'Tis the Season
HIS SERVANTS YE ARE TO WHOM YE OBEY
By Walter Giddings
December 19, 2021
Greetings Kindred and fellow Sheep. We are on a first name basis here. My name is Walter. The usual Rules apply. I am not your Teacher. Jesus Christ, our Master, is our Real Teacher. My job is to bring you to Him. Is Sin blinding? Are People who practice Idolatry convinced that they do no such thing? Is our world in America today levels of both deception and extortion? Has this world of Malice ever been a friend to Jesus?
Jeremiah 10:1 “Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel”
Can we hear our kindred now from Churchianity? “That word’s for Israel; it is not for us. All that is old stuff; it’s done away!” You are my classmates in God’s classroom.
Jeremiah 10:2 “Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.”
“Learn not the way of the heathen.” Should Christians today learn the way of the heathen? Does that even sound good? Or should we learn “the way” of Jesus?
John 14:5-6
5 ‘Thomas saith unto him, Lord we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.”
The Apostle Thomas asked “How can we know The Way?” If we Sheep knew The Way, would we have to study The Bible? Did Jesus equate The Way to Himself? Is Jesus the personification of The Way?
Back to Jeremiah 10:2, there is an alternate translation for “Learn not the way of the heathen.” The Hebrew verb, translated Learn, H3925, lawmad’, has for its seminal meaning “to goad”. What is a goad?
GOAD, n. [Sax. gad, a goad; Sw. gadd, a sting; Scot. gad, a goad, a rod, the point of a spear; Ir. gath, goth, a goad; W. goth, a push. The sense is a shoot, a point.] A pointed instrument used to stimulate a beast to move faster.
Does that remind anybody of Ecclesiastes 3:18? “I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of Adam, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.”
Did The Fall of Adam make him and his entire lineage no better than beasts “in the image of the earthy”? Can we sense when we are being “goaded”?
GOAD, v.t. To prick; to drive with a goad. 2. To incite; to stimulate; to instigate; to urge forward, or to rouse by anything pungent, severe, irritating, or inflaming. He was goaded by sarcastic remarks or by abuse; goaded by desire or other passion. 1828 Webster.
“Not do be goaded into the way of the heathen” is the alternate translation in Jeremiah 10:2. Shall we be goaded into the Jesus way or into the heathen way?
The remainder of Jeremiah 10:2 reads: “... and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.”
What on earth is The Prophet talking about? What are “the signs of heaven”? And where are they first mentioned in Scripture?
Genesis 1:14 “And God said Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.”
“And for seasons, and for days, and years” are manifestly calendar terms. What are “signs”? Do the heavenly bodies, sun, moon, and stars, serve as signs? Signs of what? Were the heathen of Jeremiah’s day “dismayed at the signs of heaven”? “Are” the heathen of our day (present tense) “dismayed at the signs of heaven”?
In Catholic churches all over the world the priests will begin the litany of Midnight Mass promptly at 12:01a.m., December 25th, announcing the celebration of the rebirth of the Sun god. That is not the Son of God. That is the Sun god, s-u-n, as up in the sky and shining! The Sun god dies every year on the Winter solstice and is “born again” at 12:01a.m., December 25th, every year. Does this witness to the old adage, what is popular in the world is an abomination to God?
Acts 14:22-23
22 “Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
23 For as I passed by and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him I declare unto you.”
“I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.” Was Paul safe in making this blanket statement that their superstitions extended to “all things”?
Acts 17:16 “Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.”
Is America as “wholly given to idolatry” as Athens was? If our country is as superstitious as Athens, are we as easily deceived? Who here has not at least once obeyed one of the customs of Halloween? Is Halloween obvious? Do sheep give Stupid a new name? Who here has not at least once heard parents defend their children practicing the customs of Demons? Oh, that’s harmless! It’s so much fun for the children. Would you rob them of their childhood?
I have a question for us parents and grandparents: if children disobey their parents and grandparents, how much power do we parents and grandparents have in their lives? Are disobedient children and grandchildren teachable? While children and grandchildren are disobedient how far do we get training them about a world of malice that would traffic them, drink their blood, and put their flesh into fast food hamburgers?
Ephesians 5:6-7
6 “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.”
If our children obey us do we have power in their lives to train them up in the way, Jesus’ way, the way they should go? If God’s children obey their Heavenly Father, is He able to save them to the uttermost?
2 Timothy 3:15 “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”
If we insistently persist in training our children to observe heathen customs, customs ordained not by God, but by wicked angels, will demons gain ability to play in our lives to the uttermost? Is the highest form of worship Obedience? Does Lucifer want the world’s Worship? Does Lucifer impersonate God? Does he care if we think it is him or God, as long as he gets The Worship? Does Lucifer prefer we be deceived? If we excuse our insistent persistence in training our children to observe customs never commanded by Jesus as harmless and fun for the kids, will that make any difference to that rebel angel Lucifer? Do sheep give Stupid a new name?
Does Worship convey Power?! If we obey the Commandments of Jesus Christ does our worshipping Him make us part of His Body in this World of Malice? Does Christ work through His Church, His Body on Earth? Is whom or what we obey important?! Perhaps it was Paul the Apostle who best illustrated this Principle.
Romans 6:16 “Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.”
“Know ye not,” writes Paul. Paul wants to see if the believers at Rome know and understand this. “That to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey,” writes Paul. Does Paul want us to understand that we become the servants of what we obey? Is what we obey our god?
Exodus 20:3 “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
How important is this choice of whom we obey?! Does Paul write in Romans 6:16, “whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness”?
Who says we are worshipping demons when we obey these ritual traditions? The Apostle Paul told the men of Athens that in all things, they were too superstitious.
Back to Acts 17:22 “Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.”
“I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.” The English word “super-stitious” is translated from the compound Greek word G1174, deisidaimones’teros, dice-ee-dahee-mon-es’-ter-os. Deisi signifies dread, being fearful. It implies faithlessness, a lack of Faith! Dread of what? Fearful of what? Daimon (dahee-mon) signifies a demon, supernatural, a wicked spirit. Demon worshipping. Demon obeying. Look again at the Scripture, Acts 17:22. You follow in the A.V. 1611 English text, while I explore the meaning. “Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too Demon dreading, demon worshipping, demon obeying. Paul in Athens preached unto the men of Athens Jesus and the Resurrection!
Walter, are you saying we obey the customs of demons? Are you saying we worship wicked angels, false gods? No I am not saying that! Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, is saying that! Paul is careful to warn the Gentiles against idolatrous practices:
1 Corinthians 10: 14-15
14 “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.”
Paul goes on to ask if the communion cup is the blood of Christ, and if the communion bread is the body of Christ. Paul says we are all one bread and one body because we are partakers!
Who among us has heard a sermon on the partaker doctrine? If we partake of communion do we have eternal life?! Did Jesus say as he taught in the synagogue at Capernaum, “Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”? [John 6:54]. And again, “he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me, and I in him”? [John 6:56]
Do we become part of what we partake? How blessed is that? How dangerous is that? Is it possible to obey demons?! Is it possible to worship demons?!
1 Corinthians 10:18-21
18 “Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
19 What say I then? that the idol is anything, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything?”
“Behold Israel after the flesh.” Are we direct lineal descendants of the twelve tribes of Israel? Are we supposed to know what Paul is talking about? Were our ancestors partakers of the altar? Was that intended by the God of our Fathers to be a blessing? In 1 Corinthians 10:19, does Paul ask the Corinthians what he is saying? If the idol is a vanity, and the sacrifice to idols is a vanity, where then is the danger? Could the danger lie in the act of partaking? Do we become part of what we partake of?
1 Corinthians 10:20-21
20 “But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.”
The Greek word translated devils, G1140, daimonion, dahee-mon-ee-on, demons, the same found in the compound Greek word, deisidaimonesteros, demon fearing, demon obeying, found with the men of Athens, Acts 17. Paul found Athens to be wholly given over to Idolatry. When is the last time we heard a Sermon of Admonition, warning us how easily we sheep become suckers for Idols? Just a minute, Jesus. I will be with you shortly. I have to keep a Promise. It’s my turn to deck the halls with boughs of folly!
Deck the halls with boughs of folly, ha, ha, ha, ha, etc.,
‘Tis the Season to be silly, ha, ha, ha, ha, etc.,
Don we now our gay apparel, (I thought this was an ancient carol! How did that get in there?) ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, etc.,
Troll the ancient Yuletide carol, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, etc.
“The ancient Yuletide carol.” 1828 Webster notes the word Yule is the ancient name for Christmas. Yule is 4000 years older than the Birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. The burning of the Yule log is a commanded ritual custom of a wicked angel, a demon! Did Paul say the Gentiles sacrifice to devils? Did Paul say we should not have fellowship with devils?
Does 1 Corinthians 10:21 say we cannot do both? It is not “and”; it is “or”. Would we accept our children claiming others as parents as well as us? How easily would we take them living elsewhere because they do not like our family rules? Would Jesus accept mixed obedience? Would Jesus accept mixed worship?
If sacrifice to devils constitutes fellowship with devils, how would Jesus feel about that?
1 Corinthians 10:22 “Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?”
Is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and us a jealous God? Did He instruct the Israelites, the Hebrew children what to do in the Land of Milk and Honey to demonstrate their faithfulness to Him? What could Israel do to prevent provoking the LORD to Jealousy?!
Exodus 34:13-14
13 “But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves. [Were the “groves” groves of evergreen trees, Christmas tree farms?]
14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”
The LORD’s Name is “Jealous”.
Deuteronomy 4:24 “For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.”
Could We the People of America be in serious trouble with our Covenant God, the God of all the Earth?
Deuteronomy 6:14-15
14 “Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you.
15 (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.”
How dangerous is it to provoke Jesus, the one with whom we have to do?
Hebrews 4:13 “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
The alternate translation for “with whom we have to do” is “to whom we must give account”. Is there any other answer to the rage of the God of our Salvation than bringing forth fruit meet for Repentance?
Is there anything new under the sun ? Is the Catholic church’s Celebration of the Birth of the Unconquered Sun god 4000 years older than the Birth of Jesus at Bethlehem? Should we much rather dread, worship, and obey our Master Jesus, before whose Judgment Seat each and everyone of us has a Subpoena?
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ: that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10, with a second witness Romans 14:10.
Are “the customs of the people ... vain”?
Who among us here today can say I have never bowed or knelt before the stock of a tree in worship or obedience? Is Obedience the highest form of worship? Who here can say I have never bowed or knelt before the stock of a tree? Let the record of these proceedings show that I cannot raise my hand on that claim. From the ages of 5 to 7, I worshipped Satan Clause as my god. I would bow before the evergreen tree to see if I had a gift with my name on it that said “From Santa”, a gift from my god. And just to make sure it was really from my god to me, I would kneel and read the tag closely.
Isaiah 44:19 “And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it; and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?”
“Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?” Did we ask this question at the beginning: Is sin blinding?
Isaiah 44:20 “He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?”
“A deceived heart hath turned him aside.” For our families and friends who are deep into idolatry, blinded by their sins, is there any rescue? What did God work through us?
Colossians 3:6-7
6 “For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.”
Did The Holy Spirit bring the members of the local church body out of Idolatry?
How well are We the People doing? Have we at all improved our relationship with the One to Whom we must give Account?
Back to Jeremiah 10:3-4
3 “For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and and with hammers that it move not.”
Who among us does not do such things? Is there but only a remnant who does not hang dead gardens within and upon their houses? Where in all the world do we see a more popular practice? Does the end time prophet Jeremiah show us this is rank Idolatry?
When has this whole world ever been a Friend to Jesus? Does the whole world lieth in wickedness?
1 John 5:19 “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.”
If we ask Family and Friends, our second greatest Enemy and most difficult Mission Field, does the whole world lieth in wickedness, how many will not believe John? How important a matter did John, the last living Apostle, say this is?
1 John 5:21 “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”
Is the first Commandment, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” a joke?
Bibliography
Jeremiah 10:1-2
John 14:5-6
1828 Webster First American Dictionary of the English Language : “GOAD n.
Ecclesiastes 3:18
1828 Webster : “GOAD v.t.”
Back to Jeremiah 10:2
Genesis 1:14
Mark Acts 17:22-23
Acts 17:16
Ephesians 5:6-7
2 Timothy 3:15
Mark Romans 6:16
Exodus 20:3
Back to Acts 17:22
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance : G1174 “Deisidaimonesteros”
1 Corinthians 14:15 [John 6:54 and 56]
1 Corinthians 10:18-21
1828 Webster : “YULE”
1 Corinthians 10:22
Exodus 34:13-14
Deuteronomy 4:24; 6:14-15
Hebrews 4:13
Isaiah 44:19-20
Colossians 3:6-7
Back to Jeremiah 10:3-4
1 John 5:19 and 21; [Exodus 20:3]
