Thematic Bible: Idolatrous


Thematic Bible



The Israelites again did evil in the Lord's sight. They worshiped the Baals and the Ashtars, as well as the gods of Syria, Sidon, Moab, the Ammonites, and the Philistines. They abandoned the Lord and did not worship him. Verse ConceptsFalse GodsBaal Worship, HistoryPolytheismServing AsherahGod's People Sinning

The king ruined the high places east of Jerusalem, south of the Mount of Destruction, that King Solomon of Israel had built for the detestable Sidonian goddess Astarte, the detestable Moabite god Chemosh, and the horrible Ammonite god Milcom. Verse ConceptsAbominationsFalse GodsHillsAbominations, Idolatry IsPolluting The LandServing Asherah

Furthermore, on the hill east of Jerusalem Solomon built a high place for the detestable Moabite god Chemosh and for the detestable Ammonite god Milcom. Verse ConceptsFalse GodsBuild, LiterallyHigh Places

I am taking the kingdom from him because they have abandoned me and worshiped the Sidonian goddess Astarte, the Moabite god Chemosh, and the Ammonite god Milcom. They have not followed my instructions by doing what I approve and obeying my rules and regulations, like Solomon's father David did. Verse ConceptsFalse GodsForsaking GodServing Asherah

If you have no desire to worship the Lord, choose today whom you will worship, whether it be the gods whom your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But I and my family will worship the Lord!" Verse ConceptsFreedom, Of The WillAge, Glories OfFamily, Worship InChoicesdoubt, results ofFamilies, Examples OfGood Decision Making ExamplesIntentionsHeads Of The FamilyChoosingFaithful, Choose To RemainZeal, ReligiousLife's PurposeEmployers, Good ExamplesChoosing God's WayBehold Me!Encouraged To Serve Foreign godsServing One's Own GodsBeyond The EuphratesServingServing God

A drought will come upon her land; her rivers and canals will be dried up. All of this will happen because her land is filled with idols. Her people act like madmen because of those idols they fear. Verse Conceptsdrought, physicalWaters Drying Up

But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we don't serve your gods, and we will not pay homage to the golden statue that you have erected." Verse ConceptsGood Decision Making ExamplesAuthority, of human institutionsHuman Authority, Christian ResponseLeaders, PoliticalServanthood, And Worship Of GodSteadfastness, Examples OfNot Worshipping Idolsimage

You have seen their detestable things and idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold.) Verse ConceptsGoldStones

Moses saw that the people were running wild, for Aaron had let them get completely out of control, causing derision from their enemies. Verse ConceptsAmusementsdisgraceShameDegradationPeople Stripping PeopleShame Of Bad Conductvulnerability


When Amaziah returned from defeating the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people of Seir and made them his personal gods. He bowed down before them and offered them sacrifices. Verse ConceptsBowingTwelve Beings

But Amaziah did not heed the warning, for God wanted to hand them over to Joash because they followed the gods of Edom. Verse ConceptsTwelve Beings

and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. Verse ConceptsIncorruptibleImmortality, In NtNations DescribedBirds, Features OfNature DecayingNo DecayPeople Are CorruptibleIdolatryExchanging Good For BadNature Of IdolatryBirdscatsimage

You know that when you were pagans you were often led astray by speechless idols, however you were led. Verse ConceptsDumbnessMutenessPagansPolytheismCarrying IdolsDumbdiscriminationstatuesHinduism


"Son of man, these men have erected their idols in their hearts and placed the obstacle leading to their iniquity right before their faces. Should I really allow them to seek me? Therefore speak to them and say to them, 'This is what the sovereign Lord says: When any one from the house of Israel erects his idols in his heart and sets the obstacle leading to his iniquity before his face, and then consults a prophet, I the Lord am determined to answer him personally according to the enormity of his idolatry.

and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. Verse ConceptsIncorruptibleImmortality, In NtNations DescribedBirds, Features OfNature DecayingNo DecayPeople Are CorruptibleIdolatryExchanging Good For BadNature Of IdolatryBirdscatsimage


The nations' idols are made of silver and gold, they are man-made. Verse ConceptsGoldHeathenIdolatry

All the people of the land went and demolished the temple of Baal. They smashed its altars and idols to bits. They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altar. Jehoiada the priest then placed guards at the Lord's temple. Verse ConceptsFalse GodsDestruction Of Satan's WorksKilling Priests

He built temples on the high places and appointed as priests people who were not Levites. Verse ConceptsHigh PlacesPriests, Institution In Ot Times

With the authority of the Lord he cried out against the altar, "O altar, altar! This is what the Lord says, 'Look, a son named Josiah will be born to the Davidic dynasty. He will sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who offer sacrifices on you. Human bones will be burned on you.'" Verse ConceptsDivine ManifestationsSanctity Of LifeBirths ForetoldDuplicating WordsBonesBurning Idolatrous ThingsMan Of God

He sacrificed all the priests of the high places on the altars located there, and burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem. Verse ConceptsCremationHigh PlacesKilling PriestsBones

Now this man Micah owned a shrine. He made an ephod and some personal idols and hired one of his sons to serve as a priest. Verse ConceptsephodsPriests, Institution In Ot TimesShrinesConsecration

(For this reason, to this very day, neither Dagon's priests nor anyone else who enters Dagon's temple step on Dagon's threshold in Ashdod.)

