Ben Masada
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 999
- Reaction score
- 2
- Points
- 0
THE SLITTING OF 850 THROATS
Dear Ben,
Reading the books of I and II Kings this past weekend, I came about a gruesome deed of prophet Elijah's who, in order to erradicate the cult of Baal and Asherah, he slitted the throats of 850 of the prophets of Baal and Asherah. (I Kings 18:19) Regardless of the violence of how he carried that out, what had happened to freedom
of speech and religion in Israel then?
There was indeed freedom of speech and of religion in Israel even at the time of Elijah. Those 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah were not executed for being what they had chosen to be, but for competing with Elijah the spiritual guardianship of the House of Israel and misleading the People into following after gods that they had not known besides the Lord. They were, IOW, leading the People astray from the way of life in Judaism and into apostasy. (Deut. 13:2-6)
As Elijah was concerned, they were no longer Jews for having adopted the Baal cult of Jezebel, but they would insist on holding unto the Jewish identity to make it easier to add more and more Jewish adepts to their cult. They were so to speak, the Jews-for-Baal.
In fact, Elijah did warn them to make up their minds and decide to, either return to Judaism or stay where they were, but not as Jews. Hence, Elijah's question: "How long will you straddle the issue? If the Lord is God, follow Him; if it's Baal, follow him!" (I Kings 18:21) Just return or stay there IOW.
The Jews-for-Baal were causing a spiritual havoc in the Jewish Community. The issue had become rather political because of the insurrection. Then, Elijah condemned those 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah to death and the People was rescued from total apostasy. (I Kings 18:40)
Something today quite similar to that time, I see in "Jews-for-Jesus" and "Messianic Jews" straddling the issue between Judaism and Christianity. Exactly in between one ideology and the other. They hold unto the Jewish identity while upholding the tenets of Christianity. They are lucky because, the only thing Elijah can do today, is to turn in his grave.
Ben
Dear Ben,
Reading the books of I and II Kings this past weekend, I came about a gruesome deed of prophet Elijah's who, in order to erradicate the cult of Baal and Asherah, he slitted the throats of 850 of the prophets of Baal and Asherah. (I Kings 18:19) Regardless of the violence of how he carried that out, what had happened to freedom
of speech and religion in Israel then?
There was indeed freedom of speech and of religion in Israel even at the time of Elijah. Those 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah were not executed for being what they had chosen to be, but for competing with Elijah the spiritual guardianship of the House of Israel and misleading the People into following after gods that they had not known besides the Lord. They were, IOW, leading the People astray from the way of life in Judaism and into apostasy. (Deut. 13:2-6)
As Elijah was concerned, they were no longer Jews for having adopted the Baal cult of Jezebel, but they would insist on holding unto the Jewish identity to make it easier to add more and more Jewish adepts to their cult. They were so to speak, the Jews-for-Baal.
In fact, Elijah did warn them to make up their minds and decide to, either return to Judaism or stay where they were, but not as Jews. Hence, Elijah's question: "How long will you straddle the issue? If the Lord is God, follow Him; if it's Baal, follow him!" (I Kings 18:21) Just return or stay there IOW.
The Jews-for-Baal were causing a spiritual havoc in the Jewish Community. The issue had become rather political because of the insurrection. Then, Elijah condemned those 850 prophets of Baal and Asherah to death and the People was rescued from total apostasy. (I Kings 18:40)
Something today quite similar to that time, I see in "Jews-for-Jesus" and "Messianic Jews" straddling the issue between Judaism and Christianity. Exactly in between one ideology and the other. They hold unto the Jewish identity while upholding the tenets of Christianity. They are lucky because, the only thing Elijah can do today, is to turn in his grave.
Ben