God speaks just eight words here. According to him, God told Israel, “Ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn forever” (17:4). It’s an idol in our midst: Baal. He's trying to speak to us, to get our attention. The word Baalim is a plural form. Think about it: over the past six months, America has seen the worst fires in its history. They read, in essence, "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim...and God, in his hot anger, sold them into the hand of their enemies.". And in the upper Midwest, a terrible brain disease has overtaken the deer population. And the first five are directed not just to Gideon, but to all of his people, including the church today: “The Lord is with you.” The Lord is saying, in essence, “This promise is all you need: I am with you.”, Beloved, this truth has to become the very foundation of our faith. He's about to do a new thing in you. He’ll give you his Holy Ghost power and strength. Baal in Biblical Hebrew. Doesn't my faith move your heart? Whenever Israel resisted, the Midianites drove them into the hills and mountains. Then pour water over the whole thing. ", Now, in Judges 6, an angel brings this word to Gideon: "The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour" (Judges 6:12). When we're in a difficult situation as Jacob was when fleeing from his brother Esau in Genesis 28, he encountered God and received a promise of deliverance. We’re to cry out in faith, “I know you’re with me, Lord. It bends you down in submission to its power. And the beasts completely devoured the crops, sweeping through the fields like locusts. The Baal spirit is always present at the bedside of a dying child or a stricken family member. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened” ( 1 Kings 18:27 ). The Pentagon was set aflame. He's constantly at work planting seeds of doubt in you. Israel lost everything to their enemy: their houses, their food, their goods. Every time we turn around, it seems we face another crisis. Midian’s caravan leaders would release all their camels and livestock into Israel’s fields to graze. Therefore, he wants to give you his power and authority to pull down every stronghold: every doubt, every fear, every thought of unbelief. And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. After that, Gideon was called Jerubbaal, or “Let Baal contend with him” because Gideon had broken down the altar of Baal (verse 32). I wrote a post about fear yesterday. Multitudes will cry out to the Lord.”. And they did just that, acknowledging they'd sinned. The World Trade Centers were destroyed. So sneaky sometimes. Then, in chapter 4, we read, "And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord...and the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan" (4:1-2). The Lord has impressed on me that he's about to do a particular work in many Christians' lives. It was clearly an act of God's tender mercy. And where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? Otherwise, it won’t matter how much we cry out to God, pray or fast. We’re told, “The land had rest forty years…and the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord” (3:11-12). Or, someone might release smallpox or anthrax in a major city. May God get the glory in every thought, every word, every action and every deed. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. And you can't stop his plans for my life. We don't see any evidence he's at work for us. God gave his people over to an enemy, Moab, “because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord” (3:12). God responded actively to altar activity. Yet, never once did they associate these disasters with their rebellion. Infants would then be burned alive as a sacrificial offering to the deity. Why? . God's people ended up seeking refuge in caves and dens, and having to scavenge for food. He'll give you his Holy Ghost power and strength. 1 Kings 16:32 HEB: וַיָּ֥קֶם מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לַבָּ֑עַל בֵּ֣ית הַבַּ֔עַל NAS: an altar for Baal in the house KJV: an altar for Baal in the house INT: erected an altar Baal the house of Baal. And you've forced me to hand you over to your enemy, to drive you back to myself.". The pagan prophets cried out and danced around their altar from morning till noon with no answer from Baal. In each case, God delivered you out of the hands of all who oppressed you. He causes you to think God doesn’t hear your prayers, that he doesn’t keep his promises to you. If Gideon should be punished, then let the god he destroyed punish him personally. Construct an altar as a family. I ask you, could God make his message any clearer? As they compared their poverty to the apparent prosperity of the Midianites, they thought, "Where is our God? Blessings to you! Gather some rocks and sticks and arrange them. He wants you to doubt everything you've ever known about God's Word, You may think, "I don't have any idolatry in my life. Whatever happens, there will be thousands of casualties. As people look at the future, they’re overwhelmed by fear. But he takes no notice of us. Yes, Baal is still very much an idol today. Let no other fear enter your heart. The Lord has abandoned you.”, Now, in Judges 6, an angel brings this word to Gideon: “The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour” (Judges 6:12). I believe this is God's purpose for many readers of this message. It is a spirit of unbelief, plain and simple. Soon we find ourselves asking, “How could a loving God allow this to happen?”, Last month, I was listening to radio reports on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Workers are afraid of losing their jobs. Exodus 34:13: But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves. It denotes all the false gods in the world. And God is telling you, “You must tear out that spirit of unbelief from your soul.”