Then Jehu killed all who were left of Ahab's family in Jezreel, and all his nobles, close friends, and priests. He left no survivors. Verse ConceptsAbandoning FriendsNo SurvivorsKilling Whole Families

He eliminated the pagan priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to offer sacrifices on the high places in the cities of Judah and in the area right around Jerusalem. (They offered sacrifices to Baal, the sun god, the moon god, the constellations, and all the stars in the sky.) Verse ConceptsConstellationsHigh PlacesMoonPriests, Institution In Ot TimesShrinesIncense Offered AmissIdolatrous Worship Of The Moon

Now the Lord delivered King Jehoiakim of Judah into his power, along with some of the vessels of the temple of God. He brought them to the land of Babylonia to the temple of his god and put the vessels in the treasury of his god. Verse ConceptsHoly VesselsSacred VesselsGiven Into One's HandsServing One's Own GodsTemple Utensils RemovedKings of judah

He built temples on the high places and appointed as priests people who were not Levites. Verse ConceptsHigh PlacesPriests, Institution In Ot Times

There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as nothing, and she whom all the province of Asia and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness." Verse ConceptsCovetousness, Example OfAll NationsWorshipping Material ThingsDeposing

The Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the temple of Dagon, where they positioned it beside Dagon. Verse Conceptsstatues

May the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to worship, and he leans on my arm and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this." Verse ConceptsArmsTemples, HeathenBowing To False GodsGod Forgive!Nervousness

Jehu sent invitations throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; not one was absent. They arrived at the temple of Baal and filled it up from end to end. Verse ConceptsTemples, HeathenFilling HousesFollowers Of Baal

Nebuchadnezzar took some of the items in the Lord's temple to Babylon and put them in his palace there.

Furthermore, on the hill east of Jerusalem Solomon built a high place for the detestable Moabite god Chemosh and for the detestable Ammonite god Milcom. Verse ConceptsFalse GodsBuild, LiterallyHigh Places

The Lord has issued a decree against you: "Your dynasty will come to an end. I will destroy the idols and images in the temples of your gods. I will desecrate your grave -- because you are accursed!" Verse ConceptsThe DeadFalse ReligionExile, in assyriaTemples, HeathenDestruction Of Satan's WorksNames Blotted OutAbandoning Idols

The rulers of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate. They said, "Our god has handed Samson, our enemy, over to us." Verse ConceptsPagan GodsFalse GodsCelebrationsGiven Into One's HandsDagon

The Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the temple of Dagon, where they positioned it beside Dagon. Verse Conceptsstatues

"Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was mine. She lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians -- warriors Verse ConceptsHarlots

These are the ones who now take oaths in the name of the sinful idol goddess of Samaria. They vow, 'As surely as your god lives, O Dan,' or 'As surely as your beloved one lives, O Beer Sheba!' But they will fall down and not get up again." Verse ConceptsThe Insecurity Of The WickedHarlotsLiving ThingsShame Of IdolatrySwearing

All her carved idols will be smashed to pieces; all her metal cult statues will be destroyed by fire. I will make a waste heap of all her images. Since she gathered the metal as a prostitute collects her wages, the idols will become a prostitute's wages again." Verse ConceptsProstitutionHarlotsDestruction Of Satan's WorksWages Of A ProstituteAbandoning Idols

Solomon worshiped the Sidonian goddess Astarte and the detestable Ammonite god Milcom. Verse ConceptsAbominationsFalse GodsServing Asherah

They placed Saul's armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and hung his corpse on the city wall of Beth Shan. Verse ConceptsFortificationsFalse GodsWallsServing Asherah

Now the Lord delivered King Jehoiakim of Judah into his power, along with some of the vessels of the temple of God. He brought them to the land of Babylonia to the temple of his god and put the vessels in the treasury of his god. Verse ConceptsHoly VesselsSacred VesselsGiven Into One's HandsServing One's Own GodsTemple Utensils RemovedKings of judah

They stripped his corpse, and then carried off his head and his armor. They sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines proclaiming the news to their idols and their people. They placed his armor in the temple of their gods and hung his head in the temple of Dagon.

Now the Lord delivered King Jehoiakim of Judah into his power, along with some of the vessels of the temple of God. He brought them to the land of Babylonia to the temple of his god and put the vessels in the treasury of his god. Verse ConceptsHoly VesselsSacred VesselsGiven Into One's HandsServing One's Own GodsTemple Utensils RemovedKings of judah

Nebuchadnezzar took some of the items in the Lord's temple to Babylon and put them in his palace there.

On the fifteenth day of the eighth month (a date he had arbitrarily chosen) Jeroboam offered sacrifices on the altar he had made in Bethel. He inaugurated a festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to offer sacrifices. Verse ConceptsNew Year, TheMonth 8Building AltarsIncense Offered Amiss

He built temples on the high places and appointed as priests people who were not Levites. Verse ConceptsHigh PlacesPriests, Institution In Ot Times

They demolished the sacred pillar of Baal and the temple of Baal; it is used as a latrine to this very day. Verse ConceptsDefecation

Jehu sent invitations throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; not one was absent. They arrived at the temple of Baal and filled it up from end to end. Verse ConceptsTemples, HeathenFilling HousesFollowers Of Baal

There is danger not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as nothing, and she whom all the province of Asia and the world worship will suffer the loss of her greatness." Verse ConceptsCovetousness, Example OfAll NationsWorshipping Material ThingsDeposing

May the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to worship, and he leans on my arm and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this." Verse ConceptsArmsTemples, HeathenBowing To False GodsGod Forgive!Nervousness

The Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the temple of Dagon, where they positioned it beside Dagon. Verse Conceptsstatues

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible