Sabbath; June 14, 2008. 

Exodus 20:3, Part 2 of 2.

The Bible alone clearly teaches

that God’s first commandment by itself:

(1.) forbids having dead, literal, and idolatrously false “gods” and/or

(2.) forbids having dead, literal, and highly visible “idols,”

which are the dead and highly visible “work of men’s hands;” and/or

(3.) forbids open “idolatry” or “vain” “worship;” and/or

(4.) forbids open “idolatry,” or disguised “devils” “worship,” or

disguised Satan worship, or

the disguised worship and serving of the “creature;” and/or

(5.) forbids the openly idolatrous “lie” or falsehood of “idolatry;” and/or

(6.) forbids the idolatrously false thinking, which holds and asserts

that the only living, infinite, invisible, sinless, and Eternal “Godhead”

is “like unto” “gold,” or “silver,” or “stone,” or

wood,” or “brass,” or “iron,” or is “like unto”

some other type of dead, finite, visible, corrupt, and material objects,

graven by art and man’s device.”
 

     Our Father in Heaven, as quoted in this study from Exodus 20:3, 23; from 1 Chronicles 16:26; and from Acts 17:16, 29-31, in particular, and from elsewhere in the Bible, in general, and thus as You clearly give us warning from Your revealed Judgment in the Bible and/or from Your revealed Word in the Bible,--please help those whom You will Judge and find to be Your true children and/or to be the true “offspring of God” [Acts 17:29]: (1.) to understand and to act upon the Heaven-sent knowledge, as to what historically open heathenism and/or historically open “idolatry” is; and/or (2.) to understand and to act upon the Heaven-sent knowledge, as to what literal and false “gods” and/or highly visible and dead “idols” are; because, just as You so very clearly teach in just three Heaven-sent quotations from the Bible itself and/or from Exodus 20:3, 23; 1 Chronicles 16:26; and Acts 17:16, 29-31, in particular,--literal and false “gods” and/or highly visible and dead “idols” are the visible products or implements of historically literal, ancient, and modern “idolatry” and/or of disguised heathenism; and, thus, we are gratefully that You so clearly teach in the Bible itself, that disguised heathenism, and/or that literal and false “gods,” and/or that highly visible and dead “idols,” and/or that “idolatry” includes even the idolatrously false and/or heathenish thinking [i.e., let alone acting upon this idolatrously false and/or heathenish thinking], which sinfully holds and asserts that the living, infinite, invisible, sinless, and Eternal “Godhead” is “like unto” “gold,” or “silver,” or “stone,” or is “like unto” some other type of dead, finite, visible, corrupt, and material objects, “graven by art and man’s device.” Exodus 20:3, 23; 1 Chronicles 16:26; and Acts 17:16, 29-31. Therefore, we ask that You bless this study of Exodus 20:3, 23; of 1 Chronicles 16:26; and of Acts 17:16, 29-31, in particular, and we also ask that You bless this study of much more from the Bible regarding first commandment “idolatry,” in general, and regarding some of first commandment idolatry’s other related and open sins. Exodus 20:3, 23; 1 Chronicles 16:26; and Acts 17:16, 29-31. In the already forever holy and sacred name of Jesus, our risen Lord and our living Saviour, we pray. Amen.

      “3 Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” --- Exodus 20:3.

      “14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.” --- 1 Corinthians 10:14-15.

      “3 Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. . . 23 Ye shall not make with Me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.” --- Exodus 20:3, 23.

      “23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.” --- John 4:23-24.

      “3 Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. . . 23 Ye shall not make with Me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.” --- Exodus 20:3, 23.

      “26 . . . . all the gods of the people are idols . . . .” --- 1 Chronicles 16:26.

      “27 . . . . among the heathen . . . 28 . . . ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell [i.e., thus, the living and Eternal God of the Bible clearly teaches that literal and false gods and/or that literal and dead idols are the dead work of men’s hands; are thus made from wood and stone, or from some other type of dead and material objects; and, therefore, that literal and false gods and/or that literal and dead idols are in fact without life and are dead].” --- Deuteronomy 4:27, 28. Bracketed note supplied.

      “26 . . . . all the gods of the people are idols . . . .” --- 1 Chronicles 16:26.

      “15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 16 They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; 17 They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths [i.e., thus, again, for emphasis, the living and Eternal God of the Bible clearly teaches that literal idols and/or gods are the dead work of men’s hands; are thus made from silver, or gold, or from some other type of dead and material objects; and, therefore, that literally idolatrous and false gods, and/or that literally dead and highly visible idols are indeed representative of that which is dead, not risen, and not living]. 18 They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.” --- Psalms 135:15-18. Bracketed note supplied.

      “26 . . . . all the gods of the people are idols . . . .” --- 1 Chronicles 16:26.

      “18 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? 19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it [i.e., thus, it is dead].” Habakkuk 2:18-19. Bracketed note supplied.