. So the Lord sent a prophet to show them that sin had brought down judgment on them. Now we’re seeing an outbreak of deadly West Nile virus. In Judges 10, we see God’s people admitting to this sin: “The children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim” (Judges 10:10). They were worshipping the spirit behind the paintings. I tell you, in just such a time, Satan launches an all-out attack. I believe we simply don’t understand how much God hates unbelief in his people. I've got doubts. Nasty one that one is. But you haven’t obeyed him. The Holy Ghost took the prophet Ezekiel on a vision-journey into the holy sanctuary. That’s only going to make me tap you harder.”. Throughout the preceding chapters, we find these words repeated again and again. And if you are with me, who can be against me?". The root of Baalim is Baal, which we recognize from Scripture as a demonic spirit. Israel’s situation looked impossible. Now go, get your father’s bull, and pull down that idol. Once again, Scripture says, "The children of Israel cried unto the Lord" (6:6). He’s trying to speak to us, to get our attention. You may be flabbergasted by Gideon's audacity. Definition Details. But you haven't obeyed him. Yet when Gideon encountered the angel of the Lord, he had a spirit of unbelief in his heart. The Hebrew word for altar is mizbeah [], from a verbal root meaning "to slaughter. They believed that the only god who was superior to Baal was his father El, but Baal was the principal deity of the land. Hundreds of people were being interviewed. We’ve also seen drastic weather changes and devastating floods. The root of Baalim is Baal, which we recognize from Scripture as a demonic spirit. It was only a statue made of wood. But if you have doubts in your heart about God’s faithfulness to you, you’re subject to the Baal spirit. And he had responded to it fully, acknowledging his sin. But he didn’t last year. He has exposed such plots time after time. In the sixth chapter of the Book of Judges, God is recorded as instructing the Israelite judge Gideon to cut down an Asherah pole that was next to an altar to Baal. Before this, Gideon probably thought he had been sufficiently repentant. Elijah’s restoration of the altar is critical because of the paganism of his day. In each case, God delivered you out of the hands of all who oppressed you. What did the Israelites mean here, when they said they served Baalim? Of course he could have. But some experts say 200,000 more deer may need to be killed before it’s eradicated. Do Gideon’s words have a familiar ring? He has exposed such plots time after time. And he sends forth the Baal spirit to complete this work in you. But if you have doubts in your heart about God's faithfulness to you, you're subject to the Baal spirit. You still pay homage to false gods” (see 6:8-10). And that's good. Gideon’s father had erected an altar to Baal on their property. They said to themselves, "Yes, there is a God. ", Is there a measure of unbelief in you? And that’s good. I’ve got doubts.”, Is there a measure of unbelief in you? It can be either positive or negative Yet only a small remnant among Christ's body recognized God's hand in these things. Left unchallenged, the Baal spirit of unbelief moves in and sets up an altar. But there was still a heart-issue to deal with. The Pentagon was set aflame. Even if America "cries out to God," as Israel did, God desires something more. After every disaster, calamity or fatal accident, Satan dispatches hordes of demonic spirits to do the work of Baal. I pray God continues to do a great work in you bringing you into an even deeper more intimate relationship with Him. ... What did it mean when Barack Obama received his nomination for president on a stage that resembled the Pergamum Altar of Zeus, declared in the Book of Revelation as… During the time of Israel’s rebellion and idolatry, altars began to fall into disrepair. Thank you for this post. They move in immediately, whispering, "Where was God? He was saying the same things that filled the minds of those seventy elders in Ezekiel's vision: "The Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth" (Ezekiel 8:12). But there was yet another step to take. This time, before God sent a deliverer to Israel, he sent a prophet. Through a vision given by the Holy Ghost, Ezekiel saw firsthand how this spirit sets up an altar in a person’s mind and takes control. Baʿal (בַּעַל) appears about 90 times in the Hebrew Bible in reference to various gods. But the spirit behind it had built a stronghold in Gideon's heart. Now, to be truly repentant, Israel had to recognize their sin as the cause of their troubles. Just as he did with Israel centuries ago, God momentarily handed us over to an enemy. May our eyes be opened to see the wonders of His grace, mercy, power and love which no idol can ever compare. No matter what we face – hardship, tragedy, sickness, poverty, temptation – our Father’s promise holds true: “I am with you.” In all of our trials, especially as we’re being flooded and overwhelmed, we must cling to this word. And the first five are directed not just to Gideon, but to all of his people, including the church today: "The Lord is with you." The Lord doesn't condemn or belittle anyone for their times of doubt and fear. He allowed the destruction of our symbols of prosperity, because that's where we've placed all our pride and reliance. Similarly, what does Baal mean in the Bible? Israel cried because of their oppression by the Midianites. As a place of sacrifice or memorial, the altar represents the sacred encounter with the living God. If it isn’t cast out immediately upon the first attack, it will infiltrate the mind. Without question, unbelief is an idol. The Semitic word Baal means "lord" or "master" and the Canaanites believed that Baal was in absolute control over nature and over people. But then we face yet another situation, causing us to say, "Lord, this is my biggest crisis yet. I see references to it all over the place I so love it when He does that! They lived like paupers, homeless and bereft. How can I tear down an altar to Baal?” Let me re-emphasize, Baal is a spirit of unbelief. It accomplishes this by focusing our attention on our circumstances rather than on the Lord. He exists, and he is Creator of all. What does God's command to "tear down Baal" have to do with us? Now go, get your father's bull, and pull down that idol. But first, you must pull down every thought of doubt, and lay down every fear. In our enlightened age, we can't imagine any intelligent person bowing down to a carved idol. Change ). The Lord is saying, in essence, "This promise is all you need: I am with you. He doesn't care. It was a cry of anguish, due to their poverty, their losses, their insecurity. To honor God, Gideon constructed an altar for the Lord. You see, even though we may cry out to God in repentance, he requires something more of us. But the spirit behind it had built a stronghold in Gideon’s heart. Gideon not only contended with Baal but also with the Midianites. We don't realize that every doubt, every thought of unbelief, is of the satanic spirit of Baal. He allowed the destruction of our symbols of prosperity, because that’s where we’ve placed all our pride and reliance. Fertility was envisaged in terms of seven-year cycles. As we watch our loved one suffering, we wonder about God's purposes. Or, someone might release smallpox or anthrax in a major city. Most of us are like Gideon. ", Last month, I was listening to radio reports on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. We don’t realize that every doubt, every thought of unbelief, is of the satanic spirit of Baal. To Baal, in whose high places this was done and to whom alone Balak used to sacrifice. Our President, our Congressional leaders and security officials have been warning us, "The big attack is still to come." It denotes all the false gods in the world. But first, you must pull down every thought of doubt, and lay down every fear. The truth is, God knew Gideon's doubts weren't accusations. The World Trade Centers were destroyed. Baal's mission is to rob God of all worship and trust by his people. But whether the idol is Baal, Buddha or any of the millions of Hindu gods, the same demonic spirit is behind it. And suddenly, a fear is injected in our mind. He’s about to do a new thing in you. And Japanese beetles are devouring vast acres of forest. And if you are with me, who can be against me?”. Why won't you remove these burdens from me?". All other theology and religion is folly and should be avoided like the plague (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). In churches from coast to coast, people are on their knees crying out to God. He answered the angel, “If the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? Altars can be shaped like a table, or a simple pile of rocks, or many other shapes. What does God’s command to “tear down Baal” have to do with us? That’s exactly what happened to Israel. It accomplishes this by focusing our attention on our circumstances rather than on the Lord. Bankruptcies are at an all-time high. Just as he did with Israel centuries ago, God momentarily handed us over to an enemy. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! The Lord spoke this word to Gideon: “Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it” (Judges 6:25). Here was a man with strong doubts, struggling to believe that God even cared about him. The first instance occurs in chapter 3. The walls of the room were filled with paintings of “every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols in the house of Israel” (8:10). People will know God is calling this nation back to himself. I've never faced one like this. And the whole cycle began all over again. That's idolatry, Gideon. In our enlightened age, we can’t imagine any intelligent person bowing down to a carved idol. Therefore, he wants to give you his power and authority to pull down every stronghold: every doubt, every fear, every thought of unbelief. Baal: means Lord or Owner and refers to Satan. The sacrifice that was placed on the altar during this time is called a “Burnt Offering.” Facing these walls were seventy elders of Israel, swinging censers of incense. God wants you to tear down the spirit of Baal completely in your heart, and begin to live and speak in faith. Noah built an altar and offered a sacrifice to Yahweh. Facing these walls were seventy elders of Israel, swinging censers of incense. Without question, unbelief is an idol. First Kings 18:22, “Then Elijah said to the people, ‘I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men.’” "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord...Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is" (17:5, 7). It is absolutely dangerous to entertain this spirit. Even if America “cries out to God,” as Israel did, God desires something more. An altar symbolically speaking is usually a structure in or on which a person offers prayers or sacrifices to someone or something for religious purpose or to commemorate an important event An altar is a place of transaction between human beings and deities; between the physical and the spiritual. They were worshipping the spirit behind the paintings. How could an ancient false god be present in our modern society?”. Yet this cry wasn’t one of repentance. The tablets, although closely attached to the worship of Baal at his local temple, probably represent Canaanite belief generally. Learn how your comment data is processed. I want you to bring down that symbol of unbelief and destroy it completely.”. Israel lost everything to their enemy: their houses, their food, their goods. Now, to be truly repentant, Israel had to recognize their sin as the cause of their troubles. It was formed into the image of a man, a handsome Adonis type. Here was a man who cried out to God, who was visited with a strong prophetic word, and who heeded that word. Israel cried because of their oppression by the Midianites. Pueblo, CO 81008 Why won’t you remove these burdens from me?”. It was formed into the image of a man, a handsome Adonis type. The Lord has forsaken us.". The Lord has victories ahead for me.”, © 2002 World Challenge, Inc., PO Box 260, Lindale, Texas 75771. Altars were places of exchange, communication, and influence. This man of God put his finger on the reason the people were being so harassed. Israel's situation looked impossible. But you've disobeyed me once again. And if this step isn’t taken, God will not show his mighty arm on our behalf. God had already commanded Gideon, "Go, deliver Israel. And each time, the Lord was faithful to send them a deliverer. In Judges 10, we see God's people admitting to this sin: "The children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim" (Judges 10:10). Soon we find ourselves asking, "How could a loving God allow this to happen? Our President, our Congressional leaders and security officials have been warning us, “The big attack is still to come.” Now I hear some Christians saying, “Just wait for the big one. Strong's Number: H1168. ( Log Out / Where is there any evidence you’re with me in my trial? Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel and “repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down” (1 Kings 18:30). Why? Yet only a small remnant among Christ’s body recognized God’s hand in these things. The Lord has forsaken us.”. Note carefully the opening verse of Judges 6: “And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years” (Judges 6:1). The prophet Jeremiah describes unbelief as a sin “written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart” (Jeremiah 17:1). You may ask, “So, what is this Baal? If you try to get your life — your meaning, your worth, your fire — from anything but the true God, you will be lame all your life. And here is what those men were thinking: “The Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth” (8:12). During this account, Elijah sets out to ensure that the 450 prophets of Baal realize that they are serving a non-existent god, or idol. What did the Israelites mean here, when they said they served Baalim? 2. Now we're seeing an outbreak of deadly West Nile virus. God bless you Ann and I thank God the article was such a blessing for you. Haven't you seen my tears? Definition of Asherah. They were questions. We're to cry out in faith, "I know you're with me, Lord. That's only going to make me tap you harder.". This time, before God sent a deliverer to Israel, he sent a prophet. You can't hurt me. Box 8930 Of course he still loved Israel, but he had to put them at the mercy of their enemies to awaken them. He had heard the prophetic word God sent to Israel. ", It doesn't matter if you're a devoted lover of Jesus or a non-believer. But now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites” (6:13). What was this great evil that Israel kept falling back into, over and over? Most of us are like Gideon. He’s saying, “I’m tapping your shoulder, trying to wake you. What does altar mean? The root of Baalim is Baal, which we recognize from Scripture as a demonic spirit. ( Log Out / Amid horrific screams and the stench of charred human flesh, congregants – men and women alike – would engage in bisexual orgies. Yes, Baal is still very much an idol today. The root of Baalim is Baal, which we recognize from Scripture as a demonic spirit. By such of them as made the choice. The prophet showed Israel clearly what their sin was: they forgot the Lord's command not to fear the gods of this world. ", The Lord told Gideon, "You still have doubts that I'm with you. No matter what we face - hardship, tragedy, sickness, poverty, temptation - our Father's promise holds true: "I am with you." People will know God is calling this nation back to himself. Thank you, Tim Last Sunday during Worship God started a process that has just been so AWESOME! Multitudes will cry out to the Lord.". And this spirit is sent forth from hell for one purpose: to cause people to doubt the reality of God. Satan had accomplished his single, overriding mission: to implant in the minds of believers that God isn’t who the Bible says he is. During this period, Israel was continually brought low by their enemy Midian. The Lord will provide the mighty bull necessary to pull down that idol. Judah, the southern kingdom, also struggled with Baal worship. 