| ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ( G ) CHRISTMAS - PAGAN GROVES AND HEATHEN ALTARS In scripture, there are various instances which write of groves, altars, images and green trees in association with idolatry and false worship. Due to this problem there was then the necessity to destroy those places of wickedness. For example, when Israel came into Canaan, God ordered His people to destroy the heathen altars, groves, and graven images; 5. But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire. 6. For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. - Deut. 7:5-6 2. Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: 3. And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. - Deut. 12:2-3 The offering of sacrifices and burning of incense in relationship to the grove and the green tree is evident among the pagan rituals in the history of mans� religion. Gods� people were warned against involving themselves in those kinds of activities. When they chose to reject Gods� commands in these matters it resulted in provoking His anger and the destruction of His disobediant people. At this point let me state clearly that green trees in and of themselves are not evil or pagan. They are clearly a part of the overall creation of God. But I take particular issue with the pagan practices which used such things as the placement for their religious rituals. Therefore, as scripture clearly shows, it is the pagan, ungodly rituals themselves to which God has commanded that His children not embrace and practice. The following are scriptural examples of various green trees, ( i.e. oak, poplar and elm ), with their association in idol worship and the Lords� evident hatred of such things; 4. Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood. 5. Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of rocks? - Isaiah 57:4-5 22. And Judah did evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all that their fathers had done. 23. For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. - 1 Kings 14:22-23 1. In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. 2. Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord his God, like David his father. 3. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel. 4. And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. - 2 Kings 16:1-4 9. And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the Lord their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. 10. And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree: 11. And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the Lord carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger: - 2 Kings 17:9-11 1. Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father: 2. For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim. 3. Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. 4. He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. - 2 Chronicles 28:1-4 19. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts. 20. For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot. 21. Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me? 22. For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord God. - Jeremiah 2:19-22 6. The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. 7. And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. - Jeremiah 3:6-7 1. The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; 2. Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills. - Jeremiah 17:1-2 13. Then shall ye know that I am the Lord, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to all their idols. - Ezekiel 6:13 13. They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery. - Hosea 4:13 Once again let me state that the trees themselves are not ungodly nor unholy things. But it is the intent and use of those things by pagan religious customs with which God was displeased and therefore gave specific instruction to His people not to embrace and commit the same practices ( Jer. 10:1-5 ). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.christianmediaresearch.com/cmc-48.html |
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