      “26 . . . . all the gods of the people are idols . . . .” --- 1 Chronicles 16:26.

      “9 But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” --- Matthew 15:9.

      “26 . . . . all the gods of the people are idols . . . .” --- 1 Chronicles 16:26.

      “2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? 3 But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased. 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat [i.e., thus, again, for emphasis, the living and Eternal God of the Bible repeats His teaching that literal idols and/or gods are the dead work of men’s hands; are thus made from silver, or gold, or from some other type of dead and material objects; and, therefore, that they are indeed representative of that which is dead, not risen, and not living]. 8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. . . .
     126 It is time for Thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void Thy law. . . 137 . . . Righteous art Thou, O LORD, and upright are Thy Judgments. 138 Thy Testimonies that Thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful. . . 142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is the truth. . . 172 My tongue shall speak of Thy Word: for all Thy commandments are righteousness.” --- Psalms 115:2-8; 119:126, 137-138, 142, 172. Bracketed note supplied.

     “26 . . . . all the gods of the people are idols . . . .” --- 1 Chronicles 16:26.

     “16 . . . . they despised My Judgments, and walked not in My statutes, but polluted My Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.” --- Ezekiel 20:16.

     “26 . . . . all the gods of the people are idols . . . .” --- 1 Chronicles 16:26.

     “15 The idols of the heathen . . . .” --- Psalms 135:15.

     “11 . . . . the gods . . . of the heathen.” --- Zephaniah 2:11.

     “14 . . . . the abominations of the heathen . . . .” --- 2 Chronicles 36:14.

     “5 . . . the heathen . . . the wicked . . . .” --- Psalms 9:5.

      “17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the Word at My mouth, and give them warning from Me. 18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. 20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul. . . .
     12 And ye shall know that I am the LORD: for ye have not walked in My statutes, neither executed My Judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that are round about you. . . .
     22 Because with lies [i.e., and/or because with the falsehood of idolatry; and/or because with idolatrously false gods and/or idols; and/or because with idolatrous lies] ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life . . . .
     1 Again the Word of the LORD came unto me [i.e., came unto the prophet Ezekiel], saying, 2 Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations . . . 17 Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of My gold and of My silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them [i.e., thus, the close and sacred relation of God to His professed people and/or to professing Christian is represented under the figure of a marriage; and, therefore, idolatry against God is also spiritual adultery and/or whoredom against God] . . . .
     15 Yet also I lifted up My hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands [i.e., and, thus, which is antitypical of the Promised Land or Heaven, which is just before us today]: 16 Because they despised My Judgments, and walked not in My statutes, but polluted My Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols. . . 30 Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations? 31 For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire [i.e., thus, we should acknowledge here that those who are impenitent, who also may profess to be right doing, who may even profess to be followers and worshipers of the true God, and who are also in reality knowingly or unknowingly in heathenism always follow the historical and ancient heathen practice of human sacrifice to “fire” and/or of knowingly or unknowingly murdering or sacrificing men, women, and even children to “fire,” rather than admit and repent of their open heathenism, and/or rather than admit and repent of their openly idolatry and its many related and open sins; and, therefore, for these last days, please see this “fire” and the “abomination” of the idolatrous “lie” and/or the “abomination” of the falsehood of “idolaters” also spoken of in Revelation 21:7-10, 27; 22:14-15], ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be enquired of by you. 32 And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. . . .
     24 Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign [i.e., a true sign]: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD. . . .
     1 The Word of the LORD came again unto me [i.e., came again unto the prophet Ezekiel], saying, 2 Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Howl ye, Woe worth the day! 3 For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.” --- Ezekiel 11:12; 13:22; 16:1-2, 17; 20:15-16, 30-32; 24:24; 30:1-3. Bracketed notes supplied.

     “5 . . . the heathen . . . the wicked . . . .” --- Psalms 9:5.

      “14 . . . . the abominations of the heathen . . . .” --- 2 Chronicles 36:14.

      “15 The idols of the heathen . . . .” --- Psalms 135:15.

      “11 . . . . the gods . . . of the heathen.” --- Zephaniah 2:11.

      “26 . . . . all the gods of the people are idols . . . .” --- 1 Chronicles 16:26.

      “16 . . . . they despised My Judgments, and walked not in My statutes, but polluted My Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.” --- Ezekiel 20:16.

      “26 . . . . all the gods of the people are idols . . . .” --- 1 Chronicles 16:26.

