Topical Bible: Jerusalem: Idolatry of

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Jerusalem, the city chosen by God as the dwelling place for His Name and the center of worship for the Israelites, has a complex history marked by periods of faithfulness and rebellion. One of the most grievous sins committed by the inhabitants of Jerusalem was idolatry, which repeatedly provoked the anger of the Lord and led to severe consequences.

Historical Context

The roots of idolatry in Jerusalem can be traced back to the influence of surrounding nations and the failure of Israel's leaders to remain faithful to the covenant with Yahweh. Despite the clear commandments given to Moses, such as the prohibition against making idols (Exodus 20:4-5), the people of Jerusalem often turned to the worship of foreign gods.

Solomon's Apostasy

King Solomon, despite his wisdom and the privilege of building the Temple in Jerusalem, fell into idolatry in his later years. Influenced by his foreign wives, Solomon built high places for gods like Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Molech (1 Kings 11:4-8). This apostasy set a precedent that would plague Jerusalem for generations.

The Divided Kingdom and Idolatry

After Solomon's reign, the kingdom was divided, and idolatry became more entrenched. In Judah, where Jerusalem was the capital, several kings led the people into idol worship. King Ahaz, for instance, introduced the worship of Baal and even sacrificed his own son (2 Kings 16:3-4). Manasseh, one of the most notorious kings, rebuilt high places, erected altars for Baal, and placed an Asherah pole in the Temple itself (2 Kings 21:3-7).

Prophetic Condemnation

The prophets of Israel and Judah consistently condemned the idolatry of Jerusalem. Isaiah lamented the city's unfaithfulness, comparing it to a harlot (Isaiah 1:21). Jeremiah warned of impending judgment due to the people's stubbornness in following other gods (Jeremiah 19:4-5). Ezekiel vividly described the abominations committed in the Temple, including the worship of the sun and other detestable practices (Ezekiel 8:5-16).

Consequences of Idolatry

The persistent idolatry in Jerusalem led to dire consequences. The city faced divine judgment, culminating in the Babylonian exile. In 586 BC, Nebuchadnezzar's forces destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, fulfilling the warnings of the prophets. This destruction was seen as a direct result of the people's unfaithfulness and idolatry (2 Chronicles 36:14-19).

Post-Exilic Reforms

After the exile, there was a renewed commitment to monotheism and the eradication of idolatry. Leaders like Ezra and Nehemiah worked to restore the worship of Yahweh and enforce the Law. The returnees rebuilt the Temple and reestablished Jerusalem as a center of worship, striving to avoid the sins of their ancestors.

New Testament Perspective

In the New Testament, Jerusalem remains central to God's redemptive plan. Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, ministered in Jerusalem and confronted the religious leaders for their hypocrisy and failure to recognize Him as the Messiah. While idolatry in the traditional sense was less prevalent, the New Testament warns against idolatry of the heart, such as greed and self-righteousness (Colossians 3:5).

Jerusalem's history of idolatry serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and the importance of faithfulness to His commandments.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Chronicles 28:4
He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 8:7-10
And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Thyatira
... What that religious system of licentious idolatry was is well known; but something ...
And he delighted in Jerusalem because of Manasseh, and made him strong in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bullinger/commentary on revelation/thyatira.htm

Argument -1 from the Withdrawal of Prophecy and Destruction of ...
... To expose the godlessness of idolatry? ... For if, I say,"which is just what we actually
see,"there is no longer king nor prophet nor Jerusalem nor sacrifice ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/section 40 argument -1 from.htm

Jerusalem
... These also are those things which are spoken of Jerusalem. ... nor is it polluted with
leprosy: nor is it become any way a city to be cursed for idolatry," &c. ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 21 jerusalem.htm

To the End and After
... Babylon to protest in person his continued fidelity.(477) Either then or previously
Nebuchadrezzar imposed on Jerusalem the Babylonian idolatry which Ezekiel ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/lecture vi to the end.htm

Of Jeroboam, who Profaned the People Put under Him by the Impiety ...
... afraid lest, by coming to the temple of God which was in Jerusalem, where, according ...
and return to David's line as the seed royal; and set up idolatry in his ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 22 of jeroboam who profaned.htm

Exhortation to Abandon the Impious Mysteries of Idolatry for the ...
... Chapter I."Exhortation to Abandon the Impious Mysteries of Idolatry for the Adoration ...
forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem," [858] "the ...
/.../clement/exhortation to the heathen/chapter i exhortation to abandon the.htm

Fragment v. --That up to the Time of the Destruction of Jerusalem ...
... have been observed by the Jews up to the destruction of Jerusalem, because this ... and
unseemly deeds, when, indeed, He perceived them turning to idolatry and to ...
/.../peter/the writings of peter of alexandria/fragment v that up to the.htm

The Synod of Jerusalem, and the Compromise Between Jewish and ...
... of them on his last visit to Jerusalem in 58. [457] The Jewish Christians observed
them no doubt with few exceptions till the downfall of idolatry, [458] and ...
/.../schaff/history of the christian church volume i/section 34 the synod of.htm

That Whereas the City of Jerusalem had Been Five Times Taken ...
... several predictions that the Jews, if they became obstinate in their idolatry and
wickedness ... Nor could there have been that number of Jews in Jerusalem to be ...
/.../chapter 10 that whereas the.htm

The Axe at the Root --A Testimony against Puseyite Idolatry
... say, "Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is
the ... At last they had so far gone into idolatry that they were driven far away ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 12 1866/the axe at the roota.htm