The Sound Of The Shofar (Part 4)

The ancient gods make a comeback!  

Religions and religious practices tend to shape civilizations.... when most of Europe slowly became Christian after A.D. 70, and the death of The Apostle Paul, Rome became the centre of Christianity. Meanwhile, most of The Middle East (birthplace of Christianity) was slowly becoming Muslim. Two vastly different civilizations coalesced and formed. They were different in almost every way.  

Old gods don't rule

Over the past two centuries Europe has become increasingly secular, and most of Western Europe, North America, and the former English colonies of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, once predominately Christian, are rapidly embracing a pantheon of  ancient pagan deities. 

The fastest growing religion in Iceland is centred around the old Norse gods of Thor and Odin. The first temple dedicated to Thor, Odin and Frigg in 1000 years is being built in Reykjavík. These long buried gods, once only seen in comics, and latterly, a plethora of hugely popular movies, have been well and truly "outed". Denmark completed a temple dedicated to Odin in 2016.   

The old traditions are re-emerging in the "spiritual revival" that has been occurring since Time Magazine asked the question back in 1966. They only caught up with what was already underway in the west. 

Since the 19th century, there has been increasing interest in ancient pre-Christian European religions such as ancient Greek, Germanic, Celtic, and Eastern European paganism. This stems from an increasing interest in spirituality in Europe, specifically a spirituality in touch with European heritage and ethnic roots in a similar manner to indigenous religions of Native Americans, Aboriginal Australians and Polynesian peoples throughout the Pacific.  

In my country (New Zealand) the government, many social agencies and commercial entities are actively promoting Maori values, gods and healing methods. The European/missionary foundations of modern New Zealand are increasingly being vilified. Even that great explorer/sailor, Captain James Cook, is being slowly, inexorably downgraded in New Zealand's history. It is now common to hear television reporters refer to  the "sports gods" the "weather gods" and a host of other deities purportedly responsible for all manner of human activities.    

The Bible does not dispute the existence of these ancient gods that are reappearing, but it does warn us specifically to avoid them. 

Never worship any of the gods worshipped by the people around you.  Deuteronomy 6:14 NIV   

Who is like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?  Exodus 15:11 NKJV

 

Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.  Isaiah 44:6 ESV

There are at least 25 verses in the Bible warning us to avoid the "other gods" like the plague.

Generally, most modern pagans believe that you cannot truly worship the ancient gods with adopting the cultural practices that accompanied those deities. The political power of these groups is slowly increasing, with Christian ethics being seen as intolerant, racist and separatist. Many are vocally hostile toward the church and Christians. 

Why has Christianity lost so much ground?   

Some years ago Newsweek Magazine reported the results of a survey: they found  that only 49 percent of all Protestants and 44 percent of all Roman Catholics could name even four of the Ten Commandments!

It's been said that when God gave His people the Ten Commandments, He wrote them on stone, to symbolize their durability. He wrote them on both sides of the stone, to signify their thoroughness. And He wrote these laws with His own finger, to attest to their supernatural character. 

Many believers seem to want their religion the way they want their coffee... dairy free, caffeine free, fat free!  God wants a full-bodied, no substitute relationship with us. 

"You shall have no other gods before Me. "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. Exodus 20:3-6 NKJV