In the book of Judges we learned about Israel how, “they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger”, and in chapter two and verse thirteen of Judges, we learn how Israel, “forsook the LORD, and served Baal”, where we read,
And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
The verse reads, “And they forsook the LORD, …” The writer began with the words, “and they forsook” which means “and they, the people of Israel, left, let loose of, abandoned and neglected” “the LORD” or “Jehovah who is the existing One and is the proper name of the One True God”. The writer reemphasized how the people of Israel abandoned Jehovah God.
The verse goes on to say, “… and served Baal and Ashtaroth.” The writer continued with the words, “and served Baal” which means “and worshiped, labored and worked for Baal whose name means ‘lord’ and was the supreme male divinity of the Phoenicians or Canaanites” “and Ashtaroth” or Astaroth whose name means “star” and were “the false goddesses in the Canaanite religion, usually related to fertility cult.” The writer shared how the people of Israel abandoned their relationship with Jehovah God to worship and serve “Baal and Ashtaroth”.
When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn how the people of Israel left their personal relationship with Jehovah God to serve “Baal and Ashtaroth” instead. These pagan deities were among the group of gods that Jehovah told them would be like traps and snares, and now, they fell into their trappings. God knows what is best for us, and when we have a personal intimate relationship with Him through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put His Holy Spirit within us to guide us into all truth and give us the ability to resist all other gods and their trappings to continue in worship and fellowship of Him. (See John 3:16; 15:5; Jude 1:21)
Next time we learn how, “the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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