Dr Paul Allen

They sacrificed unto devils, not to God ; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.” ( Deuteronomy 32:17 ) This terrible indictment was in the farewell song of Moses , written just before the tribes of Israel prepared to enter the Promised Land . Perhaps Moses was thinking mainly of the golden calf fashioned by Aaron , who had told the people: “These be thy gods, O Israel ” ( Exodus 32:4 ). Aaron and the people certainly knew that the man-made calf was not “gods,” but they knew that there were many invisible spirit beings in the world and that these “devils” (actually fallen angels) could indwell images made by men as objects of worship. These evil spirits do possess certain powers, which can be used to impress their worshippers with the magical insights and abilities of the images. This was also a problem in the early church. Paul warned his converts at Corinth: “The things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils...

English: Worshiping the golden calf, as in Exodus 32:1-35, illustration from a Bible card published 1901 by the Providence Lithograph Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Deuteronomy 4:15–31 “Beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them” (v. 19). Our English term Deuteronomy is derived from the Greek words deuteros, which means “second,” and nomos, which means “law.” Deuteronomy means “second law” and is the name of the fifth book of Moses because it repeats many of the same stipulations given in Exodus , Leviticus , and Numbers. It is a second giving of the Law, necessary because the nation of Israel failed to follow the Law upon its first revelation. On the edge of Canaan God repeated His covenant demands so that the people might not engage in the sins of their fathers. Idolatry was the main reason why it was necessary for ...

Image via Wikipedia "They sacrificed unto devils, not to God ; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not." ( Deuteronomy 32:17 )   This terrible indictment was in the farewell song of Moses , written just before the tribes of Israel prepared to enter the Promised Land .  Perhaps Moses was thinking mainly of the golden calf fashioned by Aaron , who had told the people: "These be thy gods, O Israel" ( Exodus 32:4 ).   Aaron and the people certainly knew that the man-made calf was not "gods," but they knew that there were many invisible spirit beings in the world and that these "devils" (actually fallen angels) could indwell images made by men as objects of worship.  These evil spirits do possess certain powers, which can be used to impress their worshippers with the magical insights and abilities of the images.   This was also a problem in the early church. Paul warned his converts at Corinth: ...