This is the last message on Ten Responses that World Moral Religion Is Designed to Bring to its gods from Human Beings dealing with the last three on the list. The first seven of the ten things that the world system religion is designed to make human beings respond to its religion are listed. It is designed to cause people to become slaves to religion, to speak in the names of other gods, to worship other gods than the God of creation, to turn from the God of creation, to find their strength in other gods, to make or fabricate other gods and to bring sacrifices and offerings to its gods. The last three include fearing other gods of the system, burning incense to other gods and pouring out drink offerings to other gods.

Human moral religion of the world system provides elements to make people fear its gods. It is designed to present its gods in ways that produce a fear of what they can do to the individual. Under the Mosaic Law a fear of Jehovah was required. Israel was not to abuse the weak or handicapped because of their fear of Jehovah (Lev. 19:14). God expected Israel to honor the older person because of their fear of God (Lev. 19:32). The fear of Jehovah was bound in the potential for judgment for violation of His law. Violation of seven of the Ten Commandments required the death penalty. Human leadership implemented this when the Law was obeyed. Neglect of the imposition of the penalties of the Law brought with it the threat of direct divine judgment and curses. These are seen in Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people (Deut. 4:6 – all citations AV unless otherwise noted). The wisdom and understanding of Israel were evident in keeping the commandments. Proverbs shows that this wisdom is founded on the fear of Jehovah. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction (Prov. 1:7). The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding (Prov. 9:10). The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility (Prov. 15:33). Solomon reminded his son of the importance of fearing Jehovah. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man (Eccl. 12:13). Leadership in Israel was to teach all of the people the Law and to fear Jehovah. This is clear in Deut. 31:12: Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law. Israel was about to enter the land of Canaan and Jehovah expected all of them to know the Law, to live the Law and to fear Jehovah.

Much of the problem was the allegiance of the nations of the world system to their gods. A successful growing season and harvest was attributed to the blessing from their gods. If Israel's harvest was less than successful and her neighbor's harvest was, the neighbor's gods were seen as taking better care of them. The old "my god is better than your god" perspective came to play. As a result, Israel often became willing to take the risk of displeasing Jehovah by fearing other gods and worshipping them in order to gain a blessing advantage in time. It was necessary to compare Jehovah with the gods of the world system. In doing so Israel often elevated the other gods above Jehovah or made them equal to Jehovah denigrating Jehovah in the process. They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence (2 Ki. 17:33). They functioned with a double standard fearing Jehovah yet serving other gods. The Mosaic covenant is reviewed concerning the fear of other gods in the next section of verses. With whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them: ³⁶ But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice. ³⁷ And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods. ³⁸ And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods (2 Ki. 17:35-38). God expected the Israelite to fear Him because of the potential for divine punishment. Grace believers fear in a different way. Our fear is a filial fear of displeasing someone we love. This was the kind of fear that existed in the early church after the conversion of Paul. Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied (Acts 9:31).

These saints ordered the details of their lives in the grace type of fear. 1 Peter 3:15 shows that a believer who sets Christ apart as Lord is expected to make statements concerning his hope with meekness and fear. But set apart Christ as Lord in your hearts: ready always to give an answer to everyone who is asking you a word concerning the hope that is in you with meekness and fear (1 Pe. 3:15—my translation).

Another response of people to the religious elements of the world system is the burning of incense. The burning of physical incense is not a part of fundamental Christianity. There are world system elements of Christendom that use incense in religious ways as is true of the Roman Church. The burning of incense was a key part of the Law and its ceremonies. The verb for burning incense is found 116 times in the Hebrew Bible. Special formulas were given in the Law for the sacred incense. The priests were involved in burning incense (Ex. 30:7; Num. 16:40). One of the marks of forsaking or abandoning Jehovah was the burning of incense to other gods. Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched (2 Ki. 22:17 cf. 2 Chron. 34:25). Notice that the purpose of Israel was to provoke Jehovah with everything they did. They were essentially blowing smoke to other gods in Jehovah's face with the intention of provoking Jehovah. These were willful acts of Israelites in their pursuit of other gods. Incense in the dispensation of grace is different in that it is spiritual. We are sweet incense (2 Cor. 2:15). Christ is also a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor (Eph. 5:2). The grace believer's sacrifice of giving is an odor of a sweet smell (Phil. 4:18) as are the other five sacrifices of the grace believer priest.

The tenth response stimulated by the religions of the world system is the pouring out drink offerings to please the other gods. These are voluntary offerings that are designed to appease the gods of world religion. Drink offerings were essential parts of the ceremonial Mosaic Law (Ex. 29:40) and they accompanied most major events on the Israelite ceremonial calendar (cf. Lev. 23:13, 18, 27. Jeremiah decries the fact that Judah was offering drink offerings to other gods. The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger (Jer. 7:18). And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods (Jer. 19:13). And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger (Jer. 32:29). They drink offerings also were designed to "provoke or vex Jehovah to anger." These are acts that are attempts to bring pleasure of a god and so to buy special privilege or favor. Modern drink offerings are numerous and unique.

DKS

P. S. The outline was attached last week and was also used for this message.