Page 62 - Attractive Deception - The False Hope of the Hebrew Roots Movement

It was rare, however, when the Levites actually fulfilled this duty in a faithful manner. For much of
the history of God’s people, idolatry and profane practices were merged with the worship of
Yahweh. Ezekiel records for us one of the many times in which the people of Yahweh brought great
uncleanness into the Temple and sanctuary (holy place) of God.

Ezekiel 8:3-16
And the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in visions of God to
Jerusalem, to the door of the north gate of the inner court, where the seat of the image of jealousy
was, which provokes to jealousy... Then He said to me, “Son of man, lift your eyes now toward the
north.” So I lifted my eyes toward the north, and there, north of the altar gate, was this image (idol)
of jealousy in the entrance. Furthermore He said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing,
the great abominations that the house of Israel commits here, to make Me go far away from My
sanctuary? Now turn again, you will see greater abominations.” So He brought me to the door of the
court; and when I looked, there was a hole in the wall. Then He said to me, “Son of man, dig into
the wall”; and when I dug into the wall, there was a door. And He said to me, “Go in, and see the
wicked abominations which they are doing there.” So I went in and saw, and there - every sort of
creeping thing, abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed all around on
the walls... Then He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel
do in the dark, every man in the room of his idols? For they say, ‘Yahweh does not see us, Yahweh
has forsaken the land.’” And He said to me, “Turn again, and you will see greater abominations that
they are doing.” So He brought me to the door of the north gate of Yahweh's house; and to my
dismay, women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz. Then He said to me, “Have you seen this,
O son of man? Turn again, you will see greater abominations than these.” So He brought me into the
inner court of Yahweh's house; and there, at the door of the temple of Yahweh, between the porch
and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of Yahweh and their
faces toward the east, and they were worshiping the sun toward the east.

Ezekiel Digging Into the Temple

The Spirit of God took the prophet on a tour of the Temple. He showed Ezekiel the numerous
profane images, both idols and depictions of various creatures which the elders of Israel were
worshiping. Ezekiel was shown the women of Israel weeping for Tammuz, a false deity of Babylon.
He was shown 25 men prostrating themselves as they worshiped the Sun. Satan was markedly
successful in bringing the profane into the house of God. Satan defiled that which was pure. He