Sliced, Diced and Mashed/To each His Own

To Each His Own

For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.

                                                                                                     ...I Kings 11:4

            An alabaster sphinx found in the ancient city of Memphis, dated 1240 B.C. was incorrectly named by the Greeks, during the reign of Ramses II.  The Greeks referred to the sphinx as demons while the Egyptians looked upon them as powerful and majestic in nature.  A real sphinx formed the head of a Pharaoh and a body of a lion, a symbol of their sun god.  Wherever the sphinxes were placed, you could almost be guaranteed to see a temple near by, considered to be a landmark. 

            The beauty and awe of the sphinxes also influenced other countries.  The head of the Pharaoh was certainly a reminder of power over the commoner.  The Egyptians originated with the form, the head of Pharaoh and body of a lion.  The Greeks imitated even making miniature sphinxes, while the Assyrians did the same, adding wings portraying them as demons.  Assyrians went even a bit further not depicting nobility, but replacing facial expressions with frightening, evil shaped eyes and mouth.  Even the ancient Maya people of South America had a representation of a monster like sphinx in their history.

            The gods of the neighboring countries were always influencing the Israelites.  Egypt we know had a big influence on them.  When God asked them to destroy existing idols, His instructions were ignored. Years and years of turmoil for not clearing out the land of false idols followed the children of Israel. 

 From Genesis to Revelation we can read about other gods.  Old Testament tells how idols were varied from the goddess of the Zidonians, Ashtoreth (goddess of sex), which Solomon went after, Chemosh, and Molech, as well as others.  Solomon did not abandon God, but included other gods in his "worship." The older he became, the further he drew from God, because of wives and horses (I Kings 10 and Deut. 17). 

All paganism is different in shape, form or statue, but all just the same, false gods. Today the name of the sex god has changed, but without a doubt, obviously holds the reigns of many in our world today.  Yes Christian, it can for you too!  Thou shalt not have any other gods before me...

Don't try to play the Solomon game, let's mix in a little here and a little there.

From sphinxes to Nascar, football to a job or career all are idols, if they hold your attention more than God does.  Does God have your attention?  If He doesn't, you might want to clear the way before He has to.  The path is cluttered.  Begin now to put order in your life.  What ever happened to the God first, family and somewhere down the way, job.  Is your job earning first place in your life? 

Is your heart the temple of God?  Then, why are there sphinxes at the door of the temple?  God needs no help; He alone is sufficient.