1 Kings 18:26 "And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed [it], and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. Are you struggling, asking questions, such as, “Where are you, Lord? The prophet Jeremiah describes unbelief as a sin "written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart" (Jeremiah 17:1). Then cut down all the trees in the grove, and use them to build a new altar. Sometimes these things are not even recognizable to me until a series of “events” cause me to go deeper with God. Part of speech: Proper Name, of a people and territory. We don't see it as the dreadful curse that Scripture calls it. According to him, God told Israel, "Ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn forever" (17:4). I will be reading it over and over because I do not want any false gods left in my life! You may have repented of sin, cried out to God for mercy, heeded all prophetic warnings. The land of Canaan was devoted to the worship of Baal. The word Baalim is a plural form. The Holy Ghost took the prophet Ezekiel on a vision-journey into the holy sanctuary. But [there was] no voice, nor any that answered. How can I tear down an altar to Baal?" May we tear down every altar of every false god that exalts itself above the name of God and stir up our hearts to be completely devoted to Him above all else. How could an ancient false god be present in our modern society?". He pointed out, "Look at your history. He was trying to drive them back to his sheltering wings. As a result, Israel’s leaders dismissed God’s care for them. Baal’s mission is to rob God of all worship and trust by his people. They said to themselves, “Yes, there is a God. How could he allow such a thing to happen?”, Right now, there is widespread uncertainty in our society. We don’t see it as the dreadful curse that Scripture calls it. As people look at the future, they're overwhelmed by fear. I believe this is God’s purpose for many readers of this message. I tell you, in just such a time, Satan launches an all-out attack. Elijah issues a challenge between himself and the 450 prophets that he will build an altar to his God and they will build one altar to Baal. The Lord doesn’t condemn or belittle anyone for their times of doubt and fear. To the true God, otherwise he would not have mentioned it to God as an argument why he should grant his requests, as he doth Numbers 23:4. I’ve never faced one like this. A full one-third of the nation has been in flames. Keep these strong words in mind as we turn our attention back to Gideon. As a result, Israel's leaders dismissed God's care for them. Yet you continue to ignore me. What was this great evil that Israel kept falling back into, over and over? You're going to consume your father's idol on that altar. In fact, the verse we see repeated throughout Judges – “The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord” – refers not to some gross sin, but to the people’s unbelief. He doesn’t see our situation. But He is not harsh, it has been very healing. Tomorrow I'll know you're with us, if the wool is wet but the grass around it is dry.". Hebrew Base Word: בַּעַל. It is absolutely dangerous to entertain this spirit. ... and one's altar to catch fire when one said it would, then one's theology is on a par with the Creator (Matthew 11:19). Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Each time Gideon walked by, the voice of that idol spoke to his soul: "Look at your poverty, your hardships, your unmet needs. It could be a suitcase bomb. Elijah began to mock them, saying, “Shout louder! Been tearing down some strongholds or altars that I didn’t even realize were still there. He's already leading them into new places of peace and rest in Christ. That same night, God told Gideon to tear down his father’s altar to Baal and to build an altar in His honor next to it. After all, he had cried out to the Lord. I will be with you." And he's about to reveal his strong arm on their behalf. Why? So the Lord sent a prophet to show them that sin had brought down judgment on them. He has great victories planned for you. The Lord has victories ahead for me.". Then cut down all the trees in the grove, and use them to build a new altar. Of course, every time Israel was enslaved, they cried out to God. The Lord has abandoned you. Where is God?” Indeed, the idol stood as a testimony to every Israelite who saw it: “God isn’t with you. And if our repentance is to be complete, we have to tear this idol down. His love endures forever”. The priests of the Canaanite Baʿal are mentioned numerous times, most prominently in the First Book of Kings.
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