Today’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 20:1 through Leviticus 22:33
When I first saw the phrase “spiritual prostitution,” I thought it meant being unfaithful to God. The more I thought about it the more I realized spiritual prostitution is much bigger than unfaithfulness because a spiritual prostitute isn’t just unfaithful, they actually sell their affection in exchange for something.
We have two examples of spiritual prostitution in Leviticus 20. God warned through Moses that these sins would be punished by death:
- Sacrificing their children to a pagan God
- Putting their trust in mediums or in those who consult the spirits of the dead
Our God is a jealous God.
- Exodus 20:5
You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. - Exodus 34:14
You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.
Dr. Dell Tackett, who leads the Truth Project gives a great definition for El Qanna is the Hebrew word for “a jealous God.” God’s jealousy is not the same as our jealousy. God’s jealousy is a zeal that arises when sin threatens His covenant relationship with us. I love this explanation!
We may not sacrifice our children to pagan gods or consult mediums and spirits of the dead but do we “do” or “not do” things that threaten God’s covenant relationship with us?
Here are just a few pagan gods that I deal with:
- Time
- Order
- Control
- Comfort
- Technology
Too many times I would rather focus on, enjoy and give my affection to these needs or pleasures than to pursue God the way He wants me to. Is this “spiritual prostitution” that God was talking about?
Dear Heavenly Father, I want to be as jealous and protective of our relationship as You are! Reveal the areas in my life that I’m allowing to be more important than you. Amen and Amen!
©2013, Dianne Guthmuller
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Leviticus 23:1 through Leviticus 25:23
I have knots in my stomach from being so convicted by your post today! This is just so ….. No words really! I’ve never seen jealousy put like this. Nor have I considered a modern society equivalent to “pagan” gods. Oh wow!
MelAnn, the Word of God, even Leviticus is the most amazing teacher! I’m with you, it is convicting and that’s the reason the enemy of our soul doesn’t want us reading ALL of His Word! Thanks for your comment!
Ok, day 2 of conviction…..well as I shared…speechless!!
I pray for the same kind of jealously for my time with god in my life!!Amen!!
The tyranny of the urgent. We get so caught up in overload, we even forget how to cast off those superfluous things that demand our time and money. Part of it is peer pressure. Part of it is over self-expectation. And the churches overload us, too, because the percentage of folks involved in volunteering is minimal. I love this reminder of the jealousy. How often we have our own ideas, but then we get to see God’s ideas and how much easier things become.
Way too many churches using the occult (psychics) in worship; way too many false teachings. I am not speaking about organizational or doctrine, I am referring to social acceptance becoming the cornerstone in our worship, while our shepherds proclaim they are not against God’s principles, and using the Word to corrupt the spirit.
Thank you so much for this teaching. So timely. Such a good reminder to watch what we sell ourselves for.
Sunny
Sunny, thanks for your comment! What a great way to summarize today’s post: “Watch what we sell ourselves for.”
I hate when I get sucked into the “tyranny of the urgent.” Blessings to you!