Polytheism

Belief in, and worship of, more than one god. It is forbidden in Scripture because God has revealed himself as the one true God. Israel in the OT and the church in the NT lived amongst polytheistic peoples. The Israelites shared in this worship and so came under God's judgment.

The uniqueness of God

There is only one true God

Isaiah 45:5–6 See also Deuteronomy 6:4, Deuteronomy 32:39; Isaiah 43:10, Isaiah 44:8

I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God but Me. I will equip you for battle, though you have not known Me, so that all may know, from where the sun rises to where it sets, that there is none but Me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.

The contrast of the true God with idols

1 Thessalonians 1:9 See also 1 Chronicles 16:26 parallel Psalm 96:5; Isaiah 40:18–19, Isaiah 40:25–26; Acts 17:29; 1 Corinthians 8:4–6; Galatians 4:8

For they themselves report what kind of welcome you gave us, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God

Polytheism is expressly forbidden

Warnings against worshipping idols

Exodus 20:23 See also Exodus 20:3–5 parallel Deuteronomy 5:7–9; Exodus 23:13; Leviticus 17:7

You are not to make any gods alongside Me; you are not to make for yourselves gods of silver or gold.

Polytheism compromises relationship with God

2 Kings 17:35–38 See also Deuteronomy 31:16; Jeremiah 11:10; 1 Corinthians 10:18–22

For the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites and commanded them, “Do not worship other gods or bow down to them; do not serve them or sacrifice to them. Instead, worship the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm. You are to bow down to Him and offer sacrifices to Him. And you must always be careful to observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments He wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. Do not forget the covenant I have made with you. Do not worship other gods,

The challenge to Israel to worship God only

Joshua 24:15 See also Genesis 35:2–4; Deuteronomy 12:2–4; 1 Kings 18:21

But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!”

Polytheism brings God's judgment

Exodus 22:20; Deuteronomy 31:17–18; Joshua 23:16; Jeremiah 11:11–13

Polytheism among Israel's neighbours

Judges 10:6 See also Judges 16:23; 1 Kings 11:33; 2 Kings 1:2, 2 Kings 17:29–33; Isaiah 46:1; Jeremiah 50:2; Ezekiel 8:14

And again the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD. They served the Baals, the Ashtoreths, the gods of Aram, Sidon, and Moab, and the gods of the Ammonites and Philistines. Thus they forsook the LORD and did not serve Him.

Polytheism among the Israelites

They were called to destroy foreign gods

Numbers 33:51–52 See also Exodus 23:24, Exodus 34:12–13; Deuteronomy 12:2–3

“Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, you must drive out before you all the inhabitants of the land, destroy all their carved images and cast idols, and demolish all their high places.

They were seduced by foreign gods

2 Kings 17:15–18; Jeremiah 2:11 See also Exodus 34:15–16; Numbers 25:2; Deuteronomy 12:30, Deuteronomy 32:16–17; Judges 2:11–13; Psalm 106:34–36; Hosea 2:13, Hosea 11:2

They rejected His statutes and the covenant He had made with their fathers, as well as the decrees He had given them. They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves, going after the surrounding nations that the LORD had commanded them not to imitate. They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal. They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. So the LORD was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained,

Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.

Polytheism among Israel's kings

1 Kings 11:5–7 Solomon; 1 Kings 12:28–29 Jeroboam, king of Israel; 1 Kings 16:30–33 Ahab, king of Israel; 2 Kings 16:3–4 Ahaz, king of Judah; 2 Kings 21:3–5 Manasseh, king of Judah

Examples of reforming kings

1 Kings 15:12–13 Asa, king of Judah; 2 Kings 18:4 Hezekiah, king of Judah; 2 Kings 23:12–15 Josiah, king of Judah

The character of polytheism in the OT

Polytheism in the NT

It was widespread

Acts 17:23 The Athenians were fearful of offending a god by failing to give him attention. Any omissions were covered in the designation “UNKNOWN GOD”. See also Acts 14:11–13, Acts 19:35; 1 Corinthians 8:5–6

For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.

The worship of man-made idols

1 Corinthians 12:2 See also Acts 17:16, Acts 19:26; Romans 1:20–23; 1 Corinthians 10:19–20 Idols in themselves are nothing, but they represent a demonic presence which lies behind polytheistic worship.

You know that when you were pagans, you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.