Asherah Poles

If you are at all familiar with the books of the Old Testament, you are most likely acquainted with the term "Asherah Poles." If you are not, here is a quick synopsis. After God led the Israelites out of Egypt using Moses as their leader, He was very clear with them about His feelings toward the pagan gods of the surrounding cultures they were about to go to war with. In fact, here are His words of warning to Moses and all of the community about the dangers of assimilating themselves into these pagan cultures instead of staying the true course.

"Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you. Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you. Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."

Exodus 34: 10-14

The definition of snare I found online is "A trap for catching birds or animals, typically one having a noose of wire or cord." I think that a wire noose made to fit firmly around an animal for the purpose of capturing it and bending it to another's will gives a pretty accurate mental representation of the warning God was giving them. He was literally telling them that falling prey to the worship of the false gods of the nations they were about to conquer would be like sticking their own necks into a wire noose that would tighten around them and bend them to the will of the very nations God had destined them to defeat. A triumphant people they would cease to be. Instead they themselves would become the defeated. It makes me sad every time I read this because I know the eventual outcome. We are all too aware of how the people eventually turned their backs on the one true God and began in earnest the worship of the very idols they were warned against. They stuck their necks into the wire nooses. And the Asherah Poles were just one of the many forms of pagan worship we find the Israelities engaged in throughout the remainder of their lives before God orchestrated their captivity.

In this post, I am using the term Asherah Pole to represent the many... MANY... forms of worship alive and well today that greatly reduce or replace altogether the worship of our Heavenly Father. Before listing some things that we worship that are fairly obvious and we have all read a hundred times before, I want to actually give a definition of the word. Worship means "to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion OR to honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power." When we think about the things that are of utmost importance in our lives, the first definition doesn't really seem like such a terrible thing, does it? I mean, I definitely want to regard the significant people, places and things in my life with great respect, honor and devotion, right? I certainly think this attitude is appropriate to a degree. In contrast, when we begin to regard the important people, places and things in our lives through the lens of the second definition, we have a major problem. We have an Asherah Pole and we need to be seriously concerned with the wire noose that's about to close around our own neck.

Kids, money, food, drink and entertainment are some of the obvious places where healthy respect, honor and devotion can quickly turn into reverence as a divine being. Dude, I love my kids. Like, with a heart explosion when I look at them (sometimes) kind of love. But dang if I am about to make them the center of my universe or my focal point for all decisions, behaviors and actions! Good grief. These little people have the ability to bring me crazy amounts of joy no doubt, but it pales in comparison to the joy that God gives me daily when I follow Him in obedience. Because that kind of joy is consistent across ALL circumstances whereas the joy my kids bring can be wiped clean in an instant with one simple "That's MINE!" Ugh. You know what I'm talking about. Please, please, please do not set your kids up as divine beings in your life and allow allllllllllll that time and attention to divert you away from showing right devotion to your Heavenly Father. Do not allow them to keep you home on Sundays (unless you have a newborn or they are puking... I am on board with those!). If you do this with regularity, you might as well be bowing down before an Asherah Pole with their little faces chisled onto it because they are now the lord of your home. Sheesh, harsh much? The truth tends to be that way sometimes.

What about money? Are you giving it proper amounts of respect or is it revered as a divine being in your life? I can probably help you answer that with one simple question. Do you tithe? Nope, I didn't ask if you place a $20 in the plate on Sundays when it's passed around. I asked, do you tithe? I live in a very affluent area so this could end up being a fairly substantial sum of money. If your answer is no because you just can't imagine giving 10% of your earnings away and not being able to use those funds to purchase more "things"... you may have yourself a lovely little Asherah Pole in the middle of your custom kitchen. Why? Because the giving of the tithe wasn't a suggestion of God, it was a command. And before you try the excuse of "The tithe was an Old Testament thing. Jesus never said anything about 10% in the New Testament." let me reiterate the words of our beloved children's pastor who recently said something to the effect of, "If God set the standard at 10%, why in the world would Jesus ever expect any less?" It was Jesus Himself who commissioned his disciples in Matthew 28 saying, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Do you think that kind of work is free? Absolutely not. I think it is safe to say that Jesus is more concerned about funding worldwide missions so that people in remote villages around the world who have never heard His name can hear about Him and be saved than He is with our enjoyment of more stuff. And remember, tithing is ultimately a trust exercise. Do you trust God's provision for your family or are you white knuckled on those reigns? Also very important... if after you return your 10% to God for His use in furthering His Kingdom you can redecorate your entire home, that's all you! Just remember not to rob God first in order to afford it. "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it." (Malachi 3:10)

I'll just lump food, drink and entertainment into one grouping together because where there is one, there is usually another. Drink and entertainment are more obvious in their ability to become Asherah Poles in our lives, taking up valuable time and head space that should be given to the rightful worship of God. Several verses I want to mention here, but before I do I realize that this is the topic that will most likely get me nominated as Prude of the Year and I am okay with that, honestly. The reason is, I used to be anything but prudish. Oh yea, I was a party girl in every sense of the word and boy did I ever live that out. So I am for sure not speaking to you from my high horse of moral perfection. I am speaking to you as one who has elevated drink and entertainment to the next level of divine beings. I LIVED for this Asherah Pole and the good times that it would surely bring. And that is where many people are right now. The thought of not going out with the group because what will follow will surely bring not an ounce of glory and honor to God is literally unthinkable. You mean, stay home and miss out on the fun because God cares more about my obedience to Him than He does about my social life? In a word, yes. You mean, reading that book or watching that show with all the explicit sex scenes might have to go because God meant it when He said, "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."? Another word, yes. Is it true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable to get drunk and let your mouth run away with you? "Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts." (Ephesians 5:18-19) Single people, is it true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable to sleep around? "Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body." (1 Corinthians 6:18) Is it true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable to gorge ourselves on excess after excess after excess all the while going to church once a quarter because we are usually too tired and hungover on Sundays? "Listen, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path: Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags." (Proverbs 23:20-21) Be honest with yourself and learn to recognize when food, drink and entertainment has become an Asherah Pole because you're worship has significantly been reduced because of it or has never even been able to start.

A few other things that maybe aren't so obvious that have surely become Asherah Poles to many people that I know because of the way they negatively affect their capacity for true worship are the following.

Fear and anxiety. To some, these are like an old friend who has offered more stability and consistency in their lives than God ever has because they've never allowed God to fully penetrate those vulnerable places of their heart. The thought of NOT being fearful and anxious on the daily seems out of the realm of possibility because of the gut wrenching work it would take to master those emotions for good. I know people right now who use their anxiety as an excuse to stay in isolation away from God and away from others. I also know people right now who have done the hard work and "exercised those demons" long enough that they have come out on the other side full of renewed hope and reverence for God. What may have been an Asherah Pole has been ground to dust and swept away. I am inspired by them, truly. Now, I am not an M.D. and I clearly do not understand all the inner workings of the human brain and yes I am fully aware that anxiety can be a medical condition. I also know that Jesus said, "Nothing shall be impossible for you." and I believe it when He speaks.

Selfishness. Nothing will get me fired up faster than this right here so I am doing my best to keep the word count small on this one. All of us to a certain degree want to be known, recognized and admired. Yes, that's true. But, do you find a way to make every. single. thing. about you? Do you jump at the chance to pull the "whoa is me" card so that all the eyeballs will fall firmly on your face? Do you enter most social situations with a chip on your shoulder because you think people aren't going to pay you enough attention? Just stop. Stop it right now because this behavior in no way brings honor to God. This behavior in no way inspires others to bring honor to God. This behavior inspires others to run as far away from you as they possibly can. Deep down we all desire community, but for some this healthy longing has taken a hard left and become more of a desire for status. The right balance of give and take has turned into only take and take. So I ask you to take a hard look around you. Are people running? Ask yourself if selfishness has become an Asherah Pole that is severely limiting your true and rightful worship. Ask yourself if you are more concerned with being known in the eyes of humans than you are with being known by your Heavenly Father and if the answer is yes, take an ax to that pole... like yesterday.

Politics. "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." (Isaiah 9:6-7) Hold up. It's not Christmas time! Why are you talking about that Christmas verse? It is kind of a shame that many of us only talk about this verse in December because of the momentous implications that it holds for our future. Take a look around you right now. I get it. It feels like our political system is always on the brink of implosion because of the incessant bickering, infighting, name calling and back stabbing on ALL sides of the aisle. Not one person is immune. But before you continue to allow your staunch political views to grow into an Asherah Pole that keeps you from remembering who God really is, flip your bible open to Isaiah and re-read these verses again. God isn't shocked that our political system is the way it is. He isn't looking down thinking, "Oh man, that one really snuck up on me." Before Jesus was even born (like hundreds of years before), God revealed this truth to one of His prophets who then told us that one day Jesus would be The Supreme Leader of all leaders and that the entire geo-politcal system worldwide would rest firmly on HIS shoulders. Okay, sorry about the Star Wars reference there, but you get my point. Y'all. Stop spending more time wringing your hands over the state of the union than you do clasping your hands together in prayer. Stop trying to convince yourself that God is absent and therefore must not care about the (fill in the blank) problem that is just ruining our country. Your stress level, Facebook posts and television yelling aren't necessary! He is going to bring about His plans on His own terms and He will use people of every political affiliation and every moral credence to get it done. And it stinks sometimes when those things don't happen to match up to our own and yes we need to campaign (in a healthy way) for candidates who are God-fearing and morally upstanding. No doubt. But when things just aren't going our way politically and the landscape seems nothing but dull and dreary, just take a moment to remember all the morally bankrupt kings God used to bring about His plans in biblical history. "Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it. I am raising up the Babylonians, a cruel and violent people. They will march across the world and conquer other lands." (Habakkuk 1:5-6) Who is your particular brand of cruel and violent these days? Trump? Clinton? Kavanaugh? Ford? The media? Are you 100% sure of one group's innocence and 100% sure of the other's guilt? As for me, I am 100% sure God's got this whole crazy world all wrapped up. I am 100% certain that no matter the outcome of the Supreme Court nomination or the next Presidential election, I can trust these words:

Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars?

He brings them out like an army, one after another,

calling each by its name.

Because of his great power and incomparable strength,

not a single one is missing.

O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?

O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?

Have you never heard?

Have you never understood?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of all the earth.

He never grows weak or weary.

No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

Isaiah 40:26-28

For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed.

Deuteronomy 10:17

There are so many more Asherah Poles I could list in this post, but I know your eyes are tired of reading. At the end of the day, every single one of us has to take a very honest look at ourselves and ultimately not be afraid to pray this prayer written by Kind David.

Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24

Maybe if we do this regularly and then be silent long enough to listen afterwards, we can learn to recognize our Asherah Poles and chop them down before our necks are firmly placed inside the wire noose. Maybe we can find the "peace that passes all understanding" when we stop wringing our hands in worry and just talk to God regularly and give Him thanks above all else. Maybe we can actually learn to put our "things" in their rightful place and give them appropriate amounts of respect instead of elevating them to the level of divine beings. Remember the words of Jesus Himself when He was under duress in the wilderness as He was being tempted by Satan who was literally offering Him the world in return for His worship:

"It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only."

Luke 4:8