Proverbs-Related Topical Wisdom

Learning the Righteousness of God - 3

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2005-08-28

Synopsis: John Weaver continues his series on learning God's righteousness from Micah 6:5 and Numbers 25. He teaches that partial obedience is disobedience, and that immorality and idolatry are inseparably linked—every immoral person is an idolater. Using the example of Israel at Shittim, he shows how sexual sin led to idol worship, and he warns that covetousness is idolatry. Applications include striving for wholehearted obedience, avoiding all enticements to immorality, and recognizing that sin brings temporary pleasure but permanent consequences.

[John Weaver] Micah Chapter 6 and Numbers 25. This is the third message that I'm bringing. Entitled Learning the Righteousness of God. Learning the Righteousness of God. My own heart has been moved as I have studied for these messages. And one of the things that has been impressed upon me in reality is how simple these truths are. And yet, how patently overlooked they are. So in Micah, chapter 6, verse 1, Hear you now what the Lord saith, Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth, for the Lord hath a controversy with his people. He will plead with Israel, O my people, what have I done unto thee? And wherein have I wearied thee, testify against me.

[John Weaver] For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants. And I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittimon to Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?

[John Weaver] Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed the old man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God.

[John Weaver] Now, if you would hold Micah 6 and look in verse 5, this has been the key text. Oh, my people, remember now what Balak, king of Moab, consulted. and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteousness of the Lord." Now if you'll go back to Numbers chapter 25, because in Micah 6 and verse 5, God commands us to examine the times from Shittim to Gilgal in order that we might specifically learn the righteousness of God. We've chosen Numbers 25, because Numbers 25 happens while the people were camped at Shittim. And remember, if you would, the other name is Acacia or Acacia Wood. And the Shittim tree or the Acacia tree was one in the same. And this was where they were camped right before they crossed over the river into the promised land. So the occasions For this happens in Numbers chapter 25. And this is where Balak, the king of Moab, has called Balaam in his stride to get him to curse Israel. And every time he attempts to curse Israel, God turns the curse into a blessing.

[John Weaver] And so Balaam then turns consultant and he gives Balak some counsel as to what to do to get God to judge Israel, since God would not allow Balaam to curse Israel. He then says that he will corrupt Israel and then therefore God will judge Israel himself. So he counsels Balak then on how to get Israel to become corrupted.

[John Weaver] Now, we have seen two truths previously. The first one is this. The very first truth that we pointed out in Numbers chapter 25 is this. That God's law word is our standard for righteousness and any deviation from his truth is sin and unrighteousness. Let me say that again. God's law word is our standard for righteousness and any deviation from his truth is sin and unrighteousness. And I told you that under this first point, the consuming truth was simply this, that when God forbids any sin at the same time He forbids anything and everything that would lead up to that sin.

[John Weaver] Therefore, lustfulness and covetousness, sins of the spirit, sins of attitude, sins of disposition, are equally evil, wicked, and wrong, and even as equally as wrong as the sins of the flesh. And the answer is, to why? Because they point to and lead up to the sins of the flesh. That's why in 2 Corinthians 7 in verse 1, The Apostle Paul said, dearly beloved, having therefore these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

[John Weaver] Now, the second truth that we learned last week is this. That sin places us under the judgment and curse of God, no matter how we get there. Sin always places us under the judgment and curse of God, no matter how we arrive there. Many individuals hope to be excused from their sins due to the fact that they were tempted, seduced, and enticed. However, as I showed you last week, all of that is just merely the beginnings of sin, and therefore you are Accountable and responsible. God says, let no man say when he's tempted that I'm tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempted with any man, but every man is tempted, listen now, when he's drawn away of his own lust and enticed. And lust, when it is conceived, bringeth forth sin, and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. So you will not and you cannot be excused from your lustful and sinful desires. You are accountable and you are responsible and you will give an answer to God for them.

[John Weaver] So it doesn't matter how you get yourself in sin, it still places you under the judgment and the curse of God. Now today, hopefully, I'm going to cover two additional principles. And the first one is this. We must learn that partial obedience is disobedience. Partial obedience is disobedience.

[John Weaver] Now look in verse 1, And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods. And the people did eat and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor. and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. Now, we're told in the first three verses of Numbers 25 that certain of the people committed fornication and idolatry were the daughters of Moab. I want you to note what we are not told. We are not told that these individuals were low-down, filthy, dishonest, scumbag drunkards.

[John Weaver] Doesn't say that at all. Quite differently, in all probability, most of these people were upright and honest in every other area of their lives. They may have attended the sacrifices of God as required by God. They may have attended the tabernacle, joined it with singing and the shouting of the praises of God. And they may have been honest in their dealings with their brethren. However, Scripture does point out that they were fornicators and idolaters.

[John Weaver] Now, I just simply want to mark it down in your mind. Just because someone does not appear to be ungodly does not mean that he is not ungodly. I have known men who appear outwardly to be upstanding, honest, hardworking, loyal, and faithful husbands. Yet, in reality, They were addicted to pornography. They engaged in immorality. And they were anything but what they portrayed and set forth themselves as.

[John Weaver] And unhappily, some of these were preachers. I remember hearing one preacher, some of you may know who I'm referring to. He was a very popular preacher for a long time. But I remember hearing his philosophy. And his attitude and his philosophy was this. Listen carefully. He said that if you wanted to engage in a little sin, then you needed to make yourself so valuable to God that he would overlook your sin because of your own usefulness.

[John Weaver] Now, not only is that attitude and that philosophy totally, completely ungodly and wicked and unbiblical, I want you to stop and think about the implications of that. First of all, it implies that God can be bought off. Secondly, it implies that God needs us. And that if we can make ourselves so valuable and so useful to God, that therefore He will overlook our sins and our ungodliness. That is certainly totally contrary to Scripture.

[John Weaver] Now, what I want you to understand is this, and I'm trying to point out that partial obedience is disobedience. It's important to understand that obedience in one area does not cancel out disobedience in another area simply because we are mostly obedient or obedient most of the time. That does not negate the fact that sometimes we are disobedient in other areas.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you a simple question. How many sins does it take to make an individual a sinner? One.

[John Weaver] Now, with that in mind, look in your Bibles to James 2. James 2. And let's read verses 10 and 11. James 2. Hopefully the Lord will help me with this silence to get through this message. James 2, notice if you would please verse 10, look what God says. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that saith, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." What did God say? God said if you think you're attempting to keep the whole law, yet if you break it in one point, you are guilty of all.

[John Weaver] And when you violate one of God's laws, that makes you a sinner indeed. Now, all I'm trying to show you is To me, it is amazing how many people erroneously think that somehow their good deeds will balance out their bad deeds. Or if they are good in this area, then God will excuse them for their sin and disobedience in another area. No, let me point it out very plainly. Not only is delayed obedience disobedience, but partial obedience is disobedience as well. The law of God demands that we obey God personally, perfectly, and perpetually. And when we do not render to God that obedience which He demands, we are sinners and sinful. So we cannot expect then that our sins in one area are going to be exempted from judgment because we are obedient over here in this area. God has set the standard. You know what the standard is?

[John Weaver] Let me give it to you. 1 Peter 1, verses 15 and 16, But as he who called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation, because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy, saith the Lord. So please put it down. Partial obedience. is disobedience, and you cannot think just because we're obedient over here, then God is going to overlook our disobedience over here. That does not work. Our obedience does not cancel out our disobedience.

[John Weaver] Now, here's the next point, and this is where I'm going to spend most of my time today, is I want you to see the connection between immorality and idolatry. Now we've just read Numbers 25 verses 1-3. In this passage, God makes bare the connection between the sins of the flesh and the sins of the spirit. Adultery and idolatry are two great sins that go together and they often lead one to the other. Listen carefully. It does not matter which you begin with, you will always end up in the other. Now look in verse one.

[John Weaver] The people began to commit whoredom. Verse two, And they called the people unto their sacrifices of their gods, and the people did eat and bowed down to their gods. And now you get to verse three, And Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor. So they began by committing whoredom, then they began to bowing down, and now it is said that Israel has joined himself under Baal Peor.

[John Weaver] Now I'm trying to show you the connection today between immorality and idolatry. The very name Baal Peor signifies licentiousness, wickedness, and sexual sins. The word Belpior literally means Lord of the openings. So here is a clear indication that sexual sins were involved in this idolatrous worship. Moreover, Scripture specifically says that sexual sins were involved. In verse 1, the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

[John Weaver] So we are explicitly told that. Do you realize that in most pagan worships, licentiousness and sexual impurity are involved? This was not true just in Old Testament times. It was also true in New Testament times. It is also true today. In fact, in New Testament times, if you really wanted to cut someone down, if you wanted to Call them a name that was really dirty and lowdown. You call them a Corinthian. If you really wanted to stigmatize someone, you would say he's acting like a Corinthian. Why?

[John Weaver] Corinth was a seaport town. Corinth was a wicked, ungodly city. They had a temple in the city. with a thousand prostitutes for the free use of the visitors to the temple. It was a sexual worship, orgy, licentious temple. It was that which was totally corrupt, immoral, ungodly. Thus to cut someone down, you call them a Corinthian. Or you say they're acting like a Corinthian. Let me tell you how immoral Clark was. It was so immoral that the great apostle Paul was afraid when he went there. You say what? Paul, the apostle of great... Let me show you.

[John Weaver] Whole Numbers 25, but look in your Bibles to Acts chapter 18. Acts chapter 18. The great apostle Paul was fearful when it came to Corinth. In Acts chapter 18, beginning there with verse 9, look what the Bible says, Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace. For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee, for I have much people in this city."

[John Weaver] And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Now watch verse 8. And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house, and many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized. Now watch. Then spake the Lord to Paul in a night by a vision, Be not afraid. Now if God told Paul not to be afraid, what does that imply? He was afraid. Why?

[John Weaver] Because this city was a wicked, corrupt, vile city. And God said, don't be afraid. Don't hold your voice back. You speak. I'll do the saving. I'll protect you. No man will hurt you as long as you're in this city.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm just simply saying, it is interesting and most informative to see in the Bible the connection between immorality and idolatry. In fact, I want to make a statement right here. I'm going to prove this to you before I finish today. But I want to make this statement just to challenge your thinking and to get you to mull this over in your mind. And to see if you can work it out before I get to the end of this message, here's the statement. No one can commit immorality. Without committing idolatry. No one can commit immorality without committing idolatry. Let me go further.

[John Weaver] Every immoral person is an idolater. Every immoral person is an idolater.

[John Weaver] Now with that statement firmly embedded in your mind, I want us to examine the scriptures and see the connection between immorality and idolatry. First of all, in Numbers chapter 25, you've seen that the daughters of Moab were not only the Tentors, but they were also the conquerors of the children of Israel. You remember the Bible tells us that Eve was deceived. You remember that? And although the woman is classified in the Bible as the weaker sex and the weaker vessel, According to first Peter chapter three verse seven. Yet the truth of the matter is the Bible ascribes a lot of power to a woman. In fact, the Scripture tells us, and we read it last week in Proverbs 7, but I'm just going to read verses 25 and 26, talking about the immoral woman.

[John Weaver] Let not thine heart decline to her ways. Go not astray in her past. Why? Listen. For she hath cast down many wounded, yea, many strong men have been slain by her. It is amazing. the men who cannot be tempted with money or fame, so many times can be destroyed by a woman. And God says there is a connection. Solomon, who was certainly wise, or at least should have been wise in the wiles of women, wrote a tremendous truth in Ecclesiastes 7 and verse 26. Listen to what he said. And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands, whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her." So Solomon says there's something that's really worse than death.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to understand that boredom and idolatry go together. What happened in Numbers 25? Well, the Bible tells us that the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. I want you to understand, the very first thing that happened was this. They defiled and debauched their conscience, or their consciences, by committing lewdness and immorality with the women And once their consciences were defiled, they were easily then drawn into compliance with the women, going a step further to the eating at the banquets and the bowing down to the idols, till ultimately they were drawn

[John Weaver] into absolute contempt of God Himself because they were joined to Baal Peor. Those who have broken the fences of modesty will never be held by the bonds of piety. Those who have broken the fences of modesty will never be held by the bonds of piety, and those who have dishonored themselves by their fleshly lusts will not scruple to dishonor God in idolatrous worship. Let me put it like this. Once we have broken God's law in one area, it becomes easier and easier to break that law in other areas.

[John Weaver] So these men then were first tempted to immorality. And their immorality led them to idolatry. So immorality and idolatry go hand in hand. Each one leads to the other.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you this. I want us today to consider the word grove in the Old Testament. Every time you see the word grove, G-R-O-V-E, in the Old Testament, with the exception of Genesis 21 and verse 33, it does not refer to a grove of trees. When you and I think of a grove being from the South, we think of a pecan grove. You know, sure, there's a grove of trees over there. But that is not what the Bible means when it talks about a grove, except in Genesis 21 and verse 33. Let me show you.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 16. Deuteronomy 16. And let's begin reading there with verse 21. Deuteronomy 16 verse 21, look what God says. Deuteronomy 16 verse 21, thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near to the altar of the Lord by God, which thou shalt make thee. Neither shalt thou set thee up any image which the Lord thy God hateth. Now, when you read that verse, you would think thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near to the altar of the Lord by God, which Thou shalt make thee." Well, what in the world is this verse talking about? Because the next verse goes on to say,"...neither shalt thou set thee up any image." Well, you've got to understand that the heathen usually would dedicate a tree to a certain deity or a group of priests to a certain deity. And what God is forbidding in Deuteronomy 16 and verse 21, He is forbidding any shape, form, or fashion of idolatry to be associated with His altar.

[John Weaver] In other words, God is safeguarding His altar. He is safeguarding the revelation that He gives of Himself. His revelation is not to be confused with, conjoined with, or even put on a level with the altars of false gods. I want you to understand what God is doing is this. He is saying here is my altar and you will remember every time an altar was built to God in the Old Testament, God had revealed himself. God revealed himself to Abraham. Abraham built an altar. God revealed himself to Jacob. Jacob built an altar. So every time an altar was built, it was due to the revelation of God himself. And so God is saying there can be nothing else around here. There can be nothing that will confuse or confound the revelation of myself.

[John Weaver] You know what most of us and I'm speaking as Christendom as a whole had done. Most professing Christians. in trying to give aid and help in the worship of God, have surrounded the altar or the revelation of God with false gods and false helps. Do you realize there are things that are so pleasing to our flesh, so aesthetically beautiful to our eyes, and so desirous by our emotions that we would love to have those that we think those would really help in our worship to God. But yet God forbids them. God forbids statues and pictures and images in worship. And just like He forbids them physically, He also forbids them mentally as well. We're thinking, well, if we could just have this deep-throated organ and these stained-glass windows, if we could have these beautiful choir robes and the whole congregation humming and singing, oh, while we pray, all this is a help to our worship. Not necessarily. Not necessarily. God has revealed in His Word exactly how He is to be approached and exactly how He is to be worshiped.

[John Weaver] And usually what we add to God's worship tends to distract and take away from the revelation of God and His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, rather than add to. Now, I pointed out the fact that the word grove does not necessarily refer to just a grove of trees. What does it refer to then? Well, the word grove occurs 40 times in our King James Bibles. Each time The word is the word Asherah, which properly refers to a wooden image or a wooden pillar, which represents the goddess Ashtaroth, who was a sensual Canaanite goddess. Ashtaroth is also called Asherah or Astarte. So in other words, you have then the word grove, But it refers to this false sexual goddess, Asherah, Astarte, or Ashtaroth, all one and the same.

[John Weaver] And by the way, it doesn't matter if you call her Venus, like the Romans. Every group of people may have had different names, but it referred to the same false god. And you find that Astarte was the consort of Baal. Now, listen carefully. When God talks about the grove in the Bible, it was this idol that Gideon cut down at his father's house in Judges chapter 6. And in Judges chapter 6, it was this grove that was identified with and associated with Baal. Why? Because Asherah or Astarte or Ashtoreth was the consort of Baal. You will also find it was this idol that was worshipped by Ahab and Jezebel in 1 Kings 16 and verse 33. Moreover, you will find it was also this same idol that was worshipped by King Asa's mother, whom he removed from being queen because of her worship and association with this idol. Listen to what the Bible says. And also, Maika, his mother, even her he removed from being queen because she had made an idol in a grove, or an idol of a grove, and Asa destroyed her idol and burned it in the brook Kidron.

[John Weaver] So godly Asa said to his mother, you're no longer queen. And he took that idol and he destroyed it. I'm trying to show you how wicked and how ungodly. Immorality is and how it's associated and connected to idolatry, so I want you to turn in your Bibles, the second Kings chapter 21. Second Kings 21. Second Kings 21.

[John Weaver] You know, it's interesting how that you can have a good and godly king and then somehow his son turns out to be a reprobate. You can see the same thing today. You can have godly parents and some of the children will turn out to be absolute fools. You think, how in the world can that be? Well, unless the grace of God is in their lives, that's exactly how it turns out.

[John Weaver] But look, if you would please. Let's begin reading with verse one, second Kings 21, Manasseh, who, by the way, was a son of godly Hezekiah. And Manasseh was 12 years old when he began to reign and he reigned 50 and five years in Jerusalem and his mother's name was Hephzibah. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord after the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. And he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed. And he reared up altars for Baal and made a grove as did Ahab king of Israel and worshiped all the hosts of heaven and served them. Now let's just stop there just for a moment. The Bible specifically says that Manasseh now is rebuilding everything that his father had destroyed. And the Bible specifically says that he rears up an altar for Baal and he made a grove, that is, he made a wooden pillar, a wooden image, an Asherah, an Astarte, or an Ashtaroth.

[John Weaver] Look in verse 4. Just to show you how wicked Manasseh was, and he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said in Jerusalem, I will put my name. And he built altars for all the hosts of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. Now, can you imagine how bold and how blasphemous Manasseh was? Here was where God had his altar. Here's where God had said his name. Here's where God had given a revelation of himself. And now here comes Manasseh and he builds all these false altars to these false gods and he puts them in the house of God. Well. Skip down to verse six.

[John Weaver] And he made his son pastor of the fire and observed times. and used enchantments and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards. He wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger. Now watch. And he set a graven image of the grove which he had made in the house. of which the Lord said to David and to Solomon his son in this house and in Jerusalem which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel would I put my name forever.

[John Weaver] Did you hear what I just read? And he set a graven image of the grove which he had made in the temple. So now he places an image of Ashtoreth Asherah, Ashtoreth, in the temple of God. You say, Brother Weaver, I know these folks were immoral, but I haven't seen anything just right yet that connects immorality with idolatry. Well, turn over to 2 Kings chapter 23. 2 Kings 23.

[John Weaver] Here we have Josiah's reform, and I want you to note what he undoes and what he destroys. Notice, if you would, in verse 5, and he put down the idolatrous priest whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and the places round about Jerusalem, them also that burned incense unto Baal, and to the sun, and the moon, and the planets, and all the hosts of heaven. Are you watching now? And he brought out the grove from the house of the Lord, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it to the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereupon the graves of the children of Israel, And he break down, are you looking, and he break down the houses of the Sodomites that were by the house of the Lord where the women pulled hangings for their grove.

[John Weaver] You know, to me this is just so astounding. Manasseh not only put an image of Asherah in the house of God. He then moved the Sodomites right next door to it. And here the women who were prostitutes, by the way, religious prostitutes, were there weaving their hangings for their goddess of Asherah. All this was in the temple of God. Let me tell you something. Wherever you find idolatry, you will always find immorality. Are you listening? Wherever you find immorality, you will find idolatry.

[John Weaver] Now, I have not traveled all around this world. Dave pretty well has. And I haven't even asked him about this. But I'll guarantee you in the countries of the most idolatrous. Those are the same countries that are the most immoral and most wicked and most vile. Why? These two things go together.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to remember something. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians, chapter five. Ephesians, chapter five. I want you to remember this statement that I made earlier. Earlier I said that no one can commit immorality without committing idolatry. I said that no one could commit immorality without committing idolatry. Then I said that every immoral person is also an idolater.

[John Weaver] Now you say, but Brother Weaver, that's a strong statement. Yes, but it is a true statement. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians chapter 5 and look, if you would please, at verse 3. Ephesians 5 and verse 3. Ephesians 5. Notice, if you would please, verse 3. Look what God says. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness Let it not be once named among you as becometh saints." Now stop right there. He says, but fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not be once named among you as becometh saints.

[John Weaver] Now ask yourself a question. Why would God lump fornication, all uncleanness, and covetousness together? Why would God said let not covetousness be once named among the Saints? Go to your Bibles and turn to Colossians 3 and look at verse 5. Colossians 3 verse 5. In Colossians 3 verse 5, the Word of God says, mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth. fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness.

[John Weaver] What are those next words? Which is idolatry. Covetousness is idolatry. What? Covetousness is Idolatry. Let me ask you, what is it that leads to fornication, adultery, sodomy and all other fleshless sins? How much is this? You want something that you don't have. You want something that will satisfy the desires of your flesh. You want something that someone else has.

[John Weaver] Now, let me let me put it to you like this, because I want to prove my statement to you. I said that every immoral person is an idolater. And I said that you cannot commit immorality without committing idolatry. When God gave us the Ten Commandments, way down number seven, thou shalt not commit idolatry. Number ten, thou shalt not Are you listening? Before you can ever violate number seven, thou shalt not commit adultery. Before you can violate number 10, thou shalt not covet. You will have already violated number one. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Because in order to violate number seven, in order to violate number 10, You have to dethrone God and enthrone yourself. You have to deny God as the one true and living God and His law word as sovereign and supreme and replace Him with yourself and your law word so that when you commit immorality, you have already committed idolatry. Immorality and idolatry Go together. You cannot commit one without committing the other.

[John Weaver] Let me make some applications. Remember, if you would, please. What God said in Micah six and verse five. He said, oh, my people, remember what Bailick consulted. And Balaam answered from Shittim to Gilgal, why, that you may learn the righteousness of God. If you and I wish to learn God's righteousness, and be holy as He is holy, we must understand that we cannot be satisfied with partial obedience. We must seek to be obedient in every area of our life. We must learn to think, to study, to find out, to discern the will and the word of God, and then obey it applied in our lives.

[John Weaver] You say, but Brother Weaver, we're not perfect. I understand that. But just simply because we're not perfect does not mean that we cannot strive after perfection, does not mean that we cannot strive to be holy and godly in every area of our life. I don't doubt one little bit that everyone in this room wants to be godly and holy. I don't doubt that. But I'm going to tell you this, I believe that everyone in this room can find room for improvement in their lives and more obedience and better obedience And we've got to say, Lord, I am not going to be satisfied with partial obedience. I want every area of my life brought in conformity to your word. Secondly. If you and I. Are going to learn God's righteousness.

[John Weaver] We must learn to stay away from anything and everything that would hint suggest, entice, or tempt us into immorality. Do you understand that? If you and I do not wish to commit the sin of idolatry, we must not commit the sins of immorality. Immorality is the threshold and the open door into idolatry. Why do you think there's so much pornography on the web? Why do you think there's so much pornography on TV? Why do you think there's so much pornography in the movies?

[John Weaver] I'm just simply pointing out, folks, if you and I are interested in pleasing God We will want to make sure that we do not please ourselves. He who pleases his own flesh displeases God. You know, I get so tickled at people. We miss the obvious. Someone says, well, Brother Weaver, I'm strong. And I believe I can look at a little bit of pornography and it never affect me.

