The children of Israel began their long decline before they got very far out of the land of Egypt. Throughout their wilderness wanderings, they worshipped one idol after another. They sometimes returned to worship the true God, but not before they had suffered the wrath of their creator.

You will remember that they were dissatisfied with the way the judges performed their duties, and they begged Samuel for a king. The kingdom eventually divided into Israel and Judah, and the kings stayed true to form for the most part. They left God and served idols.

Later, God dissolved the kingdom of Israel; and the kingdom of Judah soon followed. Under King Hezekiah of Judah, they observed commanded feasts and made offerings. II Chronicles 31:20-21 gives us a summary of the reign of Hezekiah. “And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered” (KJV).

When Hezekiah died, his son, Manasseh, became king. He began to rule at the age of 12 and reigned 55 years. “But did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel” II Chronicles 33:2.

Manasseh put back the groves and places of idolatrous worship. He practiced witchcraft and worshipped the gods of the sun, moon, and the planets. One of those idols was called Moloch, a god that required human sacrifice.

Verse 9 of II Chronicles 33 says that Manasseh made Judah to err and to do worse than the nations that God had destroyed. What a legacy! He was a wicked man and is remember as such.

Because of his wickedness, God punished him by allowing him to be captured and carried away to Babylon. In chains he prayed to God for mercy. He humbled himself, and God heard him and returned him to Jerusalem to his kingdom.

After Manasseh returned, the scripture says that he took away the idols and took the altars out of the temple. He had actually placed altars to idols in the temple where the people had once worshipped Jehovah.

After repairing the altar of God, he offered a sacrifice, and “commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel” II Chronicles 33:16. The people “obeyed” the king by sacrificing in the high places and worshipping God at the same time. They tried to do both, hoping to please themselves and God.

It is interesting that these people, people created by Jehovah, were unwilling to give up their idols. Instead, they used the worship places of idols to worship God.

Now turn with me to John 4. This is the story of the Samaritan woman Jesus spoke with at Jacob’s Well. As they discussed where she and her people worshipped, Jesus said, “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).

Two things make worship acceptable to God: worship in spirit and worship in truth. If either of these is missing, the worship is unacceptable.

In Acts 17, the people of Athens were a lot like the children of Israel. They worshipped strange gods. They had even erected an altar to The Unknown God. This was not considered unusual, but it does say something to us. We need to be clear about the object of our worship.

The Athenians worshipped many different gods, but there was always a chance they had missed one. This may have been the answer to that problem. They erected this altar, probably offered sacrifices to it, and displayed the name as though it was a common god shared in worship by those who lived there or those traveling through their land.

Paul wasted no time in correcting their views about worship. In verses 25-30, he lays out the truth. He said:

Worship is not by men’s hands. This is a denouncement of making images and offering sacrifices.

• They were to seek the Lord. He is not far from them.
• He is the source of our existence. Everything comes from him. We all belong to Him, not some stone altar or idol.
• He is not like gold, silver, or stone, something that can be fashioned by men’s hands.
• He once overlooked this type of worship, but He now “commands all men everywhere to repent”.

With this information, Paul spoke to people of Athens about this God that would judge the world. Based on verse 32, he also told them about the coming of Jesus, His death and resurrection. Some of them mocked him. Others wanted to hear more.

What will our response be? Will we accept the command to worship God in spirit and in truth?

Sandra Oliver