      Therefore, the next three very clear, easily understood, and salvation-related quotations from the Bible should actually be all that the “offspring of God” [Acts 17:29] need: (1.) to understand and to act upon the Heaven-sent knowledge, as to what historically literal and open heathenism is, and/or as to what historically literal and open “idolatry” is; and/or (2.) to understand and to act upon the Heaven-sent knowledge, as to what historically literal and idolatrously false “gods” are, and/or as to what historically literal, highly visible, and dead “idols” are; because, historically literal and idolatrously false “gods,” and/or historically literal, highly visible, and dead “idols” are the visible products or the dead implements of historical, literal, ancient, and modern “idolatry,” and because historically literal and idolatrously false “gods,” and/or historically literal, highly visible, and dead “idols,” and/or “idolatry” includes even the idolatrously false and/or heathenish thinking [i.e., let alone acting upon this idolatrously false and/or heathenish thinking], which idolatrously holds and thus sinfully asserts that the only living, infinite, invisible, sinless, and Eternal “Godhead” is “like unto” “gold,” or “silver,” or “stone,” “graven by art and man’s device,” or is “like unto” some other type of dead, finite, visible, corrupt, and material objects, “graven by art and man’s device,” just as the next three Heaven-sent quotations from the Bible so very easily dismiss and so very clearly teach against, as follows:

      “3 Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. . . 23 Ye shall not make with Me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.” --- Exodus 20:3, 23.

      “26 . . . . all the gods of the people are idols . . . .” --- 1 Chronicles 16:26.

      “16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. . . 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent [i.e., to repent of the open sin of open idolatry and its many other related and open sins]: 31 Because He hath appointed a day [i.e., and/or because God the Father hath appointed the day of the Lord], in the which He will Judge the world in righteousness by that Man [i.e., and/or by Jesus Christ] whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead [i.e., and/or in that God the Father hath raised His Son, the risen Lord God and the living Jesus Christ, from the dead; and, therefore to make and thus to have a dead ‘graven image’ (1 Chronicles 16:26; Exodus 20:3-4; Deuteronomy 4:12-18; John 5:45-47) and/or a dead statue that supposedly represents Him always dishonors Him; to make and thus to have a dead, visible, so-called ‘likeness’ and/or a dead picture that supposedly represents Him always dishonors Him; and/or to make and thus to have any type of dead and so-called ‘similitude’ made from the dead ‘work of men’s hands’ (i.e., see Malachi 3:6; Deuteronomy 4:12-18; Exodus 20:3-4; John 5:45-47; Exodus 20:3-4, 23; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Psalms 135:15-18; 2 Chronicles 36:14; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Acts 17:16, 29-31; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Psalms 115:2-8; 119:126, 137-138, 142, 172; 1 Chronicles 16:26; 1 John 5:21; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Revelation 21:7-10, 27; 22:14-15; 1 Corinthians 10:14-15), and thus made from some type of dead, finite, visible, corrupt, and material objects to supposedly represent Him always dishonors Him, because He is the only truly living, infinite, invisible, sinless, and Eternal Son of God, the risen Lord God and the living Saviour, Jesus Christ].” --- Acts 17:16, 29-31. Bracketed notes supplied.

      “8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” --- Hebrews 13:8.

      “6 For I am the LORD, I change not . . . .” --- Malachi 3:6.

      Therefore, knowing that the changeless LORD God inspired Moses to write such Biblical books as Deuteronomy and Exodus, the changeless LORD God invites your attention to the next three Heaven-sent and Biblical quotations, cited immediately below, to see what the changeless LORD God still has to say to people who desire some similitude to represent God, when the changeless LORD God has given no manner of similitude of Himself, and when the changeless LORD God has historically, Biblically, and clearly forbidden any material representation for such a purpose, as succinctly and yet lovingly discussed in the next three Bible quotations from the book of John [i.e., written by the apostle John, as he was inspired by the changeless LORD God], from the book of Deuteronomy [i.e., written by Moses, as he was inspired by the changeless LORD God], and from the book of Exodus [i.e., also written by Moses, as he was inspired by the changeless LORD God], as follows:

      “45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. 46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me. 47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My Words?” --- John 5:45-47.

      “12 And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the Voice of the Words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a Voice. 13 And He declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and He wrote them upon two tables of stone. 14 And the LORD commanded me [i.e., commanded Moses] at that time to teach you statutes and Judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it. 15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: 16 Lest ye corrupt  yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, 18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: 19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. 20 But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt [i.e., and/or out of the land of heathenism or open idolatry], to be unto Him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day. 21 Furthermore the LORD was angry with me [i.e., with Moses] for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance: 22 But I must die in this land, I must not go over Jordan: but ye shall go over, and possess that good land. 23 Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which He made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden  thee. 24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. 25 When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt  yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke Him to anger: 26 I call Heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. 27 And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you. 28 And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell [i.e., they are dead]. . . .
     14 Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you.” --- Deuteronomy 4:12-28; 6:14. Bracketed notes supplied.

     “3 Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. . . 23 Ye shall not make with Me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.” --- Exodus 20:3, 23.

     “26 . . . . all the gods of the people are idols . . . .” --- 1 Chronicles 16:26.

