P. NITZAVIM (STANDING) – IDOLATRY

THE THEME OF THIS DEVOTION IS:

The Christian faith destroys idolatry. We are builders of the Kingdom of God in Messiah.

The Apostle John ends his first letter with a proscription against idolatry. The proscription comes immediately on the heels of his statement in chapter five verses 19-20,

“And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in wickedness.

“And we know that the son of God is come, and has given us an understanding,

that we may know him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God.”

And then he finishes the letter saying,

“Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” (KJV)

It is of great significance that John should forbid idolatry immediately after affirming that Yeshua the Messiah is the true God. Doubting Thomas fell to his knees and said to the Risen One, “My Lord and my God.” (John 20:28)

The Jewish contention that Christianity is idolatry is simply untrue. God has come down to us in his Only-begotten Son, and his Son is “God-With-Us”.

We worship no created thing: We worship God alone. The Son of God is not a Created Thing. He is God Present in the Creation. (Proverbs 8:22-31, the Eternal WORD with God and proceeding from God the Father.)

In this week’s Parashah in Deuteronomy 29:15 and following, Moses charged the people to utterly despise and reject the “abominations and detestable idols” of wood, stone, silver and gold that they would see all around them as they conquered the Land of Promise.

We likewise must sever any heart-union with the fallen angelic hierarchy. After his healing from leprosy in the Jordan river, Naaman the Syrian experienced a conversion of heart and became an inward disciple of the God of Israel despite his ongoing function as the Military Commander of his pagan king. (2 Kings 5:18)

Let us stand upright in the world. Let us destroy the works of darkness. Let us be builders of the Kingdom of God in Messiah wherever we go.

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