“They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good…” (Hosea 4:13).
What was found in the Qumran caves was nothing new to Israel. In Hosea’s day, heart religion had long become a relic. Over generations, the fire of first love had all but gone out. Historically, slipping happens in stages. Typically, the first generation is passionate, the second grows complacent, and the third rebels. It’s a story as old as time. When the heart of religious man turns from the living God, it will fill that heart with other things. Oh, how each generation needs a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit! By the time we meet Israel in Hosea, the covenant people are in the third stage, rebellion.
Yet, this rebellion was not easily spotted. They still brought their sacrifices to the altar. They still offered their tithes and observed the holy days. The priests still performed their duties, just like past generations. To the casual eye, things appeared status quo. Outwardly, at least, Israel’s calendar was full, their altars were hot, the priesthood was sacrificing.
But underneath, something else had entered in. How? We don’t know. When? Probably over several generations. What was the fruit? Israel had been blending, mixing, cross-pollinating with the nations around them. Whatever you want to call it, they were folding in this world’s darkness with true religion. Syncretism, as the scholars call it.
You see, Israel still bore the Name of the LORD. They still recited the Shema. But alongside the worship of Yahweh, they had carved out just enough space in their lives for the little false gods of their neighbors. A little Baal for the crops. A grove to Asherah, just in case. A wink to the stars and a stolen prayer to the four winds.
And where did they do all of this?
Under the trees.
“They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms…” (Hosea 4:13).
Why there? Because the heathen said you were closest to the divine, where demon gods were most reachable. They set up under the shade of the large, overhanging boughs on top of the mountains, and built little altars there, to pantheistic, demonic, sensual idols.
The saddest part is these sinful acts weren’t thrust upon them. We perhaps might understand (but not agree), if they were forced to do it. But there are no Egyptian pharaohs or Assyrian kings forcing them. There was no invasion, yet. The importing of little demon-gods into their homes and lives was completely voluntary.
Yet they would still go to church and keep all the outward forms and worship to the Living and True God, like nothing happened. It was a worship that kept its Hebrew accent, but smelled of Canaan’s breath.
Modern Shadows and Familiar Trees
Today, we don’t burn incense beneath pine trees on top of mountains. how silly. But perhaps we still find the branches pleasant. We no longer speak of Baal or Asherah, we just call them harmless fun, traditions, or just an American tradition with the kids.
And, perhaps, like Israel, we choose to do these things because we think, deep down, one of two things: God’s not watching, or He doesn’t really care. It has to be one of the two. And if I think either, it means I know little about the holiness of God, or I think lightly of displeasing Him. You see, the boughs on the high places offered more than nearness to the demons, they offered concealment (they thought) from God. They felt a bit of shame, sure. Just enough to hide it. A place where sin could be indulged in secret. A place where the eye of heaven felt far away.
But no tree can hide us from the Lord.
“Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth?” (Jeremiah 23:24).
The God who saw His people under the trees still sees us. And the heart that thinks, “He doesn’t really mind,” or “no one will notice,” is the same heart that begins to blend, to slip, quietly away from the fear of the LORD.
Dear one, the issue isn’t whether caped heroes or pink princesses and candy are inherently evil. The question is: Why are we doing it in the first place?
“Learn not the way of the heathen…” (Jeremiah 10:2).
God’s people were never meant to adopt the paganism of the nations around them, even when they look innocent. Especially when they look innocent.
When Truth Is Forgotten by the People of Truth
Hosea is one of the most tragic books in the Old Testament. Not only because of Israel’s wickedness, but because of how casually they blended. The Lord’s judgment against her was a criticism of ignorance: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). They had forgotten to educate each generation of what holiness to the LORD meant. The priests did not stop sacrificing, but they did stop teaching. And if the priests stop teaching, so will the spiritual leaders of the home. And if the fathers stop teaching, their children stop knowing. So, in Israel, over a duration of time, smoke under oaks began to rise. One stack here, another there. Then by the tens, then by the thousands. Before you know it, idolatry was all over, rampant among God’s people. Can we blame the children? The children didn’t know any better. But the parents, the grandparents, did. Soon, the Name of the LORD was spoken out of one side of their mouths, and the names of false gods out of the other.
It was the blending of the sacred with the demonic that undid them. The light of Truth was no longer dispelling the darkness.
Christ Is Not Shared Space
God does not share His glory. “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Isaiah 42:8). Neither does the Holy Spirit enter into the world’s day of celebrating death, fear, and occult power.
“And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God…” (2 Cor. 6:15–16).
To walk wisely in October requires special attention. We must become watchful. To ask: “Is this custom discipling my children’s affections?” “Is the celebration of Halloween catechizing my children’s heart?” “Does this practice give glory to Christ?” No carnal, sinful participation in evil can ever glorify Jesus. Now don’t get me wrong. Not all of the flesh is bad (Ecclesiastes 2:24). A walk in the park, a pickup game of baseball, a trip down the shore, laughing with your friends, can all give glory to Christ. Why else would Paul say, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). But what if our favored activity came from the pit of hell? What if its very invention was demonism? How would we explain to Jesus that what we are doing is glorifying to the Triune God?
A Final Thought for the Heart
Israel worshiped under the oaks because, as Hosea says, “the shadow thereof is good.” But there is a better shadow, a better altar, a more glorious refuge. Shall we not teach out children this?
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty…” (Psalm 91:1).
There is only one shade worth standing under, one God to be worshiped. Do we DWELL there? It is not under the boughs of paganism, my dear flock. It is under the covering of the cross. And under that shadow, there is great delight (Song of Solomon 2:3).
Click here for Part Three.
Thanks son for this. I see it as exposing what is happening in the Body of Christ right now and as a warning to seek God's face, to repent and by the almighty grace of God to pull back before it's to late. "If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Good words, Jerrold! Thank you.