     Therefore, woe and shame upon the gods-liking, false-christ-god-like, and so-called “masters” of divinity [i.e., see Matthew 23:8-10], and, thus, woe and shame upon the gods-liking, false-christ-god-like, and so-called doctors of divinity and theology, who together claim to be leaders of the professed people of God, and who together bear an idolatry-promoting, wicked, and heathenish false witness or an idolatrous lie saying that there is no Biblical evidence forbidding the making and thus forbidding the having of a “similitude” [Deuteronomy 4:12-28; 6:14] of the unchanging LORD God.

      Therefore, please remember what causes the professed people of the changeless LORD God to “corrupt” themselves, as seen in Deuteronomy 4:12-18, again cited below; and, then, by prayerfully and carefully comparing Deuteronomy 4:12-18 with Romans 1:21-32, which is also cited below, and which describes the cause and effect relationship between idolatry and the resulting “corrupt” practices that befall a people, who engage in idolatry, and/or who idolatrously seek to change the honor and/or the “glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things” [Romans 1:23],  just as this corruption process, or this cause and effect process is therefore spelled out and is therefore described in detail by the changeless LORD God in speaking through Moses in Deuteronomy 4:12-18 and in speaking through the apostle Paul in Romans 1:21-32, as follows: 

     “12 And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the Voice of the Words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a Voice. 13 And He declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and He wrote them upon two tables of stone. 14 And the LORD commanded me [i.e., commanded Moses] at that time to teach you statutes and Judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it. 15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: 16 Lest ye corrupt  yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, 18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth.” --- Deuteronomy 4:12-18. Bracketed note supplied.

      “21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God [i.e., and/or they honored Him not as God], neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools [i.e., and/or professing themselves to be wise virgins, they became Satan’s mediums through whom he speaks and works, and/or they became foolish virgins or fools], 23 And changed the glory [i.e., and/or changed the honor] of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible  man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore [i.e., and/or therefore, and/or for this cause] God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause [i.e., and/or wherefore; and/or therefore] God gave them up unto vile affections [i.e., unto falsely-so-called love and/or unto vile affections]: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men [i.e., thus, the vile affections of homosexuality is the first ‘corrupt’ practice described right here in the Bible, which results from the cause and effect relationship between: (1.) the always idolatrous practice of making images of God, and (2.) the always ‘corrupt’ practices that follow among a people who engage in this idolatry against God, as plainly described in Deuteronomy 4:12-18 and here in Romans 1:21-27, 28-32; and, also, as brazenly and openly advertized to the world by some without any likelihood that they will be disfellowshiped from their homosexual accommodating, homosexual excusing, homosexual tolerating, and thus Sodom-like church, as plainly and openly seen by all the world at http://www.sdakinship.org] working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet [i.e., and/or, according to the unchangeable LORD God, receiving in themselves that recompence or reward of their error of homosexuality which was suitable, or fitting, or meet]. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient [i.e., and/or God gave them over to a depraved or unprincipled mind to do those things that are characteristic of the heathen and followers of gods, and/or to do those things that are not becoming Christians or followers of the risen and living Lord God Jesus Christ]; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness [i.e., and/or having wicked malice or hate; spiteful; showing wicked malice or hate; taking actions caused by having wicked malice or hate; and, thus, for example, when any heathen people or church in a professing Christian guise predictably persecutes, terminates, and/or disfellowships with or without a grossly false and mock trial those Christians, who the heathen in a professing Christian guise know are innocent, this is an illustration of today’s maliciousness]; full of envy, murder [i.e., there is a lot of murder or human sacrifice going on today, as for example when any people or church in a professing Christian guise harbor or even manifest a spirit of hatred against cherished and open wrongs being reproved in their church, and/or harbor or even manifest a spirit of hatred against cherished and open sins being reproved in their church, and they bear false witness calling these necessary reproofs, ‘speaking against the church,’ then, because of this harbored or even manifest spirit of hatred it is a fact that in the eyes of the unchanging LORD God murder or human sacrifice is taking place on the spot; and, also, when any people or church in a professing in Christian guise are in reality in open idolatry and/or in open heathenism, and yet they refuse to admit and repent of such open heathenism and/or of such open idolatry and of its many other corrupt, related, and open sins, but choose rather to sacrifice men, women, and even children to ‘fire,’ even to the ‘lake which burneth with fire and brimstone’ [Revelation 21:7-10, 27), then, deferred murder and/or the historically heathenish practice of human sacrifice to ‘fire’ (Revelation 21:7-10, 27) is taking place; and, yet, there is even more hidden murder taking place, but very real murder taking place to include the heathenish practice of sacrificing human beings, even helpless and unborn babes, as abortions are being wickedly concealed, excused, and cloaked over by a heathenish or human being sacrificing people or churches in a professing Christian guise], debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents [i.e., disobedient to idolatry-opposing and all of its related corrupt practices opposing and/or open sins opposing, gods and/or idols opposing, and God-serving parents], 31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable [i.e., not to be placated or appeased; wickedly relentless; implacable], unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the Judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” --- Romans 1:20-32. Bracketed notes supplied.

