Topical Bible: Idolatry: Accompanied by Feasts

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Idolatry, the worship of idols or false gods, is a recurring theme in the Bible, often depicted as a grievous sin against the one true God. Throughout Scripture, idolatry is frequently associated with feasts and celebrations, which serve to highlight the communal and cultural aspects of idol worship. These feasts often involved elaborate rituals, sacrifices, and revelry, drawing people away from the worship of Yahweh and into practices condemned by biblical teachings.

In the Old Testament, the Israelites are repeatedly warned against participating in the idolatrous practices of surrounding nations. One of the most notable instances of idolatry accompanied by feasting occurs in the account of the golden calf in Exodus 32. While Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Law, the people of Israel grew impatient and demanded that Aaron make them a god to lead them. Aaron fashioned a golden calf, and the people proclaimed, "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!" (Exodus 32:4). The following day, they offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings, and "the people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry" (Exodus 32:6). This incident underscores the link between idolatry and feasting, as the people engaged in a celebration that directly violated God's commandments.

The prophet Isaiah also addresses the issue of idolatry accompanied by feasts. In Isaiah 44, he mocks the absurdity of idol worship, describing how a craftsman uses part of a tree to warm himself and bake bread, and from the same tree, he carves an idol to worship. The prophet highlights the futility of such practices, emphasizing that these idols cannot save or provide for their worshippers. The feasts associated with idol worship are depicted as empty and meaningless, contrasting with the true worship of God, which is characterized by righteousness and justice.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul confronts the issue of idolatry in the context of feasts in his letters to the Corinthians. The city of Corinth was known for its pagan temples and the associated feasts, which often included the consumption of meat sacrificed to idols. Paul warns the Corinthian believers against participating in these feasts, stating, "You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons" (1 Corinthians 10:21). He emphasizes the incompatibility of idolatry with the Christian faith, urging believers to flee from idolatrous practices and to seek the glory of God in all things.

The Book of Revelation also addresses the theme of idolatry accompanied by feasts. In Revelation 2:14, the church in Pergamum is rebuked for tolerating those who hold to the teachings of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and committing sexual immorality. This reference to Balaam recalls the events in Numbers 25, where the Israelites engaged in idolatrous worship and feasting with the Moabites, leading to God's judgment upon them.

Throughout the Bible, idolatry accompanied by feasts is portrayed as a seductive and dangerous practice that leads people away from the worship of the true God. These feasts, often marked by indulgence and immorality, stand in stark contrast to the holy convocations and celebrations ordained by God for His people. The biblical narrative consistently calls for the rejection of idolatry and the exclusive worship of Yahweh, the one true God, who alone is worthy of honor and praise.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Kings 10:20
And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they proclaimed it.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Corinthians 10:27,28
If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and you be disposed to go; whatever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Preacher as a Patriot.
... worship of these foreign deities was accompanied with sensual ... Feasts, dances and
drunken orgies formed part of ... Idolatry in Israel was never due to theoretic ...
/.../stalker/the preacher and his models/lecture iii the preacher as.htm

Gherardi Sat for Two or Three Minutes in Absolute Silence. ...
... to sound like "the mighty wind" which accompanied the cloven ... to pay successfully,
just as the feasts and Saturnalia ... There needs no Vatican, no idolatry of the ...
/.../corelli/the master-christian/xxi gherardi sat for two.htm

The Royal Marriage Feast.
... critics say, that because the greatest feasts were usually ... courage or of cowardice
that accompanied the act. ... detect or unwilling to confess their own idolatry. ...
/.../arnot/the parables of our lord/xii the royal marriage feast.htm

Manner of Covenanting.
... the first ages, the exercise was accompanied by sacrifice ... the occasion of entering
into covenant, feasts were wont ... of Israel, who fell into idolatry by offering ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter ii manner of covenanting.htm

Abraham, his Trial in Egypt; his Humility
... caution, respecting them, [869]144; idol feasts a way ... Idolatry, began from pride,
[871]25; principle of argument ... of excess, [1077]357; was accompanied by other ...
/.../abraham his trial in egypt.htm

CHAP. II. 4-25 (2-23).
... By the celebration of the feasts, and by the offering of the first-fruits, the
Israelites ... The phrase is used with a reference to idolatry in 2 Kings 17:32; 2 ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/chap ii 25-apr 2-23.htm

The Immaculate Conception
... At the same time they continued their gruesome idolatry as before ... The meal in the
house was accompanied by much ... Emmerich had visions of all the feasts of the ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/ii the immaculate conception.htm

The Transformation of Rome from a Pagan into a Christian City.
... such marriages lead us back to idolatry and superstition ... The image of Theseus is
accompanied by a legend in ... The agapai, or love-feasts, before degenerating into ...
/.../lanciani/pagan and christian rome/chapter i the transformation of.htm

The Journey of the Three Holy Kings to Bethlehem
... I saw them arranging joyful feasts in Egypt ... warmly, and the old shepherd accompanied
them to ... had conquered extreme temptations to commit idolatry, polygamy, and ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/xiii the journey of the.htm

Homilies on Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians.
... own name, [761]ib.; called the Apostasy, [762]386; will not setup idolatry,
[763]ib ... in houses so called, [1218]232; praised in song at heathen feasts, [1219] ...
/.../homilies on philippians colossians and.htm