The Temple of Baal in the Hearts of Men

 

The Temple of Baal in the Hearts of Men

Exodus 20:3 You shall not have no other gods before me. (NIV)

             Last month, there were news reports circulating all over the media with regards to a Temple of Baal being erected in the cities of New York and London. This 48-foot arch was once a prime feature of attraction in Palmyra, Syria until it was ultimately destroyed by ISIS in August of 2015. As an act of defiance against the terrorist organization, the Institute for Digital Technology (IDA) made plans to preserve history by making replicas of the temple and erecting them in various parts of the world. However, due to the prayers of the saints and possibly receiving numerous complaints against this decision, the IDA has decided to build a Arch of Triumph in its place in New York and London.  

            Although this is great news with regards to Christians, it is still not a total victory. Baal is already in the hearts of men. Although the outward display of the temple will not be seen in the New York Square, there is just as much wickedness and idolatry on display in the world, especially in the land of America. Baal, whose name means “lord,” is not a name given to the God of Heaven, but it belongs to the god of the underworld. We find in the Bible that God was displeased with the Israelites when they worshipped foreign gods. Judges 2:11-13 ⁽¹¹⁾Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. ⁽¹²⁾They forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They provoked the Lord to anger ⁽¹³⁾because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. (NIV) God was displeased then and He is still the same God today. The evils that have been done in honor of demonic gods are a stench in the nostrils of the Lord.

            So why was it easy for nations to agree to having this demonic god’s temple erected in the first place? Let’s breakdown some of the components involved in “Baal” worship.

 a.)    Baal worship involved the sacrifice of children.

Jeremiah 19:5 They have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as offering to Baal – something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind. (NIV) The only time God ever asked for a sacrifice of a human was when He tested Abraham. Even in that case, God did not allow Isaac, Abraham’s son, to be sacrificed. Instead, God provided a ram in a bush for him to sacrifice. Genesis 22:13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. (NIV)

 

 

 In the United States, nearly 60 million babies have been sacrificed by means of abortion since the 1973 Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Roe vs. Wade. Over 300,000 babies are being murdered every year in the United States alone. Recently, the Centers for Medical Progress was in the news for having gone undercover in a 3-year investigation to expose Planned Parenthood in their marketing of aborted baby parts. Instead of the U.S. government taking a stand and defunding Planned Parenthood, they have gone after those who took part in exposing them. So what does this say about the evils of men? This is one example of Baal, already being in their hearts, by allowing the sacrifice of children to be called “freedom of women’s rights” with no regard to the child.

 

 

 b.)    Baal worship involved sexual immorality.

Numbers 25:1-3 ⁽¹⁾While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, ⁽²⁾who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate and bowed down before these gods. ⁽³⁾So Israel joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor. And the Lord’s anger burned against them. (NIV) God had given a strict command for the Israelites to not marry and become involved with foreign nations to avoid learning their ways. Nevertheless, the Israelites did not heed the Lord’s command and became involved in sexual immorality, which also led them to Baal worship.

 

The United States is one of the largest importers and exporters of pornography in the world. Books, magazines, games, cable television and satellite are tools being used of the devil to exploit the ungodly sexual desires of both men and women. Homosexual marriage has been signed into law by the courts, and the perversion is spreading from the playground to the church house. Men are wanting to become women and women want to become men. Transgender individuals are wanting rights to go into the restrooms, showers, and locker rooms of their choice, while the lesbian, gay, transgender and bi-sexual community (LGBT) are demanding rights, that are placing Christian businesses and soon churches in a standoff against the U.S. government. This is only another example of Baal being in the hearts of man.

c.)    The worship of Baal involved dancing to the beat.

1 Kings 18:25-26 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “O Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. (NIV) The prophet Elijah had a showdown between the God of Heaven and the priests of Baal. They tried to get a response from their god, but no response came when they cried out to him. Therefore, they thought that if they danced for him, he would hear their pleas.

 

Today, there is a worship to Baal through the sales of demonic music and videos. A lot of the music that is on the market promotes sex, lust, disrespect towards authority, degradation of women, and more. Many artists have literally sold their souls to the devil for the sake of fame and fortune. Even some music labeled as “Christian” is not of a holy anointing from the Lord, but a compromised version from the pits of hell. Artists like Beyonce, Madonna, and Rihanna entertain men and women by showing their bodies, dancing on poles, and indulging the flesh. They are just a few examples of those who are dancing to the tune of Baal.

d.)    The worship of Baal involved the spilling of blood.

 1 Kings 18:27-28 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom until their blood flowed. (NIV) The priests of Baal cut themselves to spill blood as part of their demonic ritual. However, God never required that we spill our own blood because He sent Jesus to die in our place and through His blood, we are saved. Hebrews 9:22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (NIV) The shedding of blood first came from the sacrifice of animals, but after Jesus died, that was no longer needed because His blood had paid our debt.

 

The world is full of violence, which often spills over to the shedding of innocent blood. There is killing in the streets by rival gangs, terrorists blowing themselves and others up in the name of Allah, domestic violence taking place in many homes, and murder just for the sake of something to do. Blood is being spilled in all parts of the world and this is all part of Baal worship. The devil aims to kill, steal and destroy. In the very beginning he did the with Cain and Abel. Genesis 3:8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. (NIV) Evil men are spilling blood everywhere across the planet and therefore, giving worship to Baal.

 

            So this lets us know that Baal is already in the hearts of man rather erected in the natural or within their hearts and minds. Man is always thinking of something evil to do and this is why man was destroyed during time of Noah. Genesis 6:5 The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. (NIV) However, we are to have the mind of Christ and not bow down to wilds of the enemy. When we are in Christ, we cannot be like the world, but we are to represent Christ in all things. Philippians 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. (NIV) We do not submit to idols, but we submit to Jesus as the King of kings and Lord of lords. We must pray for this world that we be a light in the darkness by allowing Christ to overflow in all areas of our mind. The temple of Baal may not be erected in the natural, but let’s pray for the Salvation of those who have erected it in the hearts and minds of men.