TEACHING NOTES Introduction A few weeks ago we began this series about the other gods in the Bible. Contrary to popular belief, the other gods mentioned in the Bible are real, but they are not the same kind of gods as Yahweh our God. Previously, we learned about Baal and how this god represented sexual immorality. Today, we’re going to learn about the female goddess Asherah. ‌ Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ‌ Psalm 96:4–5 4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are demons, but the LORD made the heavens. ‌ The other gods are real spirits created by Yahweh who rebelled, became counterfeit gods, and seek to lead humanity into destruction. ‌ Who is Asherah? ‌ Names: Asherah, Astarte/Ashtart, Ashtaroth/Ashtoreth ‌ Heb. Asherah = happy, upright (Asherah tree/pole) ‌ Ugarit = Athirat—one of the wives of El (highest pagan god), mother of minor gods, seducer of Baal (her brother), mother of the god Shalem (Jeru-shalem), worshiped as goddess of fertility. ‌ Egypt = Astarte—goddess of war and fertility. ‌ In the Old Testament: In the Old Testament, Asherah is mentioned in the singular and plural. The plural form indicates that the biblical authors used Asherah to refer to a collection of female goddesses. ‌ Asherah is often mentioned with Baal. Altars to Baal and Asherah were often placed next to each other as a sacred place of worship and sacrifice. This is why Yahweh God commanded Israel to never place an Asherah idol next to His altar. ‌ Deuteronomy 16:21 You shall not plant any tree as an Asherah beside the altar of the LORD your God that you shall make. ‌ Explanation: Since Asherah was associated with Baal, it was common for an altar to Baal to include an Asherah pole next to it as an idol to the goddess. Often this was a symbol that Asherah was the wife of Baal. God is telling Israel that no other god or goddess should be worshiped and certainly not placed next to God’s altar. However, Israel did not follow these instructions. ‌ Judges 3:7 And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth. ‌ Baals and the Asheroth = Both of these titles are plural in Hebrew, which indicates that these titles refer to multiple gods and goddesses. ‌ 2 Kings 23:13 And the king [Josiah] defiled the high places that were east of Jerusalem, to the south of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. ‌ Explanation: King Solomon was one of the sons of David and is the first king of Israel to worship other gods. As a result, Israel becomes divided into two kingdoms: the northern kingdom (Israel) and the southern kingdom (Judah). Later, God judges both kingdoms for their idolatry by allowing them to be conquered by Assyria and Babylon. ‌ After the Old Testament, later goddesses are similar to Asherah. ‌ Greco-Roman Goddesses: Aphrodite - Cybele - Demeter - Athena - Gaia - many more ‌ Ancient literature associates female gods with fertility, sexual immorality, and bisexuality. ‌ Aphrodite: goddess of sexual pleasure and bisexuality, protector of the love-making of youth, celebrated/worshiped with festivals called Aphrodisia. Plato says Aphrodite was born out of the god Uranus’ castrated genitals, a story which Plato uses to argue that sex between a man and young boys is the highest form of love. ‌ Since Aphrodite’s birth was connected to castration, the priests in Aphrodite’s temples were castrated men who dressed like women. This practice of castration and cross-dressing was common in female goddess cults. Pagans in the region of Galatia, and throughout the Roman empire, worshiped the goddess Cybele also castrated themselves and dressed like women. Paul uses this cultural practice of castration as a taunt against the Judaizers (a group demanding that Gentile Christians be circumcised) in the churches of Galatia (Gal. 5:12). ‌ Is Asherah still around today? ‌- Worship of trees/nature ‌- Obsession with sexual immorality ‌- Gender transition ‌ Romans 1:21–27 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. ‌ 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. ‌ 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. ‌ Explanation: Paul is saying that the process of unrestrained immorality begins with rejecting the Creator and worshiping other gods. In other words, immorality is the direct result of idolatry. ‌ Immorality is the result idolatry. ‌Idolatry begins when we reject God’s commands because they go against our desires. ‌Idolatry is an attempt to get what we want. ‌ Matthew 4:8–11 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ” 11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. ‌ Explanation: Satan knew what Jesus wanted—to rule the world. So, the devil offered the world to Jesus. Basically, the devil is offering Jesus a shortcut to the throne that would avoid the suffering of the cross. Jesus knew better and had planned to die all along. So Jesus commands the devil to leave and he does. ‌ James 4:7–10 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. ‌ How to Respond Prayer: Ask God to reveal what needs to change. Repentance: Agree with God and repent of sin. Worship: Thank God for what He is doing in you. Communion: Take Christ in and renew faithfulness.