Remember, Israel’s situation in the Book of Judges is pretty much the same situation the modern church is in today.
This situation can be described in two words: Religious Syncretism.
Just as the Israelites blended and mixed their pure worship of God with the worship practices of the Canaanites, so too has the Church.
The Israelites ended up adding a combination of other gods to their worship of YAHWEH.
They also blended Torah with the customs and beliefs of the Mystery Babylon religions.
And the church has done the same thing by adopting new agey ideas such as the “law of the attraction” and “religious pluralism” into their teachings and doctrines.
Religious pluralism is what gives birth to religious syncretism.
Because it’s an idea that asserts most if not all religions and worldviews in the world are equally tolerable and acceptable.
As difficult as it can be for us to understand God from a purely Scriptural perspective, imagine how difficult it is when we introduce pagan ideas and beliefs into our understanding.
It leads to what the Torah calls TEVEL or utter confusion.
TEVEL results when the principle of illicit mixtures (called SHA’ATNEZ in Hebrew) is violated.
That’s why Gideon was a confused man…theologically speaking that is.
Not only was he unable to recognize God, he had no idea how to approach or deal with Him.
Think about that again.
Here we have an Israelite, a member of one of God’s chosen people, having no idea how to properly deal with the Lord.
It shouldn’t be that way.
A member of one of God’s chosen race should not only know how to deal with the God who has called him to salvation but that person is also to serve as a light to others in this dark world we live in.
And this same principle should apply to us as followers of Messiah.
We should be a light to a dark world but we’re not.
Why?
Because we’ve added in false gods to what used to be our pure worship of the Father through the son (not worshipping the son mind you, but worshipping the Father through the authority of the son).
Again, I’m repeating myself but the reason we’re in the mess we’re in today is the very same reason Israel was in a mess during the Book of Judges.
It’s because of religious syncretism, pure and simple.
Keep in mind the question is NOT whether as modern believers we’re guilty of mixing paganism with our pure worship of the God of Israel.
We’re guilty as charged.
No, the question is how in the world can we get outta this mess?
Again, we find the answer by looking at Gideon.
First, he admitted that indeed idolatry had occurred.
Second, he repented and determined to rededicate Himself to the pure ways of the God of Israel.
Third, he took vigorous and AGGRESSIVE action that involved cutting out, destroying and burning down those things in his life that were not of God…no matter how painful it was.
We are called to do the same keeping in mind that this can sometimes involve saying goodbye to cherished traditions and even family members…FOREVER.
Gideon’s story illustrates this is much easier said than done.
But that is what we’re called to do.
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