Bible Discussion Thread

It appears that the Lord was upset with Palestine/Israel and Samaria for taking in the cultures and pagan religions of Egypt and surrounding civilizations, all practicing similar pagan religions involving gruesome rituals and enslavement of men/women. One verse indicates that ancient Israelites of Jerusalem, Aholibah, were guilty of performing a pagan ritual, casting their children into the fire, in His name. That would fall right in line with some of different accounts of ancient Israel's integration of pagan rituals (traditions of men) with Yahwehism (pure Old Testament religion) throughout the Old and New Testaments. Jesus and other prophets tried to warn their fellow Israelites, attempting to correct their straying from Yahweh's commandments into the laws and customs of man-made principalities, the "traditions of men".

I'd be upset with them too. Don't be offended the harsh language, God essentially created these two pure lands and the leaders of each land both desecrated their sovereignty and betrayed their creator by trashing his gifts and proselytizing into paganism.