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What does it mean to worship the starry host or the host of the heavens?



      

Zephaniah 1:5

ESV - 5 Those who bow down on the roofs to the host of the heavens, those who bow down and swear to the Lord and yet swear by Milcom.

Clarify Share Report Asked July 01 2013 Mini Anonymous (via GotQuestions)

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Shea S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries
Zephaniah's opening verses include a strong judgment on Judah because of "those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the LORD and who also swear by ...

July 01 2013 1 response Vote Up Share Report


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My picture Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College & Dallas Seminary graduate, Pentair
Mankind has worshiped since ancient times, gods associated with the heavenly bodies—the stars, moon, and sun (Zephaniah 1:5)—and this practice is called “astrolatry.” My own mother practiced this, and always read the Astrology page in the newspapers which was big back then. Once, when she put a plastic idol on the dashboard of her car, and when I was still living with her, I took it down and locked it up in the glovebox. If someone worships the stars, sun, moon, etc., this is polytheism and God hates it (Exod. 20:1-5). 

20:1 And God spoke all these words:

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,

Mom got saved later in life, fortunately, we think, before getting dementia. Astrology is a horrible sin. Zephaniah 1:5 here pictures “the starry host” (NIV—See also Isaiah 40:26 especially) as “An Army (Host). 

"Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing."

This type of idolatry is a double whammy as the people, these idolaters, were guilty both of the sins of commission (worshipping idols) and omission (neglecting the Lord).

September 05 2019 2 responses Vote Up Share Report


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