians 10:14-22
“Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. But now you must get rid of all such things: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices” – Colossians 3:5-9
1 Corinthians 10:14-22 needs some context. You all know I’m big about that. Context is key. Paul here is calling out fellow followers of The Way (original name for Christians). Who double dip. Their siblings in faith were breaking bread with them one day then worshiping in an idolatrous fashion the next. They were participating in what is known as “Imperial Cult Worship.” The religion of the empire. Sacrifices to the ruler or the gods associated with him. It was expected in their society. Expected that regardless of one’s own religion you would pay your respects to the governing powers of your region. Civic feasts in the Roman Empire. Imperial Cult Worship. Things that Paul states are not in line with those who truly follow Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus Christ.
In Colossians 3:5-9 we read more of what Christians are not to do. What we should be letting go of. And among the list Paul provides, he compares greed to idolatry. Did you know that Jesus did the same?
“No one can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” – Matthew 6:24
Wealth. Riches. Also translated to “mammon.” In the Bible, mammon referees to the worship of materialism. Idolatry of wealth by unjust means. We see that echoed in Luke 16:9-13. You cannot serve God and riches. The Bible depicts this as a serious pitfall. Giving oneself over to mammon for Yeshua is putting trust, value, and devotion upon possessions and power rather that God.
Throughout the Bible we see story after story of people choosing the creations over the Creator. We see what happens time and time again. This brings about disaster. The suffering of others. People willing to twist and manipulate in order to hold onto authority. Power chasing. No matter the cost. Not even for their souls or the very lives of innocent people.
The Lord is brilliant with the revelation of our Holy Scriptures. Through study we can relate to a vast array of situations depicted in the texts. We can also see how terribly sinful cycles are repeating themselves. Even today. Psalm 89:14 tells us that mercy goes before judgment. Judgment does not belong to us. Be careful by whose or what spirit you are acting in. Is it of mammon? Of empire? Of power? Fear? Test every spirit before the mercy seat. Do not let the idolatry of the ages past, present, and future cause you to turn away from the Lord. From the teachings of Jesus. From causing others to turn. Find your first love in the Most High. Find your firm foundation. Hold onto your morals. Your value system. Do not bend in the face of mammon no matter the form it takes.
Tonight I will leave you with this warning from 1 John 2:18, “Children, it is the last hour! As you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. From this we know that it is the last hour.”
When Jesus returns and we must account for our actions in this life can we justify the systems of injustice we’ve supported? The fame for self-gratification we’ve chased? The mammon we’ve built up? Putting it all before our relationship with God? Before the community he has anointed? Or will we choose the beast?
Amen.
MORE INFORMATION
Idol Definition via Bible Odyssey
Prophets and Wealth via Bible Odyssey