     “26 . . . . all the gods of the people are idols . . . .” --- 1 Chronicles 16:26.

     Please remember that open idolatry includes: (1) the making and thus the having of forbidden graven images/dead statues of the living God that are made by the dead works of men’s hands, or that are graven by the openly idolatrous art and device of men, and/or (2.) the making and thus the having of forbidden likenesses/dead pictures of the living God that are made by the dead works of men’s hands, or that are graven by the openly idolatrous art and device of men, and/or (3.) the making and thus the having of forbidden and dead similitudes of the living God that are made by the dead works of men’s hands, or that are graven by the openly idolatrous art and device of men, and/or (4.) the making and thus the having of forbidden, dead, and idolatrously false gods and/or forbidden, dead, and idolatrously false idols to supposedly represent the living God, and that are made by the dead works of men’s hands, or that are graven by the openly idolatrous art and device of men, just as we have already seen from the Bible itself. Therefore, just now then, please see the direct relationship between having such “gods” and/or such “idols;” and, also, therefore, being immediately involved in “sacrificing unto devils,” and therefore also being immediately involved in disguised Satan worship and/or in disguised “devils” “worship,” just as the unchangeable LORD God has so clearly warned in the Bible, as readily seen in the next three Heaven-sent quotes and more below, as follows:

      “17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.” --- Deuteronomy 32:17.

      “20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk [i.e., they are dead]: 21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.” --- Revelation 9:20-21. Bracketed note supplied.

      “26 . . . . all the gods of the people are idols . . . .” --- 1 Chronicles 16:26.

      “18 Be it known unto thee, O king [i.e., O openly heathen, openly idolatrous, wicked, and not understanding king], that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. . . .
     4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. . . 23 . . . thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know [i.e., they are dead]: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified [i.e., and/or hast thou not honored]: 24 Then was the part of the hand sent from Him; and this writing was written. 25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. 26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom [i.e., God hath numbered thy openly heathen and/or idolatrous kingdom], and finished it. 27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. . . .
     4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the Words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. . .“10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” --- Daniel 3:18; 5:4, 23-27; 12:4, 10. Bracketed notes supplied.

     “7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son [i.e., and/or My daughter, as the case may be]. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars [i.e., and/ or all those who give approval or sanction, or who tolerate, excuse, cloak over, and refuse to genuinely repent and to genuinely flee from the open falsehood of idolatry or from being openly idolatrous liars], shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. 9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great City, the Holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God . . . 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth [i.e., and/or any thing that polluteth], neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. . . .
     14 Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the City. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” --- Revelation 21:7-10, 27; 22:14-15. Bracketed notes supplied.

      “15 Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.” --- Deuteronomy 27:15.

       It is a law both of our intellectual and the spiritual nature that by beholding we become changed. The mind ever so gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon which it is allowed to dwell. Thus, when any people attempt to represent any One of the living, infinite, invisible, sinless, and Eternal Godhead by dead, finite, visible, corrupt, and material objects, their conception of the living Godhead is gradually lowered. The mind, turned away from the infinite perfection of the living Jehovah, is attracted to the dead and “forbidden” “creature,” to the dead and “forbidden” “graven image” / dead statue, to the dead and ‘forbidden” so-called “likeness” / dead picture, and/or to the dead and “forbidden” so-called “similitude” rather than to the living Creator; and, as their conceptions of the living God are gradually lowered by such idolatrous actions of any heathenish people even in a Christian guise, they become degraded and even more “corrupt” with the resulting effects of other related and open sins coming into their lives, just as this cause and effect relationship is so very clearly described by the changeless and living LORD God in Malachi 3:6; Deuteronomy 12-18; Exodus 20:3-4, 23; Deuteronomy 12-28; 6:14; 1 Chronicles 16:26; and Romans 1:21-32. Therefore, this lowering of man’s conception of God by making and thus by having any such dead and forbidden similitude of the living and awesome God, any such dead and forbidden “graven image” / dead statue of the living and awesome God, or any such dead and forbidden “likeness” / dead picture of the living and awesome God, which is thus but making and therefore having “idols” and/or “gods” [1 Chronicles 16:26] is also addressed by God Himself through the prophet isaiah, as Isaiah seeks to restore and to raise man’s conception of God, as follows:

      “11 Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols [i.e., and/or her gods], so do to Jerusalem and her idols [i.e., and/or her gods]? . . . .
     10 Behold, the LORD God will come [i.e., this is reference to the LORD’S near and second coming] with strong hand, and His arm shall rule for Him: behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. 11 He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. 12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? 13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being His counsellor hath taught Him? 14 With whom took He counsel, and who instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of Judgment, and taught Him knowledge, and shewed to Him the way of understanding? 15 Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, He taketh up the isles as a very little thing. 16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. 17 All nations [i.e., all fallen, openly idolatrous or heathenish nations] before Him are as nothing; and they are counted to Him less than nothing, and vanity. 18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto Him? 19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. 20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved. 21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is He that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: 23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; He maketh the judges of the earth as vanity [i.e., the idolatrous and false judges of the earth as vanity]. 24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and He shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. 25 To whom then will ye liken Me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. . . .
     7 So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved. . . .
     9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. 10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing? 11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together. 12 The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint. 13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house. . . .
     16 They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.” --- Isaiah 10:11; 40:18-25; 41:7; 44:9-13; 45:16. Bracketed note supplied.

      “26 . . . . all the gods of the people are idols . . . .” --- 1 Chronicles 16:26.
 

 Conclusion:

     Satan’s secretly disguised religion of heathenism, and/or of idolatry, and/or of the lie or the falsehood of idolatry, and/or of vain worship in a professing religious guise and in a professing Christian guise has historically always included the deification of that which is dead. Satan’s heathen host or Satan’s heathen children of disobedience have always knowingly or even unknowing promoted and served Satan’s disguised and yet openly heathen religion. On the other hand, God’s true children and/or the true “offspring of God” will ever seek to truly promote, to truly serve, and thus to truly “worship” the living, infinite, invisible, sinless, and Eternal “Godhead” by promoting and serving God’s revealed teaching and/or God’s revealed Judgment in the Bible itself; but, again, Satan’s “heathen” children, and/or Satan’s children of disobedience in a professing religious guise, and/or Satan’s “heathen” offspring in a professing Christian guise in reality promote and serve Satan by seeking to make of none effect the God’s teachings from the Bible concerning “vain” “worship;” and concerning disguised Satan “worship,” and/or concerning disguised “devils” “worship,” and/or concerning the disguised worship of the “creature,” and/or concerning “idolatry,” and/or concerning dead and highly visible “idols,” and/or concerning dead and idolatrously false “gods,” and/or concerning the dead and idolatrously false “work of men’s hands,” and/or concerning “forbidden,” dead, so-called “similitudes” made to supposedly be a true representation of any One of the living, infinite, invisible, sinless, and Eternal “Godhead;” made “like unto” “gold,” or “silver,” or “wood,” or “stone,” or “brass,” “graven by art and man’s device;” and/or made “like unto” some other type of dead, finite, visible, corrupt, and material objects “graven by art and man’s device.” See Exodus 20:3; John 4:23-24; Malachi 3:16; Deuteronomy 4:12-18; Exodus 20:3, 23; 1 Chronicles 16:26; 1 Corinthians 10:14-15; Deuteronomy 4:12-28; 6:14; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Acts 17:16, 29-31; Deuteronomy 4:12-18 [Romans 1:22-32]; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Psalms 115:2-8; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Matthew 15:9; 2 Chronicles 36:14; Psalms 135:15-18; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Exodus 20:3, 23; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Acts 17:16, 29-31; 1 Chronicles 16:26 [Deuteronomy 32:17; Revelation 9:20-21; 21:7-10, 27; 22:14-15; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Daniel 4:18; 5:4, 23-27; 12:4, 10]; and John 4:23-24.

     Therefore, the Heaven-sent Bible quotations, which have been cited immediately above in the main body of this short and salvation-related study, should be all that those who are living in the hope of being Judged by God to be His true children need to understand and to thus “do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the City;” and/or the Heaven-sent Bible quotations, which have been cited immediately above in the main body of this short and salvation-related study, should be all that those who are living in the hope of being Judged by God to be the true “offspring of God” need and require to understand and to act upon what the Bible itself clearly teaches concerning God’s first commandment:

(1.) forbidding the having of literal and false “gods” and/or “idols,” which are made from the dead “work of men’s hands,” which are thus made from “gold,” or “silver,” or “stone,” or “wood,” or “brass,” or from some other type of dead, finite, visible, corrupt, and material objects, and which are therefore always idolatrously made, always falsely made, always thus heathenishly made, and always therefore dishonorably made to supposedly be a true and visible representation of the living, invisible, sinless, and Eternal “Godhead;” and/or

(2.) forbidding open “idolatry” or “vain” “worship;”