[John Weaver] I got news for you. You might look at a little bit of it, but you will never, ever be able to erase it from your mind. It will affect you. And one thing for sure, if you don't want to be addicted, you better not ever start it. And by the way, You remember in Romans chapter 1? You know one of the names for sodomite? They're derisively called fags. You know why? It's from the Greek word in Romans chapter 1, which means to be burned out. In other words, once you get started, it takes more and more and more and more and more until finally you're burned out.

[John Weaver] So what is God saying? If we're going to learn his righteousness, we better learn to be holy. We better learn to be pure. We better learn to stay away from the sins of the flesh. And if we're going to please God, we cannot please our flesh. He who displeases God is pleasing his own flesh. He who displeases his own flesh is usually pleasing God.

[John Weaver] Thirdly, sin will always bring us temporary pleasure. But we trade that temporary pleasure for permanent death and destruction, especially apart from the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. There's a principle that we need to learn. It's a Bible principle. Here it is. He who sins must suffer. It is true God may forgive you for the penalty of your sins, but you must always bear the consequences of your sins. You will always reap the consequences of your sins.

[John Weaver] You will find out exactly what Solomon meant in Proverbs 13 and verse 15 when he says the way of transgressors is hard.

[John Weaver] If we're going to learn God's righteousness, we've got to learn, number one, that His law word is our standard. And any deviation from that law word is sin and wickedness. We have to learn that however we get into a sinful situation, through enticement, through seduction, doesn't matter. However we get there, we get ourself under the curse and judgment of God. We must learn that partial obedience is disobedience, and we must learn that there is a connection between sins of the spirit and sins of the flesh. They one lead to the other, and he who commits the sins of the flesh is ultimately going to end up in idolatry.

[John Weaver] Every immoral person is an idolater. And by the way, every idolater is an immoral person because he's already committed idolatry against the one true and living God. We must learn God's righteousness and bring our lives in conformity to it. Let's pray. Father, thank you now for your love to us. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for the truth. Father, make us to understand that thou art the righteous God of heaven and earth, and thou hast said that we are to be holy as thou art holy. Father, we do pray that You would make us holy. Renew our minds. Revive us, O God, that we may follow after Thee.

[John Weaver] Grant us repentance and grant us faith. And above all, enable us to honor the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we ask and pray. Amen.

Learning the Righteousness of God - 3

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	920595823
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs-Related Topical Wisdom
Genre	Sermon
Date	2005-08-28
Dictation Name
Book	Book 165: Learning the Righteousness of God — Chapter 3
Source Timed Segments	65

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Review

Weaver introduces the message as the third in the series, emphasizing the simplicity and overlooked nature of these truths. He reads Micah 6:1-8 and reviews the first two points from previous messages: God's law is the standard of righteousness, and sin places us under judgment regardless of how we get there.

Micah Chapter 6 and Numbers 25. This is the third message that I'm bringing, entitled "Learning the Righteousness of God." Learning the Righteousness of God. My own heart has been moved as I have studied for these messages. And one of the things that has been impressed upon me in reality is how simple these truths are, and yet how patently overlooked they are. So in Micah, chapter 6, verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Micah 6:1-8

"Hear ye now what the Lord saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me."

"For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?" "Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

Now, if you would hold Micah 6 and look in verse 5, this has been the key text: "O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord." Now if you'll go back to Numbers chapter 25, because in Micah 6 and verse 5, God commands us to examine the times from Shittim to Gilgal in order that we might specifically learn the righteousness of God. We've chosen Numbers 25, because Numbers 25 happens while the people were camped at Shittim. And remember, if you would, the other name is Acacia or Acacia Wood. And the Shittim tree or the Acacia tree was one and the same. And this was where they were camped right before they crossed over the river into the promised land. So the occasions for this happen in Numbers chapter 25. And this is where Balak, the king of Moab, has called Balaam in his stride to get him to curse Israel. And every time he attempts to curse Israel, God turns the curse into a blessing.

And so Balaam then turns consultant and he gives Balak some counsel as to what to do to get God to judge Israel, since God would not allow Balaam to curse Israel. He then says that he will corrupt Israel and then therefore God will judge Israel himself. So he counsels Balak then on how to get Israel to become corrupted. Now, we have seen two truths previously. The first one is this. The very first truth that we pointed out in Numbers chapter 25 is this: that God's law word is our standard for righteousness and any deviation from his truth is sin and unrighteousness. Let me say that again. God's law word is our standard for righteousness and any deviation from his truth is sin and unrighteousness. And I told you that under this first point, the consuming truth was simply this, that when God forbids any sin at the same time He forbids anything and everything that would lead up to that sin.

Therefore, lustfulness and covetousness, sins of the spirit, sins of attitude, sins of disposition, are equally evil, wicked, and wrong, and even as equally as wrong as the sins of the flesh. And the answer is, to why? Because they point to and lead up to the sins of the flesh. That's why in 2 Corinthians 7 and verse 1, the Apostle Paul said,

Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 7:1

"Dearly beloved, having therefore these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

Now, the second truth that we learned last week is this: that sin places us under the judgment and curse of God, no matter how we get there. Sin always places us under the judgment and curse of God, no matter how we arrive there. Many individuals hope to be excused from their sins due to the fact that they were tempted, seduced, and enticed. However, as I showed you last week, all of that is just merely the beginnings of sin, and therefore you are accountable and responsible. God says, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted," listen now, "when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. And lust, when it is conceived, bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." So you will not and you cannot be excused from your lustful and sinful desires. You are accountable and you are responsible and you will give an answer to God for them.

So it doesn't matter how you get yourself in sin, it still places you under the judgment and the curse of God. Now today, hopefully, I'm going to cover two additional principles. And the first one is this: we must learn that partial obedience is disobedience. Partial obedience is disobedience.

Partial Obedience Is Disobedience

Weaver argues that obedience in one area does not excuse disobedience in another. Using James 2:10-11, he shows that breaking one point of the law makes one guilty of all. He warns against the false idea that good deeds outweigh bad deeds.

Now look in verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Numbers 25:1-3

"And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel."

Now, we're told in the first three verses of Numbers 25 that certain of the people committed fornication and idolatry with the daughters of Moab. I want you to note what we are not told. We are not told that these individuals were low-down, filthy, dishonest, scumbag drunkards. Doesn't say that at all. Quite differently, in all probability, most of these people were upright and honest in every other area of their lives. They may have attended the sacrifices of God as required by God. They may have attended the tabernacle, joined it with singing and the shouting of the praises of God. And they may have been honest in their dealings with their brethren. However, Scripture does point out that they were fornicators and idolaters.

Now, I just simply want to mark it down in your mind. Just because someone does not appear to be ungodly does not mean that he is not ungodly. I have known men who appear outwardly to be upstanding, honest, hardworking, loyal, and faithful husbands. Yet, in reality, they were addicted to pornography. They engaged in immorality. And they were anything but what they portrayed and set forth themselves as. And unhappily, some of these were preachers. I remember hearing one preacher, some of you may know who I'm referring to. He was a very popular preacher for a long time. But I remember hearing his philosophy. And his attitude and his philosophy was this. Listen carefully. He said that if you wanted to engage in a little sin, then you needed to make yourself so valuable to God that he would overlook your sin because of your own usefulness.

Now, not only is that attitude and that philosophy totally, completely ungodly and wicked and unbiblical, I want you to stop and think about the implications of that. First of all, it implies that God can be bought off. Secondly, it implies that God needs us. And that if we can make ourselves so valuable and so useful to God, that therefore He will overlook our sins and our ungodliness. That is certainly totally contrary to Scripture.

Now, what I want you to understand is this, and I'm trying to point out that partial obedience is disobedience. It's important to understand that obedience in one area does not cancel out disobedience in another area simply because we are mostly obedient or obedient most of the time. That does not negate the fact that sometimes we are disobedient in other areas. Now, let me ask you a simple question. How many sins does it take to make an individual a sinner? One.

Now, with that in mind, look in your Bibles to James 2. James 2. And let's read verses 10 and 11. James 2. Hopefully the Lord will help me with this silence to get through this message. James 2, notice if you would please verse 10, look what God says:

Scripture Reading — James 2:10-11

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law."

What did God say? God said if you think you're attempting to keep the whole law, yet if you break it in one point, you are guilty of all.

And when you violate one of God's laws, that makes you a sinner indeed. Now, all I'm trying to show you is, to me, it is amazing how many people erroneously think that somehow their good deeds will balance out their bad deeds. Or if they are good in this area, then God will excuse them for their sin and disobedience in another area. No, let me point it out very plainly. Not only is delayed obedience disobedience, but partial obedience is disobedience as well. The law of God demands that we obey God personally, perfectly, and perpetually. And when we do not render to God that obedience which He demands, we are sinners and sinful. So we cannot expect then that our sins in one area are going to be exempted from judgment because we are obedient over here in this area. God has set the standard. You know what the standard is?

Let me give it to you. 1 Peter 1, verses 15 and 16:

Scripture Reading — 1 Peter 1:15-16

"But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy, saith the Lord."

So please put it down. Partial obedience is disobedience, and you cannot think just because we're obedient over here, then God is going to overlook our disobedience over here. That does not work. Our obedience does not cancel out our disobedience.

The Connection Between Immorality and Idolatry

Weaver demonstrates from Numbers 25 that sexual sin led Israel into idolatry. He explains that Baal Peor means 'Lord of the openings,' indicating licentious worship. He states that no one can commit immorality without committing idolatry, and every immoral person is an idolater.

Now, here's the next point, and this is where I'm going to spend most of my time today, is I want you to see the connection between immorality and idolatry. Now we've just read Numbers 25 verses 1-3. In this passage, God makes bare the connection between the sins of the flesh and the sins of the spirit. Adultery and idolatry are two great sins that go together and they often lead one to the other. Listen carefully. It does not matter which you begin with, you will always end up in the other. Now look in verse 1.

"The people began to commit whoredom." Verse 2: "And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods." And now you get to verse 3: "And Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor." So they began by committing whoredom, then they began to bowing down, and now it is said that Israel has joined himself unto Baal Peor. Now I'm trying to show you the connection today between immorality and idolatry. The very name Baal Peor signifies licentiousness, wickedness, and sexual sins. The word Baal Peor literally means "Lord of the openings." So here is a clear indication that sexual sins were involved in this idolatrous worship. Moreover, Scripture specifically says that sexual sins were involved. In verse 1, "the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab."

So we are explicitly told that. Do you realize that in most pagan worships, licentiousness and sexual impurity are involved? This was not true just in Old Testament times. It was also true in New Testament times. It is also true today. In fact, in New Testament times, if you really wanted to cut someone down, if you wanted to call them a name that was really dirty and lowdown, you called them a Corinthian. If you really wanted to stigmatize someone, you would say he's acting like a Corinthian. Why?

Corinth was a seaport town. Corinth was a wicked, ungodly city. They had a temple in the city with a thousand prostitutes for the free use of the visitors to the temple. It was a sexual worship, orgy, licentious temple. It was that which was totally corrupt, immoral, ungodly. Thus to cut someone down, you called them a Corinthian. Or you say they're acting like a Corinthian. Let me tell you how immoral Corinth was. It was so immoral that the great apostle Paul was afraid when he went there. You say what? Paul, the apostle of great... Let me show you.

Hold Numbers 25, but look in your Bibles to Acts chapter 18. Acts chapter 18. The great apostle Paul was fearful when it came to Corinth. In Acts chapter 18, beginning there with verse 9, look what the Bible says:

Scripture Reading — Acts 18:8-10

"Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city."

And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Now watch verse 8:

Scripture Reading — Acts 18:8-10

"And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized."

Now watch.

Scripture Reading — Acts 18:8-10

"Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid."

Now if God told Paul not to be afraid, what does that imply? He was afraid. Why?

Because this city was a wicked, corrupt, vile city. And God said, "Don't be afraid. Don't hold your voice back. You speak. I'll do the saving. I'll protect you. No man will hurt you as long as you're in this city."

Now, I'm just simply saying, it is interesting and most informative to see in the Bible the connection between immorality and idolatry. In fact, I want to make a statement right here. I'm going to prove this to you before I finish today. But I want to make this statement just to challenge your thinking and to get you to mull this over in your mind. And to see if you can work it out before I get to the end of this message, here's the statement: No one can commit immorality without committing idolatry. No one can commit immorality without committing idolatry. Let me go further.

Every immoral person is an idolater. Every immoral person is an idolater.

The Power of Temptation and the 'Grove'

Weaver discusses how the daughters of Moab tempted Israel, leading from immorality to idolatry. He explains that the Old Testament 'grove' (Asherah) was a wooden image of a sensual goddess, often associated with Baal worship and sexual sin.

Now with that statement firmly embedded in your mind, I want us to examine the scriptures and see the connection between immorality and idolatry. First of all, in Numbers chapter 25, you've seen that the daughters of Moab were not only the tempters, but they were also the conquerors of the children of Israel. You remember the Bible tells us that Eve was deceived. You remember that? And although the woman is classified in the Bible as the weaker sex and the weaker vessel, according to 1 Peter chapter 3 verse 7, yet the truth of the matter is the Bible ascribes a lot of power to a woman. In fact, the Scripture tells us, and we read it last week in Proverbs 7, but I'm just going to read verses 25 and 26, talking about the immoral woman.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 7:25-26

"Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths."

Why? Listen.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 7:25-26

"For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her."

It is amazing. The men who cannot be tempted with money or fame, so many times can be destroyed by a woman. And God says there is a connection. Solomon, who was certainly wise, or at least should have been wise in the wiles of women, wrote a tremendous truth in Ecclesiastes 7 and verse 26. Listen to what he said: "And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her." So Solomon says there's something that's really worse than death.

Now, I want you to understand that whoredom and idolatry go together. What happened in Numbers 25? Well, the Bible tells us that the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. I want you to understand, the very first thing that happened was this: they defiled and debauched their conscience, or their consciences, by committing lewdness and immorality with the women. And once their consciences were defiled, they were easily then drawn into compliance with the women, going a step further to the eating at the banquets and the bowing down to the idols, till ultimately they were drawn into absolute contempt of God Himself because they were joined to Baal Peor. Those who have broken the fences of modesty will never be held by the bonds of piety. Those who have broken the fences of modesty will never be held by the bonds of piety, and those who have dishonored themselves by their fleshly lusts will not scruple to dishonor God in idolatrous worship. Let me put it like this: once we have broken God's law in one area, it becomes easier and easier to break that law in other areas.

So these men then were first tempted to immorality. And their immorality led them to idolatry. So immorality and idolatry go hand in hand. Each one leads to the other.

Now, let me show you this. I want us today to consider the word "grove" in the Old Testament. Every time you see the word "grove," G-R-O-V-E, in the Old Testament, with the exception of Genesis 21 and verse 33, it does not refer to a grove of trees. When you and I think of a grove being from the South, we think of a pecan grove. You know, sure, there's a grove of trees over there. But that is not what the Bible means when it talks about a grove, except in Genesis 21 and verse 33. Let me show you.

Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 16. Deuteronomy 16. And let's begin reading there with verse 21. Deuteronomy 16 verse 21, look what God says:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 16:21-22

"Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee. Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the Lord thy God hateth."

Now, when you read that verse, you would think,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 16:21-22

"Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee."

Well, what in the world is this verse talking about? Because the next verse goes on to say,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 16:21-22

"Neither shalt thou set thee up any image."

Well, you've got to understand that the heathen usually would dedicate a tree to a certain deity or a group of priests to a certain deity. And what God is forbidding in Deuteronomy 16 and verse 21, He is forbidding any shape, form, or fashion of idolatry to be associated with His altar.

Historical Examples of Idolatry and Immorality

Weaver cites Manasseh's wickedness in placing an Asherah image and Sodomites in the temple (2 Kings 21, 23), and Josiah's reforms that destroyed these. He emphasizes that wherever idolatry exists, immorality is present.

In other words, God is safeguarding His altar. He is safeguarding the revelation that He gives of Himself. His revelation is not to be confused with, conjoined with, or even put on a level with the altars of false gods. I want you to understand what God is doing is this: He is saying here is my altar and you will remember every time an altar was built to God in the Old Testament, God had revealed himself. God revealed himself to Abraham. Abraham built an altar. God revealed himself to Jacob. Jacob built an altar. So every time an altar was built, it was due to the revelation of God himself. And so God is saying there can be nothing else around here. There can be nothing that will confuse or confound the revelation of myself.

You know what most of us—and I'm speaking as Christendom as a whole—have done? Most professing Christians, in trying to give aid and help in the worship of God, have surrounded the altar or the revelation of God with false gods and false helps. Do you realize there are things that are so pleasing to our flesh, so aesthetically beautiful to our eyes, and so desirous by our emotions that we would love to have those that we think those would really help in our worship to God. But yet God forbids them. God forbids statues and pictures and images in worship. And just like He forbids them physically, He also forbids them mentally as well. We're thinking, well, if we could just have this deep-throated organ and these stained-glass windows, if we could have these beautiful choir robes and the whole congregation humming and singing, oh, while we pray, all this is a help to our worship. Not necessarily. Not necessarily. God has revealed in His Word exactly how He is to be approached and exactly how He is to be worshiped.

And usually what we add to God's worship tends to distract and take away from the revelation of God and His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, rather than add to. Now, I pointed out the fact that the word "grove" does not necessarily refer to just a grove of trees. What does it refer to then? Well, the word "grove" occurs 40 times in our King James Bibles. Each time the word is the word "Asherah," which properly refers to a wooden image or a wooden pillar, which represents the goddess Ashtoreth, who was a sensual Canaanite goddess. Ashtoreth is also called Asherah or Astarte. So in other words, you have then the word "grove," but it refers to this false sexual goddess, Asherah, Astarte, or Ashtoreth, all one and the same.

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 16:33

And by the way, it doesn't matter if you call her Venus, like the Romans. Every group of people may have had different names, but it referred to the same false god. And you find that Astarte was the consort of Baal. Now, listen carefully. When God talks about the grove in the Bible, it was this idol that Gideon cut down at his father's house in Judges chapter 6. And in Judges chapter 6, it was this grove that was identified with and associated with Baal. Why? Because Asherah or Astarte or Ashtoreth was the consort of Baal. You will also find it was this idol that was worshipped by Ahab and Jezebel in 1 Kings 16 and verse 33. Moreover, you will find it was also this same idol that was worshipped by King Asa's mother, whom he removed from being queen because of her worship and association with this idol. Listen to what the Bible says: "And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove," or an idol of a grove, "and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it at the brook Kidron."

So godly Asa said to his mother, "You're no longer queen." And he took that idol and he destroyed it. I'm trying to show you how wicked and how ungodly immorality is and how it's associated and connected to idolatry, so I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Kings chapter 21. 2 Kings 21.

You know, it's interesting how that you can have a good and godly king and then somehow his son turns out to be a reprobate. You can see the same thing today. You can have godly parents and some of the children will turn out to be absolute fools. You think, how in the world can that be? Well, unless the grace of God is in their lives, that's exactly how it turns out.

But look, if you would please. Let's begin reading with verse 1, 2 Kings 21: "Manasseh," who, by the way, was a son of godly Hezekiah. "Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 21:1-7

" Now let's just stop there just for a moment. The Bible specifically says that Manasseh now is rebuilding everything that his father had destroyed. And the Bible specifically says that he rears up an altar for Baal and he made a grove, that is, he made a wooden pillar, a wooden image, an Asherah, an Astarte, or an Ashtoreth. Look in verse 4, just to show you how wicked Manasseh was: "

And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 21:1-7

" Now, can you imagine how bold and how blasphemous Manasseh was? Here was where God had his altar. Here's where God had said his name. Here's where God had given a revelation of himself. And now here comes Manasseh and he builds all these false altars to these false gods and he puts them in the house of God. Well, skip down to verse 6. "

And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger." Now watch.

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 21:1-7

"And he set a graven image of the grove which he had made in the house, of which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever."

Did you hear what I just read?

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 21:1-7

"And he set a graven image of the grove which he had made in the temple."

So now he places an image of Ashtoreth, Asherah, Ashtoreth, in the temple of God. You say, "Brother Weaver, I know these folks were immoral, but I haven't seen anything just right yet that connects immorality with idolatry." Well, turn over to 2 Kings chapter 23. 2 Kings 23.

Here we have Josiah's reform, and I want you to note what he undoes and what he destroys. Notice, if you would, in verse 5: "And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven." Are you watching now? "And he brought out the grove from the house of the Lord, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people. And he brake down," are you looking, "and he brake down the houses of the Sodomites that were by the house of the Lord, where the women wove hangings for the grove."

You know, to me this is just so astounding. Manasseh not only put an image of Asherah in the house of God, he then moved the Sodomites right next door to it. And here the women who were prostitutes, by the way, religious prostitutes, were there weaving their hangings for their goddess of Asherah. All this was in the temple of God. Let me tell you something. Wherever you find idolatry, you will always find immorality. Are you listening? Wherever you find immorality, you will find idolatry.

Now, I have not traveled all around this world. Dave pretty well has. And I haven't even asked him about this. But I'll guarantee you in the countries of the most idolatrous, those are the same countries that are the most immoral and most wicked and most vile. Why? These two things go together.

Covetousness as Idolatry

Weaver connects Ephesians 5:3 and Colossians 3:5 to show that covetousness is idolatry. He argues that to commit immorality, one must first dethrone God and enthrone self, violating the first commandment.

Now, I want you to remember something. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians, chapter 5. Ephesians, chapter 5. I want you to remember this statement that I made earlier. Earlier I said that no one can commit immorality without committing idolatry. I said that no one could commit immorality without committing idolatry. Then I said that every immoral person is also an idolater.

Now you say, "But Brother Weaver, that's a strong statement." Yes, but it is a true statement. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians chapter 5 and look, if you would please, at verse 3. Ephesians 5 and verse 3. Ephesians 5. Notice, if you would please, verse 3. Look what God says:

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 5:3

"But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints."

Now stop right there. He says,

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 5:3

"But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints."

Now ask yourself a question. Why would God lump fornication, all uncleanness, and covetousness together? Why would God say let not covetousness be once named among the saints? Go to your Bibles and turn to Colossians 3 and look at verse 5. Colossians 3 verse 5. In Colossians 3 verse 5, the Word of God says:

Scripture Reading — Colossians 3:5

"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness."

What are those next words? "Which is idolatry." Covetousness is idolatry. What? Covetousness is idolatry. Let me ask you, what is it that leads to fornication, adultery, sodomy and all other fleshly sins? How much is this? You want something that you don't have. You want something that will satisfy the desires of your flesh. You want something that someone else has.

Now, let me put it to you like this, because I want to prove my statement to you. I said that every immoral person is an idolater. And I said that you cannot commit immorality without committing idolatry. When God gave us the Ten Commandments, way down number seven, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Number ten, "Thou shalt not covet." Are you listening? Before you can ever violate number seven, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," before you can violate number ten, "Thou shalt not covet," you will have already violated number one: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Because in order to violate number seven, in order to violate number ten, you have to dethrone God and enthrone yourself. You have to deny God as the one true and living God and His law word as sovereign and supreme and replace Him with yourself and your law word so that when you commit immorality, you have already committed idolatry. Immorality and idolatry go together. You cannot commit one without committing the other.

Applications for Holy Living

Weaver applies the lessons: strive for complete obedience, avoid all enticements to immorality, and remember that sin brings temporary pleasure but permanent consequences. He calls for repentance and conformity to God's righteousness.

Let me make some applications. Remember, if you would, please, what God said in Micah 6 and verse 5. He said, "O my people, remember what Balak consulted, and what Balaam answered from Shittim to Gilgal," why, "that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord." If you and I wish to learn God's righteousness, and be holy as He is holy, we must understand that we cannot be satisfied with partial obedience. We must seek to be obedient in every area of our life. We must learn to think, to study, to find out, to discern the will and the word of God, and then obey it applied in our lives. You say, "But Brother Weaver, we're not perfect." I understand that. But just simply because we're not perfect does not mean that we cannot strive after perfection, does not mean that we cannot strive to be holy and godly in every area of our life. I don't doubt one little bit that everyone in this room wants to be godly and holy. I don't doubt that. But I'm going to tell you this, I believe that everyone in this room can find room for improvement in their lives and more obedience and better obedience. And we've got to say, "Lord, I am not going to be satisfied with partial obedience. I want every area of my life brought in conformity to your word." Secondly, if you and I are going to learn God's righteousness,

we must learn to stay away from anything and everything that would hint, suggest, entice, or tempt us into immorality. Do you understand that? If you and I do not wish to commit the sin of idolatry, we must not commit the sins of immorality. Immorality is the threshold and the open door into idolatry. Why do you think there's so much pornography on the web? Why do you think there's so much pornography on TV? Why do you think there's so much pornography in the movies?

I'm just simply pointing out, folks, if you and I are interested in pleasing God, we will want to make sure that we do not please ourselves. He who pleases his own flesh displeases God. You know, I get so tickled at people. We miss the obvious. Someone says, "Well, Brother Weaver, I'm strong. And I believe I can look at a little bit of pornography and it never affect me." I got news for you. You might look at a little bit of it, but you will never, ever be able to erase it from your mind. It will affect you. And one thing for sure, if you don't want to be addicted, you better not ever start it. And by the way, you remember in Romans chapter 1? You know one of the names for sodomites? They're derisively called fags. You know why? It's from the Greek word in Romans chapter 1, which means to be burned out. In other words, once you get started, it takes more and more and more and more and more until finally you're burned out.

So what is God saying? If we're going to learn his righteousness, we better learn to be holy. We better learn to be pure. We better learn to stay away from the sins of the flesh. And if we're going to please God, we cannot please our flesh. He who displeases God is pleasing his own flesh. He who displeases his own flesh is usually pleasing God.

Thirdly, sin will always bring us temporary pleasure. But we trade that temporary pleasure for permanent death and destruction, especially apart from the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. There's a principle that we need to learn. It's a Bible principle. Here it is: He who sins must suffer. It is true God may forgive you for the penalty of your sins, but you must always bear the consequences of your sins. You will always reap the consequences of your sins.

You will find out exactly what Solomon meant in Proverbs 13 and verse 15 when he says,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 13:15

"The way of transgressors is hard."

If we're going to learn God's righteousness, we've got to learn, number one, that His law word is our standard. And any deviation from that law word is sin and wickedness. We have to learn that however we get into a sinful situation, through enticement, through seduction, doesn't matter. However we get there, we get ourself under the curse and judgment of God. We must learn that partial obedience is disobedience, and we must learn that there is a connection between sins of the spirit and sins of the flesh. They one lead to the other, and he who commits the sins of the flesh is ultimately going to end up in idolatry. Every immoral person is an idolater. And by the way, every idolater is an immoral person because he's already committed idolatry against the one true and living God. We must learn God's righteousness and bring our lives in conformity to it. Let's pray. Father, thank you now for your love to us. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for the truth. Father, make us to understand that thou art the righteous God of heaven and earth, and thou hast said that we are to be holy as thou art holy. Father, we do pray that You would make us holy. Renew our minds. Revive us, O God, that we may follow after Thee.

Grant us repentance and grant us faith. And above all, enable us to honor the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we ask and pray. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Partial obedience is disobedience

Summary: Obeying God in some areas does not excuse disobedience in others; breaking one law makes one guilty of all.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'partial obedience is disobedience,' and cites James 2:10-11 to show that offending in one point makes one guilty of the whole law.

Immorality and idolatry are inseparably linked

Summary: Sexual sin leads to idolatry, and idolatry involves immorality; one cannot commit immorality without committing idolatry.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'No one can commit immorality without committing idolatry. Every immoral person is an idolater.' He traces this from Numbers 25 and the worship of Baal Peor.

Covetousness is idolatry

Summary: The desire for what one does not have is the root of sexual sin and is itself idolatry, as it dethrones God.

Evidence: Weaver cites Colossians 3:5 ('covetousness, which is idolatry') and explains that to commit adultery, one must first violate the first commandment by enthroning self.

The danger of self-deception and partial obedience

Summary: People wrongly think their good deeds outweigh bad deeds or that usefulness to God excuses sin.

Evidence: Weaver recounts a preacher's philosophy that making oneself valuable to God would cause God to overlook sin, calling it ungodly and unbiblical.

Sin brings temporary pleasure but permanent consequences

Summary: Sin may offer short-term gratification, but it leads to death and destruction, and one always reaps the consequences.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'He who sins must suffer... you must always bear the consequences of your sins,' and quotes Proverbs 13:15.

Key Arguments

Partial obedience is disobedience

Summary: Obedience in one area does not cancel disobedience in another; breaking one law makes one guilty of all.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'partial obedience is disobedience,' and uses James 2:10-11 to argue that offending in one point makes one a transgressor of the whole law.

Immorality leads to idolatry

Summary: The sequence in Numbers 25 shows that sexual sin with Moabite women led Israel to eat sacrifices and bow to Baal Peor, ultimately joining themselves to the idol.

Evidence: Weaver traces the progression: 'they began by committing whoredom, then they began to bowing down, and now it is said that Israel has joined himself unto Baal Peor.'

Idolatry involves immorality

Summary: The worship of Baal and Asherah included sexual acts; Manasseh placed an Asherah image and Sodomites in the temple.

Evidence: Weaver cites 2 Kings 23:7 about the houses of the Sodomites and women weaving hangings for the grove, showing the connection between idolatry and immorality.

Covetousness is the root of immorality and is idolatry

Summary: Covetousness, the desire for what one lacks, leads to sexual sin and is itself idolatry because it replaces God with self.

Evidence: Weaver explains that to violate the seventh commandment, one must first violate the first by dethroning God, and cites Colossians 3:5.

Sin always brings judgment and consequences

Summary: Regardless of how one falls into sin, it places one under God's curse, and even forgiven sin has temporal consequences.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'He who sins must suffer... you must always bear the consequences of your sins,' and references Proverbs 13:15.

Scripture References

Micah 6:1-8

Context: Weaver reads the passage as the key text for the series, emphasizing verse 5's command to remember Shittim to Gilgal to know God's righteousness.

Numbers 25:1-3

Context: Weaver reads these verses to show Israel's sin of whoredom and idolatry with Moab, leading to God's anger.

James 2:10-11

Context: Weaver cites this to prove that breaking one point of the law makes one guilty of all, supporting the point that partial obedience is disobedience.

1 Peter 1:15-16

Context: Weaver quotes this to show God's standard of holiness: 'Be ye holy; for I am holy.'

Proverbs 7:25-26

Context: Weaver references this to illustrate the destructive power of the immoral woman, who has cast down many strong men.

Ecclesiastes 7:26

Context: Weaver quotes Solomon's finding that the woman whose heart is snares is more bitter than death.

Deuteronomy 16:21-22

Context: Weaver reads this to explain that God forbids planting a grove (Asherah) near His altar, safeguarding His revelation from idolatrous confusion.

2 Kings 21:1-7

Context: Weaver reads about Manasseh's evil, including building altars for Baal, making a grove, and placing an Asherah image in the temple.

2 Kings 23:5-7

Context: Weaver reads Josiah's reforms, destroying the grove and the houses of the Sodomites by the temple, showing the link between idolatry and immorality.

Ephesians 5:3

Context: Weaver cites this verse where fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness are grouped together as unfitting for saints.

Colossians 3:5

Context: Weaver quotes this to show that covetousness is idolatry, linking it to fornication and uncleanness.

Proverbs 13:15

Context: Weaver quotes 'the way of transgressors is hard' to emphasize the consequences of sin.

Acts 18:8-10

Context: Weaver reads about Paul's fear in Corinth and God's encouragement, illustrating the city's extreme immorality.

2 Corinthians 7:1

Context: Weaver quotes this earlier in the message to support cleansing from filthiness of flesh and spirit.

1 Kings 16:33

Context: Weaver mentions Ahab and Jezebel worshipped the grove (Asherah).

Judges 6

Context: Weaver references Gideon cutting down the grove (Asherah) associated with Baal.

1 Kings 15:13

Context: Weaver mentions Asa removing his mother Maachah from being queen because she made an idol in a grove.

Historical References

Corinth's immorality and temple prostitution

Context: Weaver describes Corinth as a seaport with a temple of a thousand prostitutes, so immoral that Paul was afraid to preach there.

Manasseh's reign and idolatry

Context: Weaver details Manasseh's wickedness in rebuilding high places, making a grove, and placing an Asherah image in the temple.

Josiah's reforms

Context: Weaver recounts Josiah's destruction of the grove, idolatrous priests, and houses of Sodomites by the temple.

Asherah/Ashtoreth worship

Context: Weaver explains that the 'grove' in the Old Testament refers to a wooden image of the Canaanite goddess Asherah, consort of Baal, associated with sexual worship.

Important Quotes

Partial obedience is disobedience.

Significance: This is the central thesis of the first major point, emphasizing that God requires complete obedience.

Those who have broken the fences of modesty will never be held by the bonds of piety.

Significance: Weaver uses this aphorism to illustrate how sexual sin leads to further spiritual decline and idolatry.

Covetousness is idolatry.

Significance: Quoting Colossians 3:5, Weaver identifies the root of immorality as idolatrous desire, connecting the two themes.

He who sins must suffer. It is true God may forgive you for the penalty of your sins, but you must always bear the consequences of your sins.

Significance: This application warns that even forgiven sin has temporal consequences, reinforcing the need for holiness.

Discussion Questions

Why does God consider partial obedience to be disobedience? How does James 2:10-11 support this?

Context: Weaver argues that breaking one law makes one guilty of all, so obedience in some areas does not excuse sin in others.

In what ways does immorality lead to idolatry, and vice versa? Can you think of modern examples?

Context: Weaver shows from Numbers 25 and historical examples that sexual sin and false worship are intertwined.

How does covetousness function as idolatry? Why is it the root of other sins?

Context: Weaver explains that coveting dethrones God and enthrones self, violating the first commandment before breaking others.

What does the Old Testament 'grove' (Asherah) teach us about the connection between sexual sin and false worship?

Context: Weaver describes the Asherah as a sensual goddess whose worship involved immorality, and how it infiltrated Israel's worship.

Why is it dangerous to think that our usefulness to God can excuse our sin?

Context: Weaver warns against the attitude that God will overlook sin if we are valuable to Him, calling it ungodly and unbiblical.

Applications

Strive for complete obedience

Summary: Believers should not be satisfied with partial obedience but seek to bring every area of life into conformity with God's Word.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'I am not going to be satisfied with partial obedience. I want every area of my life brought in conformity to your word.'

Avoid all enticements to immorality

Summary: To prevent idolatry, believers must stay away from anything that hints, suggests, entices, or tempts to sexual sin.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'we must learn to stay away from anything and everything that would hint, suggest, entice, or tempt us into immorality.'

Do not please the flesh

Summary: Pleasing one's own flesh displeases God; believers must choose to displease the flesh to please God.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'He who pleases his own flesh displeases God... He who displeases his own flesh is usually pleasing God.'

Recognize the consequences of sin

Summary: Sin brings temporary pleasure but permanent death and destruction; even forgiven sin has temporal consequences.

Evidence: Weaver warns, 'He who sins must suffer... you must always bear the consequences of your sins.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T12:17:14Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-05T19:20:50Z

Clean Transcript

Learning the Righteousness of God - 3

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Micah Chapter 6 and Numbers 25. This is the third message that I'm bringing, entitled "Learning the Righteousness of God." Learning the Righteousness of God. My own heart has been moved as I have studied for these messages. And one of the things that has been impressed upon me in reality is how simple these truths are, and yet how patently overlooked they are. So in Micah, chapter 6, verse 1: "Hear ye now what the Lord saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me."
#1 | 0:00 to 1:00 | cleaned
"For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?"
#2 | 1:01 to 1:33 | cleaned
"Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"
#3 | 1:33 to 1:47 | cleaned
Now, if you would hold Micah 6 and look in verse 5, this has been the key text: "O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord." Now if you'll go back to Numbers chapter 25, because in Micah 6 and verse 5, God commands us to examine the times from Shittim to Gilgal in order that we might specifically learn the righteousness of God. We've chosen Numbers 25, because Numbers 25 happens while the people were camped at Shittim. And remember, if you would, the other name is Acacia or Acacia Wood. And the Shittim tree or the Acacia tree was one and the same. And this was where they were camped right before they crossed over the river into the promised land. So the occasions for this happen in Numbers chapter 25. And this is where Balak, the king of Moab, has called Balaam in his stride to get him to curse Israel. And every time he attempts to curse Israel, God turns the curse into a blessing.
#4 | 1:47 to 3:11 | cleaned
And so Balaam then turns consultant and he gives Balak some counsel as to what to do to get God to judge Israel, since God would not allow Balaam to curse Israel. He then says that he will corrupt Israel and then therefore God will judge Israel himself. So he counsels Balak then on how to get Israel to become corrupted.
#5 | 3:11 to 3:37 | cleaned
Now, we have seen two truths previously. The first one is this. The very first truth that we pointed out in Numbers chapter 25 is this: that God's law word is our standard for righteousness and any deviation from his truth is sin and unrighteousness. Let me say that again. God's law word is our standard for righteousness and any deviation from his truth is sin and unrighteousness. And I told you that under this first point, the consuming truth was simply this, that when God forbids any sin at the same time He forbids anything and everything that would lead up to that sin.
#6 | 3:37 to 4:25 | cleaned
Therefore, lustfulness and covetousness, sins of the spirit, sins of attitude, sins of disposition, are equally evil, wicked, and wrong, and even as equally as wrong as the sins of the flesh. And the answer is, to why? Because they point to and lead up to the sins of the flesh. That's why in 2 Corinthians 7 and verse 1, the Apostle Paul said, "Dearly beloved, having therefore these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."
#7 | 4:26 to 5:06 | cleaned
Now, the second truth that we learned last week is this: that sin places us under the judgment and curse of God, no matter how we get there. Sin always places us under the judgment and curse of God, no matter how we arrive there. Many individuals hope to be excused from their sins due to the fact that they were tempted, seduced, and enticed. However, as I showed you last week, all of that is just merely the beginnings of sin, and therefore you are accountable and responsible. God says, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted," listen now, "when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. And lust, when it is conceived, bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." So you will not and you cannot be excused from your lustful and sinful desires. You are accountable and you are responsible and you will give an answer to God for them.
#8 | 5:06 to 6:15 | cleaned
So it doesn't matter how you get yourself in sin, it still places you under the judgment and the curse of God. Now today, hopefully, I'm going to cover two additional principles. And the first one is this: we must learn that partial obedience is disobedience. Partial obedience is disobedience.
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Now look in verse 1: "And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel." Now, we're told in the first three verses of Numbers 25 that certain of the people committed fornication and idolatry with the daughters of Moab. I want you to note what we are not told. We are not told that these individuals were low-down, filthy, dishonest, scumbag drunkards.
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Doesn't say that at all. Quite differently, in all probability, most of these people were upright and honest in every other area of their lives. They may have attended the sacrifices of God as required by God. They may have attended the tabernacle, joined it with singing and the shouting of the praises of God. And they may have been honest in their dealings with their brethren. However, Scripture does point out that they were fornicators and idolaters.
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Now, I just simply want to mark it down in your mind. Just because someone does not appear to be ungodly does not mean that he is not ungodly. I have known men who appear outwardly to be upstanding, honest, hardworking, loyal, and faithful husbands. Yet, in reality, they were addicted to pornography. They engaged in immorality. And they were anything but what they portrayed and set forth themselves as.
#12 | 7:59 to 8:35 | cleaned
And unhappily, some of these were preachers. I remember hearing one preacher, some of you may know who I'm referring to. He was a very popular preacher for a long time. But I remember hearing his philosophy. And his attitude and his philosophy was this. Listen carefully. He said that if you wanted to engage in a little sin, then you needed to make yourself so valuable to God that he would overlook your sin because of your own usefulness.
#13 | 8:35 to 9:12 | cleaned
Now, not only is that attitude and that philosophy totally, completely ungodly and wicked and unbiblical, I want you to stop and think about the implications of that. First of all, it implies that God can be bought off. Secondly, it implies that God needs us. And that if we can make ourselves so valuable and so useful to God, that therefore He will overlook our sins and our ungodliness. That is certainly totally contrary to Scripture.
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Now, what I want you to understand is this, and I'm trying to point out that partial obedience is disobedience. It's important to understand that obedience in one area does not cancel out disobedience in another area simply because we are mostly obedient or obedient most of the time. That does not negate the fact that sometimes we are disobedient in other areas.
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Now, let me ask you a simple question. How many sins does it take to make an individual a sinner? One.
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Now, with that in mind, look in your Bibles to James 2. James 2. And let's read verses 10 and 11. James 2. Hopefully the Lord will help me with this silence to get through this message. James 2, notice if you would please verse 10, look what God says: "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." What did God say? God said if you think you're attempting to keep the whole law, yet if you break it in one point, you are guilty of all.
#17 | 10:38 to 11:28 | cleaned
And when you violate one of God's laws, that makes you a sinner indeed. Now, all I'm trying to show you is, to me, it is amazing how many people erroneously think that somehow their good deeds will balance out their bad deeds. Or if they are good in this area, then God will excuse them for their sin and disobedience in another area. No, let me point it out very plainly. Not only is delayed obedience disobedience, but partial obedience is disobedience as well. The law of God demands that we obey God personally, perfectly, and perpetually. And when we do not render to God that obedience which He demands, we are sinners and sinful. So we cannot expect then that our sins in one area are going to be exempted from judgment because we are obedient over here in this area. God has set the standard. You know what the standard is?
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Let me give it to you. 1 Peter 1, verses 15 and 16: "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy, saith the Lord." So please put it down. Partial obedience is disobedience, and you cannot think just because we're obedient over here, then God is going to overlook our disobedience over here. That does not work. Our obedience does not cancel out our disobedience.
#19 | 12:36 to 13:11 | cleaned
Now, here's the next point, and this is where I'm going to spend most of my time today, is I want you to see the connection between immorality and idolatry. Now we've just read Numbers 25 verses 1-3. In this passage, God makes bare the connection between the sins of the flesh and the sins of the spirit. Adultery and idolatry are two great sins that go together and they often lead one to the other. Listen carefully. It does not matter which you begin with, you will always end up in the other. Now look in verse 1.
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"The people began to commit whoredom." Verse 2: "And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods." And now you get to verse 3: "And Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor." So they began by committing whoredom, then they began to bowing down, and now it is said that Israel has joined himself unto Baal Peor.
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Now I'm trying to show you the connection today between immorality and idolatry. The very name Baal Peor signifies licentiousness, wickedness, and sexual sins. The word Baal Peor literally means "Lord of the openings." So here is a clear indication that sexual sins were involved in this idolatrous worship. Moreover, Scripture specifically says that sexual sins were involved. In verse 1, "the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab."
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So we are explicitly told that. Do you realize that in most pagan worships, licentiousness and sexual impurity are involved? This was not true just in Old Testament times. It was also true in New Testament times. It is also true today. In fact, in New Testament times, if you really wanted to cut someone down, if you wanted to call them a name that was really dirty and lowdown, you called them a Corinthian. If you really wanted to stigmatize someone, you would say he's acting like a Corinthian. Why?
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Corinth was a seaport town. Corinth was a wicked, ungodly city. They had a temple in the city with a thousand prostitutes for the free use of the visitors to the temple. It was a sexual worship, orgy, licentious temple. It was that which was totally corrupt, immoral, ungodly. Thus to cut someone down, you called them a Corinthian. Or you say they're acting like a Corinthian. Let me tell you how immoral Corinth was. It was so immoral that the great apostle Paul was afraid when he went there. You say what? Paul, the apostle of great... Let me show you.
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Hold Numbers 25, but look in your Bibles to Acts chapter 18. Acts chapter 18. The great apostle Paul was fearful when it came to Corinth. In Acts chapter 18, beginning there with verse 9, look what the Bible says: "Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city."
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And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Now watch verse 8: "And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized." Now watch. "Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid." Now if God told Paul not to be afraid, what does that imply? He was afraid. Why?
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Because this city was a wicked, corrupt, vile city. And God said, "Don't be afraid. Don't hold your voice back. You speak. I'll do the saving. I'll protect you. No man will hurt you as long as you're in this city."
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Now, I'm just simply saying, it is interesting and most informative to see in the Bible the connection between immorality and idolatry. In fact, I want to make a statement right here. I'm going to prove this to you before I finish today. But I want to make this statement just to challenge your thinking and to get you to mull this over in your mind. And to see if you can work it out before I get to the end of this message, here's the statement: No one can commit immorality without committing idolatry. No one can commit immorality without committing idolatry. Let me go further.
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Every immoral person is an idolater. Every immoral person is an idolater.
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Now with that statement firmly embedded in your mind, I want us to examine the scriptures and see the connection between immorality and idolatry. First of all, in Numbers chapter 25, you've seen that the daughters of Moab were not only the tempters, but they were also the conquerors of the children of Israel. You remember the Bible tells us that Eve was deceived. You remember that? And although the woman is classified in the Bible as the weaker sex and the weaker vessel, according to 1 Peter chapter 3 verse 7, yet the truth of the matter is the Bible ascribes a lot of power to a woman. In fact, the Scripture tells us, and we read it last week in Proverbs 7, but I'm just going to read verses 25 and 26, talking about the immoral woman.
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"Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths." Why? Listen. "For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her." It is amazing. The men who cannot be tempted with money or fame, so many times can be destroyed by a woman. And God says there is a connection. Solomon, who was certainly wise, or at least should have been wise in the wiles of women, wrote a tremendous truth in Ecclesiastes 7 and verse 26. Listen to what he said: "And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her." So Solomon says there's something that's really worse than death.
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Now, I want you to understand that whoredom and idolatry go together. What happened in Numbers 25? Well, the Bible tells us that the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. I want you to understand, the very first thing that happened was this: they defiled and debauched their conscience, or their consciences, by committing lewdness and immorality with the women. And once their consciences were defiled, they were easily then drawn into compliance with the women, going a step further to the eating at the banquets and the bowing down to the idols, till ultimately they were drawn
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into absolute contempt of God Himself because they were joined to Baal Peor. Those who have broken the fences of modesty will never be held by the bonds of piety. Those who have broken the fences of modesty will never be held by the bonds of piety, and those who have dishonored themselves by their fleshly lusts will not scruple to dishonor God in idolatrous worship. Let me put it like this: once we have broken God's law in one area, it becomes easier and easier to break that law in other areas.
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So these men then were first tempted to immorality. And their immorality led them to idolatry. So immorality and idolatry go hand in hand. Each one leads to the other.
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Now, let me show you this. I want us today to consider the word "grove" in the Old Testament. Every time you see the word "grove," G-R-O-V-E, in the Old Testament, with the exception of Genesis 21 and verse 33, it does not refer to a grove of trees. When you and I think of a grove being from the South, we think of a pecan grove. You know, sure, there's a grove of trees over there. But that is not what the Bible means when it talks about a grove, except in Genesis 21 and verse 33. Let me show you.
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Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 16. Deuteronomy 16. And let's begin reading there with verse 21. Deuteronomy 16 verse 21, look what God says: "Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee. Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the Lord thy God hateth." Now, when you read that verse, you would think, "Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee." Well, what in the world is this verse talking about? Because the next verse goes on to say, "Neither shalt thou set thee up any image." Well, you've got to understand that the heathen usually would dedicate a tree to a certain deity or a group of priests to a certain deity. And what God is forbidding in Deuteronomy 16 and verse 21, He is forbidding any shape, form, or fashion of idolatry to be associated with His altar.
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In other words, God is safeguarding His altar. He is safeguarding the revelation that He gives of Himself. His revelation is not to be confused with, conjoined with, or even put on a level with the altars of false gods. I want you to understand what God is doing is this: He is saying here is my altar and you will remember every time an altar was built to God in the Old Testament, God had revealed himself. God revealed himself to Abraham. Abraham built an altar. God revealed himself to Jacob. Jacob built an altar. So every time an altar was built, it was due to the revelation of God himself. And so God is saying there can be nothing else around here. There can be nothing that will confuse or confound the revelation of myself.
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You know what most of us—and I'm speaking as Christendom as a whole—have done? Most professing Christians, in trying to give aid and help in the worship of God, have surrounded the altar or the revelation of God with false gods and false helps. Do you realize there are things that are so pleasing to our flesh, so aesthetically beautiful to our eyes, and so desirous by our emotions that we would love to have those that we think those would really help in our worship to God. But yet God forbids them. God forbids statues and pictures and images in worship. And just like He forbids them physically, He also forbids them mentally as well. We're thinking, well, if we could just have this deep-throated organ and these stained-glass windows, if we could have these beautiful choir robes and the whole congregation humming and singing, oh, while we pray, all this is a help to our worship. Not necessarily. Not necessarily. God has revealed in His Word exactly how He is to be approached and exactly how He is to be worshiped.
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And usually what we add to God's worship tends to distract and take away from the revelation of God and His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, rather than add to. Now, I pointed out the fact that the word "grove" does not necessarily refer to just a grove of trees. What does it refer to then? Well, the word "grove" occurs 40 times in our King James Bibles. Each time the word is the word "Asherah," which properly refers to a wooden image or a wooden pillar, which represents the goddess Ashtoreth, who was a sensual Canaanite goddess. Ashtoreth is also called Asherah or Astarte. So in other words, you have then the word "grove," but it refers to this false sexual goddess, Asherah, Astarte, or Ashtoreth, all one and the same.
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And by the way, it doesn't matter if you call her Venus, like the Romans. Every group of people may have had different names, but it referred to the same false god. And you find that Astarte was the consort of Baal. Now, listen carefully. When God talks about the grove in the Bible, it was this idol that Gideon cut down at his father's house in Judges chapter 6. And in Judges chapter 6, it was this grove that was identified with and associated with Baal. Why? Because Asherah or Astarte or Ashtoreth was the consort of Baal. You will also find it was this idol that was worshipped by Ahab and Jezebel in 1 Kings 16 and verse 33. Moreover, you will find it was also this same idol that was worshipped by King Asa's mother, whom he removed from being queen because of her worship and association with this idol. Listen to what the Bible says: "And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove," or an idol of a grove, "and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it at the brook Kidron."
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So godly Asa said to his mother, "You're no longer queen." And he took that idol and he destroyed it. I'm trying to show you how wicked and how ungodly immorality is and how it's associated and connected to idolatry, so I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Kings chapter 21. 2 Kings 21.
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You know, it's interesting how that you can have a good and godly king and then somehow his son turns out to be a reprobate. You can see the same thing today. You can have godly parents and some of the children will turn out to be absolute fools. You think, how in the world can that be? Well, unless the grace of God is in their lives, that's exactly how it turns out.
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But look, if you would please. Let's begin reading with verse 1, 2 Kings 21: "Manasseh," who, by the way, was a son of godly Hezekiah. "Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them." Now let's just stop there just for a moment. The Bible specifically says that Manasseh now is rebuilding everything that his father had destroyed. And the Bible specifically says that he rears up an altar for Baal and he made a grove, that is, he made a wooden pillar, a wooden image, an Asherah, an Astarte, or an Ashtoreth.
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Look in verse 4, just to show you how wicked Manasseh was: "And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord." Now, can you imagine how bold and how blasphemous Manasseh was? Here was where God had his altar. Here's where God had said his name. Here's where God had given a revelation of himself. And now here comes Manasseh and he builds all these false altars to these false gods and he puts them in the house of God. Well, skip down to verse 6.
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"And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger." Now watch. "And he set a graven image of the grove which he had made in the house, of which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever."
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Did you hear what I just read? "And he set a graven image of the grove which he had made in the temple." So now he places an image of Ashtoreth, Asherah, Ashtoreth, in the temple of God. You say, "Brother Weaver, I know these folks were immoral, but I haven't seen anything just right yet that connects immorality with idolatry." Well, turn over to 2 Kings chapter 23. 2 Kings 23.
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Here we have Josiah's reform, and I want you to note what he undoes and what he destroys. Notice, if you would, in verse 5: "And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven." Are you watching now? "And he brought out the grove from the house of the Lord, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people. And he brake down," are you looking, "and he brake down the houses of the Sodomites that were by the house of the Lord, where the women wove hangings for the grove."
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You know, to me this is just so astounding. Manasseh not only put an image of Asherah in the house of God, he then moved the Sodomites right next door to it. And here the women who were prostitutes, by the way, religious prostitutes, were there weaving their hangings for their goddess of Asherah. All this was in the temple of God. Let me tell you something. Wherever you find idolatry, you will always find immorality. Are you listening? Wherever you find immorality, you will find idolatry.
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Now, I have not traveled all around this world. Dave pretty well has. And I haven't even asked him about this. But I'll guarantee you in the countries of the most idolatrous, those are the same countries that are the most immoral and most wicked and most vile. Why? These two things go together.
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Now, I want you to remember something. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians, chapter 5. Ephesians, chapter 5. I want you to remember this statement that I made earlier. Earlier I said that no one can commit immorality without committing idolatry. I said that no one could commit immorality without committing idolatry. Then I said that every immoral person is also an idolater.
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Now you say, "But Brother Weaver, that's a strong statement." Yes, but it is a true statement. Let me show you. Look in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians chapter 5 and look, if you would please, at verse 3. Ephesians 5 and verse 3. Ephesians 5. Notice, if you would please, verse 3. Look what God says: "But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints." Now stop right there. He says, "But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints."
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Now ask yourself a question. Why would God lump fornication, all uncleanness, and covetousness together? Why would God say let not covetousness be once named among the saints? Go to your Bibles and turn to Colossians 3 and look at verse 5. Colossians 3 verse 5. In Colossians 3 verse 5, the Word of God says: "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness."
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What are those next words? "Which is idolatry." Covetousness is idolatry. What? Covetousness is idolatry. Let me ask you, what is it that leads to fornication, adultery, sodomy and all other fleshly sins? How much is this? You want something that you don't have. You want something that will satisfy the desires of your flesh. You want something that someone else has.
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Now, let me put it to you like this, because I want to prove my statement to you. I said that every immoral person is an idolater. And I said that you cannot commit immorality without committing idolatry. When God gave us the Ten Commandments, way down number seven, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Number ten, "Thou shalt not covet." Are you listening? Before you can ever violate number seven, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," before you can violate number ten, "Thou shalt not covet," you will have already violated number one: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Because in order to violate number seven, in order to violate number ten, you have to dethrone God and enthrone yourself. You have to deny God as the one true and living God and His law word as sovereign and supreme and replace Him with yourself and your law word so that when you commit immorality, you have already committed idolatry. Immorality and idolatry go together. You cannot commit one without committing the other.
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Let me make some applications. Remember, if you would, please, what God said in Micah 6 and verse 5. He said, "O my people, remember what Balak consulted, and what Balaam answered from Shittim to Gilgal," why, "that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord." If you and I wish to learn God's righteousness, and be holy as He is holy, we must understand that we cannot be satisfied with partial obedience. We must seek to be obedient in every area of our life. We must learn to think, to study, to find out, to discern the will and the word of God, and then obey it applied in our lives.
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You say, "But Brother Weaver, we're not perfect." I understand that. But just simply because we're not perfect does not mean that we cannot strive after perfection, does not mean that we cannot strive to be holy and godly in every area of our life. I don't doubt one little bit that everyone in this room wants to be godly and holy. I don't doubt that. But I'm going to tell you this, I believe that everyone in this room can find room for improvement in their lives and more obedience and better obedience. And we've got to say, "Lord, I am not going to be satisfied with partial obedience. I want every area of my life brought in conformity to your word." Secondly, if you and I are going to learn God's righteousness,
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we must learn to stay away from anything and everything that would hint, suggest, entice, or tempt us into immorality. Do you understand that? If you and I do not wish to commit the sin of idolatry, we must not commit the sins of immorality. Immorality is the threshold and the open door into idolatry. Why do you think there's so much pornography on the web? Why do you think there's so much pornography on TV? Why do you think there's so much pornography in the movies?
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I'm just simply pointing out, folks, if you and I are interested in pleasing God, we will want to make sure that we do not please ourselves. He who pleases his own flesh displeases God. You know, I get so tickled at people. We miss the obvious. Someone says, "Well, Brother Weaver, I'm strong. And I believe I can look at a little bit of pornography and it never affect me."
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I got news for you. You might look at a little bit of it, but you will never, ever be able to erase it from your mind. It will affect you. And one thing for sure, if you don't want to be addicted, you better not ever start it. And by the way, you remember in Romans chapter 1? You know one of the names for sodomites? They're derisively called fags. You know why? It's from the Greek word in Romans chapter 1, which means to be burned out. In other words, once you get started, it takes more and more and more and more and more until finally you're burned out.
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So what is God saying? If we're going to learn his righteousness, we better learn to be holy. We better learn to be pure. We better learn to stay away from the sins of the flesh. And if we're going to please God, we cannot please our flesh. He who displeases God is pleasing his own flesh. He who displeases his own flesh is usually pleasing God.
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Thirdly, sin will always bring us temporary pleasure. But we trade that temporary pleasure for permanent death and destruction, especially apart from the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. There's a principle that we need to learn. It's a Bible principle. Here it is: He who sins must suffer. It is true God may forgive you for the penalty of your sins, but you must always bear the consequences of your sins. You will always reap the consequences of your sins.
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You will find out exactly what Solomon meant in Proverbs 13 and verse 15 when he says, "The way of transgressors is hard."
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If we're going to learn God's righteousness, we've got to learn, number one, that His law word is our standard. And any deviation from that law word is sin and wickedness. We have to learn that however we get into a sinful situation, through enticement, through seduction, doesn't matter. However we get there, we get ourself under the curse and judgment of God. We must learn that partial obedience is disobedience, and we must learn that there is a connection between sins of the spirit and sins of the flesh. They one lead to the other, and he who commits the sins of the flesh is ultimately going to end up in idolatry.
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Every immoral person is an idolater. And by the way, every idolater is an immoral person because he's already committed idolatry against the one true and living God. We must learn God's righteousness and bring our lives in conformity to it. Let's pray. Father, thank you now for your love to us. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for the truth. Father, make us to understand that thou art the righteous God of heaven and earth, and thou hast said that we are to be holy as thou art holy. Father, we do pray that You would make us holy. Renew our minds. Revive us, O God, that we may follow after Thee.
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Grant us repentance and grant us faith. And above all, enable us to honor the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we ask and pray. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T12:17:14Z

Learning the Righteousness of God - 3

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver continues his series on learning God's righteousness from Micah 6:5 and Numbers 25. He teaches that partial obedience is disobedience, and that immorality and idolatry are inseparably linked—every immoral person is an idolater. Using the example of Israel at Shittim, he shows how sexual sin led to idol worship, and he warns that covetousness is idolatry. Applications include striving for wholehearted obedience, avoiding all enticements to immorality, and recognizing that sin brings temporary pleasure but permanent consequences.

Introduction and Review

Scripture Reading — Micah 6:1-8

"Hear ye now what the Lord saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel. O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me."

Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 7:1

"Dearly beloved, having therefore these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

Partial Obedience Is Disobedience

Now look in verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Numbers 25:1-3

"And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel."

Scripture Reading — James 2:10-11

"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law."

What did God say? God said if you think you're attempting to keep the whole law, yet if you break it in one point, you are guilty of all.

Let me give it to you. 1 Peter 1, verses 15 and 16:

Scripture Reading — 1 Peter 1:15-16

"But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy, saith the Lord."

The Connection Between Immorality and Idolatry

Scripture Reading — Acts 18:8-10

"Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city."

And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. Now watch verse 8:

Scripture Reading — Acts 18:8-10

"And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized."

Now watch.

Scripture Reading — Acts 18:8-10

"Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid."

Now if God told Paul not to be afraid, what does that imply? He was afraid. Why?

Every immoral person is an idolater. Every immoral person is an idolater.

The Power of Temptation and the 'Grove'

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 7:25-26

"Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths."

Why? Listen.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 7:25-26

"For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her."

So these men then were first tempted to immorality. And their immorality led them to idolatry. So immorality and idolatry go hand in hand. Each one leads to the other.

Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 16. Deuteronomy 16. And let's begin reading there with verse 21. Deuteronomy 16 verse 21, look what God says:

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 16:21-22

"Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee. Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the Lord thy God hateth."

Now, when you read that verse, you would think,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 16:21-22

"Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee."

Well, what in the world is this verse talking about? Because the next verse goes on to say,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 16:21-22

"Neither shalt thou set thee up any image."

Historical Examples of Idolatry and Immorality

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 16:33

And by the way, it doesn't matter if you call her Venus, like the Romans. Every group of people may have had different names, but it referred to the same false god. And you find that Astarte was the consort of Baal. Now, listen carefully. When God talks about the grove in the Bible, it was this idol that Gideon cut down at his father's house in Judges chapter 6. And in Judges chapter 6, it was this grove that was identified with and associated with Baal. Why? Because Asherah or Astarte or Ashtoreth was the consort of Baal. You will also find it was this idol that was worshipped by Ahab and Jezebel in 1 Kings 16 and verse 33. Moreover, you will find it was also this same idol that was worshipped by King Asa's mother, whom he removed from being queen because of her worship and association with this idol. Listen to what the Bible says: "And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove," or an idol of a grove, "and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it at the brook Kidron."

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 21:1-7

" Now let's just stop there just for a moment. The Bible specifically says that Manasseh now is rebuilding everything that his father had destroyed. And the Bible specifically says that he rears up an altar for Baal and he made a grove, that is, he made a wooden pillar, a wooden image, an Asherah, an Astarte, or an Ashtoreth. Look in verse 4, just to show you how wicked Manasseh was: "

And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 21:1-7

" Now, can you imagine how bold and how blasphemous Manasseh was? Here was where God had his altar. Here's where God had said his name. Here's where God had given a revelation of himself. And now here comes Manasseh and he builds all these false altars to these false gods and he puts them in the house of God. Well, skip down to verse 6. "

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 21:1-7

"And he set a graven image of the grove which he had made in the house, of which the Lord said to David, and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever."

Did you hear what I just read?

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 21:1-7

"And he set a graven image of the grove which he had made in the temple."

Covetousness as Idolatry

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 5:3

"But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints."

Now stop right there. He says,

Scripture Reading — Ephesians 5:3

"But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints."

Scripture Reading — Colossians 3:5

"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness."

Applications for Holy Living

You will find out exactly what Solomon meant in Proverbs 13 and verse 15 when he says,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 13:15

"The way of transgressors is hard."

Grant us repentance and grant us faith. And above all, enable us to honor the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we ask and pray. Amen.

Learning the Righteousness of God - 3

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	920595823
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs-Related Topical Wisdom
Genre	Sermon
Date	2005-08-28
Dictation Name
Book	Book 165: Learning the Righteousness of God — Chapter 3
Source Timed Segments	65

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Review: Weaver introduces the message as the third in the series, emphasizing the simplicity and overlooked nature of these truths. He reads Micah 6:1-8 and reviews the first two points from previous messages: God's law is the standard of righteousness, and sin places us under judgment regardless of how we get there.
Partial Obedience Is Disobedience: Weaver argues that obedience in one area does not excuse disobedience in another. Using James 2:10-11, he shows that breaking one point of the law makes one guilty of all. He warns against the false idea that good deeds outweigh bad deeds.
The Connection Between Immorality and Idolatry: Weaver demonstrates from Numbers 25 that sexual sin led Israel into idolatry. He explains that Baal Peor means 'Lord of the openings,' indicating licentious worship. He states that no one can commit immorality without committing idolatry, and every immoral person is an idolater.
The Power of Temptation and the 'Grove': Weaver discusses how the daughters of Moab tempted Israel, leading from immorality to idolatry. He explains that the Old Testament 'grove' (Asherah) was a wooden image of a sensual goddess, often associated with Baal worship and sexual sin.
Historical Examples of Idolatry and Immorality: Weaver cites Manasseh's wickedness in placing an Asherah image and Sodomites in the temple (2 Kings 21, 23), and Josiah's reforms that destroyed these. He emphasizes that wherever idolatry exists, immorality is present.
Covetousness as Idolatry: Weaver connects Ephesians 5:3 and Colossians 3:5 to show that covetousness is idolatry. He argues that to commit immorality, one must first dethrone God and enthrone self, violating the first commandment.
Applications for Holy Living: Weaver applies the lessons: strive for complete obedience, avoid all enticements to immorality, and remember that sin brings temporary pleasure but permanent consequences. He calls for repentance and conformity to God's righteousness.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Partial obedience is disobedience

Obedience in one area does not cancel disobedience in another; breaking one law makes one guilty of all.

Weaver says, 'partial obedience is disobedience,' and uses James 2:10-11 to argue that offending in one point makes one a transgressor of the whole law.

Immorality leads to idolatry

The sequence in Numbers 25 shows that sexual sin with Moabite women led Israel to eat sacrifices and bow to Baal Peor, ultimately joining themselves to the idol.

Weaver traces the progression: 'they began by committing whoredom, then they began to bowing down, and now it is said that Israel has joined himself unto Baal Peor.'

Idolatry involves immorality

The worship of Baal and Asherah included sexual acts; Manasseh placed an Asherah image and Sodomites in the temple.

Weaver cites 2 Kings 23:7 about the houses of the Sodomites and women weaving hangings for the grove, showing the connection between idolatry and immorality.

Covetousness is the root of immorality and is idolatry

Covetousness, the desire for what one lacks, leads to sexual sin and is itself idolatry because it replaces God with self.

Weaver explains that to violate the seventh commandment, one must first violate the first by dethroning God, and cites Colossians 3:5.

Sin always brings judgment and consequences

Regardless of how one falls into sin, it places one under God's curse, and even forgiven sin has temporal consequences.

Weaver states, 'He who sins must suffer... you must always bear the consequences of your sins,' and references Proverbs 13:15.

Scripture References

Micah 6:1-8: Weaver reads the passage as the key text for the series, emphasizing verse 5's command to remember Shittim to Gilgal to know God's righteousness.
Numbers 25:1-3: Weaver reads these verses to show Israel's sin of whoredom and idolatry with Moab, leading to God's anger.
James 2:10-11: Weaver cites this to prove that breaking one point of the law makes one guilty of all, supporting the point that partial obedience is disobedience.
1 Peter 1:15-16: Weaver quotes this to show God's standard of holiness: 'Be ye holy; for I am holy.'
Proverbs 7:25-26: Weaver references this to illustrate the destructive power of the immoral woman, who has cast down many strong men.
Ecclesiastes 7:26: Weaver quotes Solomon's finding that the woman whose heart is snares is more bitter than death.
Deuteronomy 16:21-22: Weaver reads this to explain that God forbids planting a grove (Asherah) near His altar, safeguarding His revelation from idolatrous confusion.
2 Kings 21:1-7: Weaver reads about Manasseh's evil, including building altars for Baal, making a grove, and placing an Asherah image in the temple.
2 Kings 23:5-7: Weaver reads Josiah's reforms, destroying the grove and the houses of the Sodomites by the temple, showing the link between idolatry and immorality.
Ephesians 5:3: Weaver cites this verse where fornication, uncleanness, and covetousness are grouped together as unfitting for saints.
Colossians 3:5: Weaver quotes this to show that covetousness is idolatry, linking it to fornication and uncleanness.
Proverbs 13:15: Weaver quotes 'the way of transgressors is hard' to emphasize the consequences of sin.
Acts 18:8-10: Weaver reads about Paul's fear in Corinth and God's encouragement, illustrating the city's extreme immorality.
2 Corinthians 7:1: Weaver quotes this earlier in the message to support cleansing from filthiness of flesh and spirit.
1 Kings 16:33: Weaver mentions Ahab and Jezebel worshipped the grove (Asherah).
Judges 6: Weaver references Gideon cutting down the grove (Asherah) associated with Baal.
1 Kings 15:13: Weaver mentions Asa removing his mother Maachah from being queen because she made an idol in a grove.

Historical References

Corinth's immorality and temple prostitution: Weaver describes Corinth as a seaport with a temple of a thousand prostitutes, so immoral that Paul was afraid to preach there.
Manasseh's reign and idolatry: Weaver details Manasseh's wickedness in rebuilding high places, making a grove, and placing an Asherah image in the temple.
Josiah's reforms: Weaver recounts Josiah's destruction of the grove, idolatrous priests, and houses of Sodomites by the temple.
Asherah/Ashtoreth worship: Weaver explains that the 'grove' in the Old Testament refers to a wooden image of the Canaanite goddess Asherah, consort of Baal, associated with sexual worship.

Important Quotes

Partial obedience is disobedience.

This is the central thesis of the first major point, emphasizing that God requires complete obedience.

Those who have broken the fences of modesty will never be held by the bonds of piety.

Weaver uses this aphorism to illustrate how sexual sin leads to further spiritual decline and idolatry.

Covetousness is idolatry.

Quoting Colossians 3:5, Weaver identifies the root of immorality as idolatrous desire, connecting the two themes.

He who sins must suffer. It is true God may forgive you for the penalty of your sins, but you must always bear the consequences of your sins.

This application warns that even forgiven sin has temporal consequences, reinforcing the need for holiness.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

Why does God consider partial obedience to be disobedience? How does James 2:10-11 support this?

[Context]

Weaver argues that breaking one law makes one guilty of all, so obedience in some areas does not excuse sin in others.

[Question]

In what ways does immorality lead to idolatry, and vice versa? Can you think of modern examples?

[Context]

Weaver shows from Numbers 25 and historical examples that sexual sin and false worship are intertwined.

[Question]

How does covetousness function as idolatry? Why is it the root of other sins?

[Context]

Weaver explains that coveting dethrones God and enthrones self, violating the first commandment before breaking others.

[Question]

What does the Old Testament 'grove' (Asherah) teach us about the connection between sexual sin and false worship?

[Context]

Weaver describes the Asherah as a sensual goddess whose worship involved immorality, and how it infiltrated Israel's worship.

[Question]

Why is it dangerous to think that our usefulness to God can excuse our sin?

[Context]

Weaver warns against the attitude that God will overlook sin if we are valuable to Him, calling it ungodly and unbiblical.

Applications

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