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4 Hope of Israel Ministries BIBLE Correspondence Course Leeson 3

verses 2 and 3. But would they suffer Today, in mid-winter, the “sacred child” is still
punishments if they broke YEHOVAH God’s worshipped! The familiar mother and child
Commandments? Read Leviticus 26:14-39. theme at Christmas is a cleverly disguised pagan
2. Was it within the heart of Israel to “mystery” which dates back to Nimrod and his
always obey YEHOVAH God? Deuteronomy mother Semiramis! The “New Year’s baby,”
5:29. What does Jeremiah remind us about the once worshipped in ancient Greece as Dionysus
or Adonis -- “the lord” -- is now welcomed in the
churches of modern Christianity!
No wonder YEHOVAH God Almighty
was angry when Israel began to observe the
wild, licentious rites of Baal among the
Moabites!
4. When YEHOVAH’s people
approached the promised land, did He
specifically warn them against transferring
pagan customs to the worship of the true God?
Deuteronomy 12:29-31. Did YEHOVAH God
warn them not to add any pagan rites to His
commands? Verse 32. Why did YEHOVAH
HATE the hideous rites of these pagan
religions? Verse 31, last part.

Israel Punished for Baalism

1. After Joshua and all his generation
died (Judges 2:8-10), did Israel adopt the
religious customs of Canaan? Judges 2:11-13.
COMMENT: The Baalim were the
many gods named Baal that each tribe of Canaan
worshipped. Just as there are many religious

Children look forward to Easter with its bunny customs today, so in the time of the Judges
rabbits, jelly beans, and colored eggs -- not everyone did what he thought was best instead of
knowing the real origin and meaning of these obeying YEHOVAH God! (Judges 21:25.)
symbols. 2. Who were the principal pagan gods
worshipped by rebellious Israelites? Judges
human heart? Jeremiah 17:9. 2:13.
3. When Israel came into the land of COMMENT: Baal -- Nimrod -- and his
Moab, what did they do? Numbers 25:1-3. wicked mother Semiramis were both
What did YEHOVAH God instruct Moses to do worshipped! Ashtaroth was another name for
with those who polluted themselves by Semiramis. In Greece she was called Venus and
worshipping Baal-Peor, the god of the Astarte. In Babylon she was called Ishtar
Moabites? Verses 4-5. Who was this Baal-Peor? (pronounced Easter).
COMMENT: Baal-Peor was another 3. Did YEHOVAH God bring
name for Nimrod. The compound name punishment upon those who corrupted
Baal-Peor had special significance to the themselves in pagan worship as He had warned?
Moabites who worshipped Nimrod as a child. Verses 14-15.

The Pagan Origins of Easter and Halloween