(3.) forbidding open “idolatry,” or disguised worship and serving of the “creature,” or disguised “devils” “worship,” or disguised Satan “worship,” and it is Satan: (a.) who is the secretly disguised “god” and/or “idol” of ancient and modern heathenism in a professing religious guise; (b.) who is in reality represented by any literal and idolatrously false “god,” and/or by any literal and highly visible “idol,” and/or by any “forbidden” and dead graven image / dead statute supposedly representing any One of the living and Eternal “Godhead,” (c.) who is in reality represented by any literal and idolatrously false “god,” and/or by any literal and highly visible “idol,” and/or by any “forbidden” and dead likeness / dead picture supposedly representing any One of the living and Eternal “Godhead;” and/or (d.) who is in reality represented by any literal and idolatrously false “god,” and/or by any literal and highly visible “idol,” and/or by any “forbidden,” dead, so-called “similitude” that is made from some type of dead, finite, visible, corrupt, and material object, and that is thus always idolatrously made; always “Sabbath”-pollutingly or idolatrously made; always spiritually adulterously, or whoredomingly, or idolatrously made; always falsely made or falsehood of “idolatry” promoting; always murderously made or human being sacrificing; always thus heathenishly made; and always therefore dishonorably made to supposedly be a true, finite, and visible representation of any One of the only truly living, infinite, invisible, sinless, and Eternal “Godhead;” (e.) who is the murderer from the beginning; (f.) who is the destroyer; (g.) who is a deceiver; (h.) who is a tormentor; (i.) who is a liar; (j.) who is thus the false accuser of the true brethren; (k.) who is therefore the father of lies, and much more; and/or, therefore, also,

(4.) forbidding the openly idolatrous “lie” or the open falsehood of “idolatry,” which includes forbidding even the idolatrously false, “wicked,” and/or heathenish thinking [i.e., let alone acting upon this idolatrously false, “wicked,” and/or heathenish thinking] that the living, infinite, invisible, sinless, and Eternal “Godhead” is “like unto” “gold,” or “silver,” or “stone,” or is “like unto” some other type of dead, finite, visible, corrupt, and material objects, “graven by art and man’s device.” See Exodus 20:3; John 4:23-24; Hebrews 13:8; Malachi 3:6 [Deuteronomy 4:12-28; 6:14; Exodus 20:3; John 5:45-47]; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Deuteronomy 4:12-28; 6:14 [1 Chronicles 16:26; Romans 1:21-32]; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Psalms 135:15-18; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Matthew 15:9; 2 Chronicles 36:14; Psalms 115:2-8; 119:126, 137-138, 142, 172; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Ezekiel 20:15-16; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Exodus 20:3, 23; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Acts 17:16, 29-31; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Daniel 3:18; 5:4, 23-27; 12:4, 10; Revelation 21:7-10, 27; 22:14-15; Deuteronomy 27:15; and Isaiah 40:18-25.

     Therefore, although one Bible quotation or one hundred Bible quotations that reveal open idolatry and/or open heathenism in a professing religious guise will never be enough for the impenitent and lost heathen in a professing Christian guise, in fact, just three clear Bible quotations [i.e., Exodus 20:3, 23; 1 Chronicles 16:26; and Acts 17:16, 29-31] should be all that the penitent and Christian “offspring of God” need and require to understand and to act upon what the Bible itself clearly teaches about God’s first commandment forbidding the having of dead, literal, and false “gods;” and/or forbidding the having of dead, literal, and highly visible “idols;” and/or forbidding vain worship or open “idolatry;” and/or forbidding the openly idolatrous lie or the open falsehood of “idolatry,” which includes forbidding even the idolatrously false and/or heathenish thinking [i.e., let alone acting upon this idolatrously false and/or heathenish thinking], which idolatrously holds and thus sinfully asserts that the living, infinite, invisible, sinless, and Eternal “Godhead” is “like unto” “gold,” or “silver,” or “stone,” or is “like unto” some other type of dead, finite, visible, corrupt, and material objects, “graven by art and man’s device.” Please remember Exodus 20:3, 23; 1 Chronicles 16:26; and Acts 17:16, 29-31.

     As the open sin of open “idolatry” has become general; and/or as the making and thus the having any dead and “graven image” / dead statue, any dead and so-called “likeness” / dead picture, and/or any “forbidden,” dead, and so-called “similitude” that is “graven by art and man’s device,” and that is also “graven” to supposedly be true and honorable representation of the living “Godhead” [Malachi 3:6; Deuteronomy 4:12-28; 6:14; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Exodus 20:3-4, 23; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Acts 17:17, 29-31] has became general and has swept through the world like a plague;--this open sin of open “idolatry” has predictably come to appear less and less sinful, and it has also predictably come to be even desirable and even thought of as actually being necessary by the openly idolatrous, impenitent, lost, great mass of openly heathen children or offspring of Satan in a professing Christian guise; but, this widespread attitude of acceptance of the open the sin of open “idolatry” will not be and is not the sentiment of the relatively few, genuinely penitent, and Christian children or “offspring of God” [Acts 17:16, 29-31]. Therefore, let the penitent and Christian “offspring of God” [Acts 17:16, 29-31] give thanks unto the living Lord God:

