“…you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God.” – 2 Chronicles 19:3
When Christians are reminded of the first of the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20:3, “Thou shall have no other gods before Me,” we are likely to think, “That’s easy; I only believe in the One, True God.”
The “gods” referred to in Exodus 20:3 do not necessary refer to the gods of other religions. One may not need to believe in Buddha, Shiva, Muhammad, or various pagan deities to place other “gods” before the Lord.
Asherah poles are mentioned in several books of the Old Testament. Asherah was believed to be the goddess of fertility, and Asherah poles were sacred poles or trees erected in worship of the pagan goddess.
God assigned Moses the position of mediator between Himself – Yahweh – and the people of Israel. The Book of Exodus centers around the Israelites leaving the bondage of Egypt and the subsequent covenants established between Yahweh and His chosen people. On Mount Sinai, God proclaims laws for the ordering of Israel’s life.
In Exodus 34:10-14, God speaks to the Israelites through Moses, “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.”
Here, we see the first mention of Asherah poles in the Old Testament. Throughout the time that follows, chronicled in Deuteronomy and Judges, the Israelites would be commanded to remove the Asherah poles from the high places of worship. But before long, “…the people of Israel would do what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth.” (Judges 3:7)
While most of us are not erecting Asherah poles in our front yard, we may be unaware of how hobbies, interests, passions, and desires can creep to the forefront of our lives, taking a higher place than our Father. We may unintentionally find ourselves spending more time on our phones, attending sporting events, keeping an overloaded schedule, binge-watching episodes on Netflix, or following the latest celebrity trends and news than we are spending time in the Word or in prayer. And while these things in and of themselves are not necessarily “bad,” they become idols when they replace the role that God desires to play in our lives.
When God says He is “jealous” for His people, it means that He loves us and does not want us to be destroyed by idolatry. When our focus shifts from God to the things of this world, we experience confusion and emotions He never desired for us to go through. False idols cannot comfort us, cannot provide us with spiritual wisdom and insight, and cannot fill that which is only God’s to fulfill in our hearts and lives.
“Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in heaven; He does whatever pleases him. But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.” (Psalm 115:2-8)
Placing God first in our lives does not eliminate problems or obstacles. John 16:33 reminds us that, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
But a recent Pew Research study revealed that in the United States, 36% of actively religious people describe themselves as “very happy,” as compared with 25% of the inactively religious and 25% of the unaffiliated. Christians are promised that the peace of God, which transcends understanding, will be with them during life’s hardest moments. Isaiah 41:10 assures us that, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Glimpses of hope after seasons of idolatry are detailed in the Books of Kings and Chronicles, which involved destroying and removing Asherah poles from among the people of God.
In 2 Kings 23:6, Josiah renews the Lord’s covenant: “He took the Asherah pole from the temple of the Lord to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem and burned it there. He ground it to powder and scattered the dust over the graves of the common people.”
2 Chronicles 19:3 offers this hope: “There is, however, some good in you, for you have rid the land of the Asherah poles and have set your heart on seeking God.”
The favor and strength of the Lord is upon those who seek Him and who place Him first in their lives. 2 Chronicles 16:8-9 states, “… yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”
So rid the land of the Asherah poles.
Acknowledge and confess to God if there is any area of your life that you are worshiping more than Him.
As we strive to demote our worldly idols, Colossians 3:2 reminds us to shift our focus to the Heavenly realm: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:5 further encourages us to “Put to death what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
And hold fast to God’s promises as we turn from idolatry. “In all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:6)