8
votes
Accepted
Why is "sacrificing children to Molek" part of the section discussing unlawful sexual relations?
Introduction
It seems that the confusion may arise from the presumption that chapter's primary concern is sexual practices; it is not. It is easy to see how this confusion might arise however. As ...
- 7,582
6
votes
Is the second of the Ten Commandments redundant?
Since the Ten Commandments (or in Hebrew Ten Statements) are situated in a long passage in both Exodus (cap. 20) and Deutronomy (cap. 5) but not delimited or numbered (that is, separated in the text ...
- 9,304
5
votes
What does it mean to "Weep for Tammuz"?
Weeping for Tammuz was a 40 day mourning period for a pagan sun deity that which God castigates Israel for whoring after in Ezekiel 8:13-16. Today this period of mourning is called Lent.
The ...
- 51
5
votes
Is it clear from the text that Aaron was lying about the golden calf coming out of the fire?
The Pulpit commentary puts this succinctly in its comments on Ex 32:24 -
Verse 24. - There came out this calf. Aaron speaks as if he had
prepared no mould, but simply thrown the gold into the hot ...
- 85.6k
4
votes
What are the teraphim (household gods) Rachel stole from Laban?
Teraphim: more than mere ‘idols’
The most that can be said with certainty is that teraphim were cultic objects, distinguished in Hebrew vocabulary from carved and molded idols, of significant value ...
- 2,601
4
votes
Can 'face of his father' refer to human sacrifice in Gen. 11:28?
"upon the face of" is quintessential Hebrew idiom for "in the presence of". Thus, it helpfully translated by most modern versions (or a slight variation), eg,
NIV: While his ...
- 85.6k
4
votes
Is it clear from the text that Aaron was lying about the golden calf coming out of the fire?
[Exodus 32] clearly explains Aaron (“Aharon”, אַהֲרֹן) was willing to help mold the calf statue, as restated in verse 35 : (הָ-עֵ֔גֶל) “the-calf” (אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה אַהֲרֹן) “that Aharon made”.
Did Aaron ...
- 8,151
3
votes
In Exodus 32:6, what was the nature of the pagan revelry of the Israelites?
According to both Jewish and Christian sources, they committed idolatry.
1 Corinthians 10:7
And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, ...
- 10.6k
3
votes
Accepted
Did the Israelites of Samaria necessarily have a literal cow idol in their temple?
It is highly unlikely Hosea is using a literary device.
First, there were two real golden calves in Israel the people worshipped. When the nation divided, Jeroboam, the first king of Israel made two ...
- 14.6k
3
votes
What does it mean to "Weep for Tammuz"?
Tammuz was a pagan god or idol that the women were weeping for on the north side of the temple. According to T.Jacobson page 100 in Toward the Image of Tammuz and Other Essays, the myth was that ...
- 31
3
votes
Did God make an idol?
The Cosmic Temple
Among others, both John Walton (Genesis 1 as Ancient Cosmology) and G.K. Beale (The Temple and the Church's Mission) argue that the cosmos and Eden are constructed in Genesis 1-2 in ...
- 36.2k
3
votes
Revelation 21:8; DRB; what is the precise meaning of Idolatry?
Christians believe there is only one true God, who alone is to be worshipped. But just believing in the reality of this God is not worship. "Even the demons believe there is one God - and shudder&...
- 17.8k
3
votes
Accepted
Is the second of the Ten Commandments redundant?
Many have suggested that the second commandment is redundant for exactly the reasons stated by the OP. However, there is a good reason for the second commandment.
One of the greatest characteristics ...
- 85.6k
3
votes
Is the second of the Ten Commandments redundant?
It isn't redundant.
The first commandment requires that people regard only God as god.
But people can believe God is their only god and still attribute supernatural qualities to physical objects, ...
- 5,150
3
votes
'God' or 'gods' in 1 Kings 12:28 and Exodus 32:4?
This one is actually pretty easy to settle grammatically, without appeal to tradition or theology (and I won't attempt to give a theological explanation at all here).
Grammatically, these are ...
- 169
3
votes
'God' or 'gods' in 1 Kings 12:28 and Exodus 32:4?
It's a mistake to assume Biblical Hebrew follows English grammar (or even modern Hebrew grammar) when it comes to singular and plural, as there are other uses of the plural form besides counting:
To ...
- 8,036
2
votes
What does the word 'idols' mean in 1 John 5:21 and what exactly is idolatry?
The question asks about idols in the context of 1 John, rather than for a broader opinion about idolatry. And we will find that the author of 1 John has a very specific purpose of mentioning idols at ...
- 12.4k
2
votes
Why is "sacrificing children to Molek" part of the section discussing unlawful sexual relations?
The scripture in question is not translated, "sacrifice" in all translations of the bible (see Biblehub parallel versions).
For example, in the KJV:
21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass ...
- 393
2
votes
What did earrings have to do with idolatry in Gen 35:4?
Based on opinions from several early Torah commentators, it appears that the issue with the earrings had less to do with their use as jewelry, and more to do with their possibly having been used in ...
- 1,275
2
votes
Why didn't Jacob burn or destroy the items in Genesis 35:4?
According to various commentaries it would seem Jacob hid them under the oak tree and also out of sight so that the position of them was unknown to the people In a way hiding them out of sight of the ...
- 22.8k
2
votes
Exodus 20:4 order prohibiting making idols in the likeness heavenly aspects w/ Tabernacle(Exodus 25:18-) & Solomon's Temple(2 Chronicles 3:11)
There were lots of things in the sanctuary and later, the temple, that were images of things in heaven and on earth such as:
1 Kings 7:18, 20 - pomegranates
V19, 22 - lilies
V25 - bulls
V29 - ...
- 85.6k
2
votes
Revelation 21:8; DRB; what is the precise meaning of Idolatry?
Strictly, an idolater is a person who worships an image of something as a god.
However, the Bible forbids worship anything or anyone other the the One true God; this includes animals, angels, demons ...
- 85.6k
2
votes
"Knowledge of God" in Romans 1:28
It is the general knowledge for God's existence.
Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork. Teleological Argument:
The teleological argument (from τέλος, telos,...
- 4,283
2
votes
Deuteronomy 4:15 - No form, not male nor female
There are two main points here. First, the way God describes himself to his people (Israel) which impacts directly on his command that no image is to be attempted, as any kind of visual aid to worship....
- 17.8k
2
votes
Why did God punish only the Midianites but not the Moabites?
Answer from wikipedia (hebrew article of חטא בעל פעור ..)
The story of sin begins with the description of fornication with the daughters of Moab: "And the people desired to commit fornication ...
- 603
2
votes
Accepted
Does Acts 17:29's charagmati (χαράγματι) also mean image, or icon (eikón)?
Acts 17:29 does not prohibit images or graven images. It simply teaches that God is not like anything that man could make.
Now to the specific question of the OP. There are two Greek words in view. ...
- 85.6k
2
votes
Accepted
What was the "Idol" that Moses' descendants served in Dan (Judges 18:30)
It certainly appears that the Danites used Micah's idol as a visible representation of the LORD as recorded in Judges 17:13 -
Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will be good to me,
because a ...
- 85.6k
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