Post by randy on Nov 27, 2021 20:24:12 GMT
We do not always think of Israel as a "pagan nation," nor do we think of Muslim nations as "pagan nations." But how does God look at this?
In reading the OT Scriptures I recognized that God viewed Israel as more or less a "pagan nation," or "like a pagan nation," when Israel began to live like pagan nations.
Deut 8.19 If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. 20 Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God.
Eze 20.32 “‘You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.” But what you have in mind will never happen."
The Lord never let Israel fully become a strictly idolatrous nation. He refused to have His name removed from them. But they did become idolatrous and pagan, and were judged just like the pagan nations were.
If this is true, then all God-embracing nations, whether Jewish, Islamic, or Christian, may be viewed as "pagan nations" if they live like pagan nations. And they will be judged for their pagan ways, regardless of their national claims to embrace God.
Isa 1.Hear the word of the Lord,
you rulers of Sodom;
listen to the instruction of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!
11 “The multitude of your sacrifices—
what are they to me?” says the Lord.
“I have more than enough of burnt offerings,
of rams and the fat of fattened animals;
I have no pleasure
in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
Matthew 10:15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
Matthew 11:23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.
Matthew 11:24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.
Hosea 1.9 Then the Lord said, “Call him Lo-Ammi (which means “not my people”), for you are not my people, and I am not your God.
Matthew 25:12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ "
In reading the OT Scriptures I recognized that God viewed Israel as more or less a "pagan nation," or "like a pagan nation," when Israel began to live like pagan nations.
Deut 8.19 If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. 20 Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God.
Eze 20.32 “‘You say, “We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone.” But what you have in mind will never happen."
The Lord never let Israel fully become a strictly idolatrous nation. He refused to have His name removed from them. But they did become idolatrous and pagan, and were judged just like the pagan nations were.
If this is true, then all God-embracing nations, whether Jewish, Islamic, or Christian, may be viewed as "pagan nations" if they live like pagan nations. And they will be judged for their pagan ways, regardless of their national claims to embrace God.
Isa 1.Hear the word of the Lord,
you rulers of Sodom;
listen to the instruction of our God,
you people of Gomorrah!
11 “The multitude of your sacrifices—
what are they to me?” says the Lord.
“I have more than enough of burnt offerings,
of rams and the fat of fattened animals;
I have no pleasure
in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
Matthew 10:15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
Matthew 11:23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.
Matthew 11:24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.
Hosea 1.9 Then the Lord said, “Call him Lo-Ammi (which means “not my people”), for you are not my people, and I am not your God.
Matthew 25:12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ "