Counterfeiters

Mount Shasta Evangelical Free Church

And no wonder, for even, Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness…

 by Buba Suess

2 Corinthians 11:14-15
 

·        Polemic: A controversy or struggle. The word comes from ‘Polemos’, the Greek word for war

·        The Old Testament is a polemic against the pagan gods of the Old Testament. Therefore, it is necessary to understand whom the struggle is being fought against.

·        The Old Testament is written against the backdrop of God’s people contending with a variety of pagan people such as Assyrians, Babylonians, Egyptians, and numerous people of the Mediterranean coastline. In particular, the Canaanites proved to be Israel’s most insidious enemy.

·        The Canaanites are also known to history as the Phoenicians. They were a maritime people that established colonies throughout the Mediterranean, going as far west as Spain. Carthage, located in northern Africa was their most successful colony.

·        The Canaanites worshipped a pantheon of deities, many of whom were particularly vile gods. Some of their chief gods were:

                    El – the father of other gods.

                   Baal – god of storms and fertility.

                   Asherah – goddess of fertility and the consort of El and Baal.

                   Yamm – god of the sea

                   Mot – god of the underworld and the dead.

·        The creation account described in Genesis establishes God’s authority over the universe. This knocks the foundation out from beneath the claims of all other pagan gods.

·        The fall of Adam and Eve reveals the basic nature of sin and the source of false worship.

·        Israel’s release from bondage in Egypt is won by a battle between God and the god’s of Egypt.

·        The conquest of the Promised Land marks the superiority of the God of Israel over the local gods.

·        The period of Judge witnesses a cycle of Israel falling away from God and turning to Baal.

·        The age of the kingdom sees the kings leading their people into false worship.

·        Polemic continues into the Exile as God shoes his dominance over the deities of Babylon.

·        Polemic continues into the New Testament and to the present day.