add. God made it clear to the Israelites at multiple points that worshiping any other gods than Him was wrong ( Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7 ). So according to Richard Merrick, drinking a cup of Ashteroth coffee is akin to a kind of resurrection. At the simplest level a graven image is a good-luck charm. I agree with Jeffrey that the authors case made was lacking in logic at one point. It seems doubtful that he participated in any other sacred rites, as she wasnt actually a shrine prostitute, though he may have as she may have been a part of a series of observances (remember that the Bible, while authoratitive is not exhaustive), this may have been enough of an observance in that the prostitute would be a collection point for offerings. 4 Reasons Why We Have a Hard Time Talking about Loneliness. . For that reason, God and Moses prohibited Israel from worshiping Moloch in Leviticus 18:21 and 20:2, 3, 4, 5. Judah was tricked by his daughter-in-law who assumed the guise of a qadesha. Pagan Practices and the Holiness Code - Gay Christian 101 This is what happened in Old Testament times, and it is exactly what is happening in the Twenty-First Century across the world. Like other addicts, they will sacrifice their health, their wealth, and even their relationships for the sake of their experiences: And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her fathers… And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done…wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? The general name, used throughout Palestine and in the Bible, for this type of fire god, was Baal. The Romans erected an arch there to lead to the Temple of Baal. For though idolatry be properly where the failure is in the ultimate or mediate object of our worship, and the creature is made either the ultimate term of our worship, or the medium in and by which we worship the Creator; yet there are many other ways by which we may be partakers of the sins of others, and this sin of idolatry in particular: and idolatry being a sin of the greatest magnitude, from which they were bound to keep the furthest distance, they were bound to take heed of being partakers of other mens sins of this kind.7, But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ashtoreth has been worshiped through most of recorded history. So for there to be cult prostitutes around them was very likely. She is the daughter of Satan - Astaroth is very popular in occult religions. History repeats itself. However, her reach throughout the ancient world went much further than the borders of Phoenicia. image: http://www.trunews.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Temple_of_Baal_at_Palmyra_Syria._III.jpg Yet in spite of being so anti-gay, the NET Bible links the Mo-lech worship of Leviticus 18:21 and 20:2-5, 13, with sexual sin and with spiritual prostitution, "I will cut off from the midst of their people both him and all who follow after him in spiritual prostitution, to commit prostitution by worshiping Molech (Hebrew - to commit harlotry after Molech)." There are Baal worshippers in Nevada with oragies and the like. You are just the kind of people being invited to take share in better interpretations! It did not disappear. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, (1 Kings 11.4-6a). Encyclopaedia Judaica.