1) I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before [besides] me.
2) You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them. Exodus 20:2-5
"Judaism had historically stood out from other faiths in the ancient world because of its monotheism. To Judaism idolatry is the ultimate betrayal of God's relationship with humanity." Wikipedia
The historical Old Testament books of Kings and Chronicles documents a recurring tendency for the people of Israel and her rulers to turn away from the religion of Yahweh to idolatry. But every once in awhile, a king would assume the throne who possessed a zeal to restore the nation to the true faith. This was not a simple task but made easier because the king was the ultimate authoritarian. Before beginning to outline these "good kings", let's take a closer look at what "other gods" the Israelites were seduced into worshiping and why.
Canaanite Deities:
Asherah:
They [the people of Judah] also set up for themselves high places, sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. 1 Kings 14:23
Asherah [Ashtoreth, Astarte, Ishtar] was the Canaanite goddess of fertility. Asherah worship frequently involved sexual immorality, prostitution, divination, and fortune telling.
Baal:
He [Manasseh] rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal... He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. 2 Kings 21:3
Baal [Ba'al, Baal-Zebub] was worshipped in many ancient Middle Eastern communities, especially among the Canaanites, who apparently considered him a fertility deity. He was also called the Lord of Rain and Dew, the two forms of moisture that were indispensable for fertile soil in Canaan.
Molek:
They [the people of Judah] built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molek, though I never commanded-nor did it enter my mind-that they should do such a detestable thing and so make Judah sin. Jeremiah 32:25
Molek [Molech, Moloch] was a Canaanite deity associated in biblical sources with the practice of child sacrifice. In the Hebrew Bible, Moloch is presented as a foreign deity who was at times illegitimately given a place in Israel's worship by certain apostate kings.
Humans are materialistic beings. When it comes to religion they will necessarily gravitate toward that which meets their needs. This explains the attraction toward those deities that promise good things in exchange for devotion. And when it comes to devotion it is easier to have a symbol of your god to bow down to and worship.
But what about human sacrifice? I can think of two explanations for this barbaric practice wherever it occurred throughout the ancient world: The first would be an attempt to appease the gods in times of dire trouble. The second, and most diabolical, is when it would be used by rulers, and religious figures to secure their power, or even to proclaim their own divinity.
Asa: Third king of Judah (911 BC)
In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king of Judah, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty-one years... Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done. He expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made. He even deposed his grandmother Maakah from her position as queen mother, because she had made a repulsive image for the worship of Asherah. Asa cut it down and burned it in the Kidron Valley... Asa's heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life.
1 Kings 15:9-14
Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God... He commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his laws and commands. He removed the high places and incense altars in every town in Judah, and the kingdom was at peace under him.
2 Chronicles 14:4,5
Asa calls upon the Lord in time of trouble:
Zerah the Cushite marched out against them [the army of Judah] with an army of thousands upon thousands and three hundred chariots." 2 Chronicles 14:9
Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, "Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you."
2 Chronicles 14:11,12
Jehoshaphat: Fourth king of Judah (870 BC)
Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. In everything he followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord." 1 Kings 22:41-43
The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel... His heart was devoted to the ways of the Lord; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.2 Chronicles 17:3-6
Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and turned them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 2 Chronicles 19:4
Jehoshapat seeks the face of God in a crisis:
Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Dead Sea..." Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.
2 Chronicles 20:2,3
Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel... "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's."2 Chronicles 20:14,15
Hezekiah: Thirteenth king of Judah (715 BC)
In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years... He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. 2 Kings 18:1-4
Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him." 2 Kings 18:5-7
Hezekiah Purifies the Temple:
In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the Lord and repaired them. He brought in the priests and the Levites... "Listen to me, Levites! Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Remove all defilement from the sanctuary."
2 Chronicles 29:3-5
The King of Assyria Threatens Jerusalem:
After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. 2 Chronicles 32:1
King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace... So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria. 2 Chronicles 32:20-22
Josiah: Sixteenth king of Judah (640 BC)
Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years...He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. 2 Kings 22:1,2
The Book of the Law Found:
Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord..." Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. 2 Kings 22:8-11
Josiah Renews the Covenant:
The king... went up to the temple of the Lord with the people of Judah... He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord... Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant. 2 Kings 23:1-3
Josiah Removes Idolatry from the Land:
Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the Lord their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 2 Chronicles 34:33
The Death of Josiah:
After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Necho king of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah marched out to meet him in battle. But Necho sent messengers to him, saying, "What quarrel is there, king of Judah, between you and me?" Josiah, however, would not turn away from him, but disguised himself to engage him in battle. Archers shot King Josiah... his officers brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. 2 Chronicles 35:22-24
These were good kings but they also were imperfect human beings. All of them had disappointing-you might say backsliding-moments in their relationship with the Lord. Much of that can be attributed to the corrupting influence on those who hold absolute power. They become prideful and self-important.