(1.) that they have, serve, and truly “worship” [John 4:23-24] the only truly living, infinite, invisible, sinless, and Eternal “Godhead” [1 Chronicles 16:26; Acts 17:16, 29-31];

(2.) that they do not choose to do as do the impenitent and lost “heathen,” in a professing religious guise and even in a professing Christian guise,--in that the impenitent and lost “heathen” knowingly or unknowingly promote “vain” “worship,” or knowingly or unknowingly “teach for doctrines the commandments of men” regarding their dead and idolatrously false “gods,” and/or regarding their dead and idolatrously false “idols,” and/or regarding their dead “work of men’s hands,”--which is all the result of foolishly acting upon the idolatrously false thinking that the living, infinite, invisible, sinless, and Eternal “Godhead” is “like unto” “gold,” or “silver,” or “stone,” or “wood,” or is “like unto” some other type of dead, finite, visible, corrupt, and material objects, “graven by art and man’s device” [Exodus 20:3; John 4:23-24; Exodus 20:3; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Psalms 135:15-18; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Matthew 15:9; Psalms 115:2-8; 119:126, 137-138, 142, 172; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Exodus 20:3, 23; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Acts 17:16, 29-31]; and

(3.) that they may therefore be “blessed” by the Lord God in that they “do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the City” and/or that they may enter in to everlasting life in God’s Holy “City;” because, forever outside of God’s Holy “City” or forever “without” God’s Holy “City” will be the openly sinning, impenitent, lost, often times religiously disguised, and thus often times professing a Christian disguise, “wicked,” predictably not “understanding,” great mass of openly heathen “idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” See Exodus 20:3 [1 Chronicles 16:26; Acts 17:16, 29-31]; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Psalms 135:15-18; 2 Chronicles 36:14; Psalms 115:2-8; 119:126, 137-138, 142, 172; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Daniel 3:18; 5:4, 23-27; 12:4, 10; Revelation 21:7-10, 27; 22:14-15; Hebrews 13:8; Malachi 3:6; Deuteronomy 4:12-28; 6:14; 27:15; 32:17 [Revelation 9:20-21]; John 5:45-47 [Exodus 20:3, 23; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Deuteronomy 4:12-28; 6:14; Romans 1:21-32]; 1 Chronicles 16:26; and Isaiah 40:18-25.

     And, yet, there is so very much more.

     Our Father in Heaven, we thank You and we thank Your Son for the fact that Jesus is our risen and living God, and that we need not knowingly or unknowingly choose to serve the dead gods, and/or the dead idols, and/or the falsely so-called true, always idolatrous, and dead statues and pictures of heathenism in a professing religious guise, which are made from dead, finite, visible, corrupt, and material objects, and which are thus always idolatrously made; always Sabbath-pollutingly or idolatrously made; always spiritually adulterously, or whoredomingly, or idolatrously made; always falsely made or falsehood of idolatry promoting; always murderously made or human being sacrificing, and even men, women and children sacrificing; always thus heathenishly made; and always therefore dishonorably made to supposedly be true, finite, and visible representations of the only living, infinite, invisible, sinless, and Eternal Godhead. Thus, because of the infinitely self-denying sacrifice and triumph of Jesus Christ, our risen Lord and our living Saviour, we also thank You and Him for the awesome plan of salvation, and for the sure privilege of prayer.
     Therefore, considering again the perilous times of these last days, when open heathenism and/or open idolatry and its many related and open sins is actually being regarded as being Christian,--we close with this much needed and Scriptural request, “Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to Thy holy name, and glory in Thy praise.” 1 Chronicles 16:35. May Your will be done individual by individual. May Your Holy Spirit edit this prayer to make it perfect in its intent to strengthen, encourage, and faithfully warn Your penitent and openly Christian people and/or the “offspring of God”, who stand in direct contrast to Satan’s openly sinning, impenitent, lost, great mass of openly heathen people in a professing Christian guise. Acts 17:16, 29-31; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Exodus 20:3, 23; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Deuteronomy 4:12-28; 6:14; 1 Chronicles 16:26; Daniel 3:18; 5:4, 23-27; 12:4, 10; Revelation 22;14-15.
     Therefore, may Your Holy Spirit edit this prayer to make it perfect in Biblically and decidedly expressing these matters and to also make it perfect to therefore be respectfully placed before Your Throne. In the already forever holy and sacred name of Jesus, our living Lord God and our risen Saviour, we pray. Amen.

 

Your friend and brother in Christ,

Michael O. Hodges

Pastor Michael O. Hodges
FORERUNNER, self-supporting ministries
Home Church (since 1983)
Email: mhodges@4runnerministries.com
Web Site: http://www.4runnerministries.com

 


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Pastor Michael O. Hodges

Copyright 2003-2008.

Permission is hereby given to reprint any of these studies and articles provided that they are duplicated in their entirety without any change or comment.