Just How Diluted Have We Become?

He also tore down the living quarters of the male and female shrine prostitutes that were inside the Temple of the LORD, where the women wove coverings for the Asherah pole. [2 Kings 23.7]

Temple prostitutes??? Both male and female??? Yeah, we would never do anything like that, right?

I find it quite intriguing to read about this practice that Josiah brought to an end in the Temple of God.

What, pray tell, was the purpose of male and female prostitutes in the Temple?

I could resort to any number of reference books or commentaries on this subject I am sure. But I believe I will try to understand this in light of what the Bible has been speaking directly to me over the last days and weeks...

Judah's sin was idolatry. God's people had begun to trust in other gods besides the LORD God Who had brought them out of Egypt. According to several lists of false gods documented to this point, both Israel and Judah had become quite diluted in their devotion to God alone and had embraced all sorts of other deities as the source of their sustenance. I suppose sex was considered a need along with everything else, and so, why wouldn't their other gods meet that need as well?

God had given no indeterminate instruction regarding sex prior to this time. God made clear that a man and woman should join in marriage and, within that covenant relationship, sex was to be found - and no where else! When Judah (and Israel) began to trust other gods, it comes as no surprise that they adopted the ideals and norms of those gods thus abandoning the LORD's ways. Along with everything else they began to trust other gods for, sex was just another thing.

What we have here is a warning that has served as the standard through the ages. If we do not adhere to God and His ways, it is just a matter of time until we will be finding our needs met by any number of false gods whether they be gods of science, nature, sex, culture, etc...

How has the Church today fallen victim to this same problem? Our abandonment of God alone as our Source and Supply has left us vulnerable to all sorts of 'religious' ideas that are becoming more and more the norm in Christian circles. In fact, we have tailored our religious doctrines and beliefs to match our experience instead of God's Word.

We should think this through very carefully... and with repentant hearts... Just how diluted have we become?

Father, forgive me to buying in to popular Christianity instead of adhering to Your Word and Your Word alone. Forgive me for becoming dependent upon false gods for that which You said You would provide. Forgive me for becoming so diluted and failing to see how detestable my misplaced trust is in Your sight.