© 23 Colin Melbourne
The Evil One Inspires the Sin of Idolatry
Q: There’s a girl who says she went to heaven, met Jesus, and has painted his picture that many rave over. What do you make of this?
A: I know of the story, and have seen the image you refer to.
She’s named Akiane, a very gifted artist, with an abundance of natural talent.
I neither question her sincerity nor integrity: I accept that she believes the experiences she claims are divine.
Unfortunately, it’s obvious her talent has been hijacked by Satan in order to lure people from the Living LORD Jesus Christ to dumb idols.
Visions of Heaven
I understand she’s had numerous spiritual encounters following a demonic experience as a five-year-old.
Whether true or not, I don’t know, but it’s claimed she vanished, her parents notified the authorities, but an extensive search failed to locate the child.
It is said the girl then “floated up through the floor of the home” just as officials were informing the distraught parents of their failure.
When her relieved parents asked little Akiane where she’d been, she replied, “I’ve been to heaven and spoke with a man who calls himself God.”
Is that really possible?
Yes of course, with God all things are possible, why not?
That could have happened, especially to a child under the Age of Accountability, but I find it significant that it’s said she arose through the floor: She did not descend through the ceiling.
Why is that relevant?
You recall the Witch of Endor conjured up, at the request of psychotic King Saul, a demon masquerading as the prophet Samuel (See 1 Sam. Ch. 28 KJV). That demon arose from out of the ground.
Deranged King Saul was judged for his occultism, and died a shameful death.
Thou Shalt Not Make
But the most conspicuous problem with Ms. Akiane is her painting of Jesus.
Creating images of Jesus, or Mary, Angels, Cherubim, etc. is expressly, and emphatically, forbidden in scripture, Exodus 20:3-6;
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Notice:
- Making the likeness of any thing in heaven is sin.
- To make such a likeness is rebellion against God’s Word.
- Additionally, reverencing, bowing down to and worshipping such a likeness is also sin.
To consider embracing such a likeness in reverence and worship is to rebel against God’s Word.
That much is crystal clear, so this simply cannot be of Almighty God, who has magnified His Word above all His Name. Psalm 138:2 KJV;
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
Flee Idolatry
Reject the works of Satan, ignore his fair-ground side-shows, or you will surely suffer for it.
Remember what followed Adam’s sin, so resist the Devil: Dismiss him from your garden, as our first parents ought to have done.
Creating representations of heavenly beings is the sin of idolatry
Wasting Talents
Ms. Akiane is devoting her life to misusing her talent by making idols instead of glorifying The LORD Jesus Christ of the Holy Bible.
There’s a growing list of men and women who have abused their natural gifts to earn fame and fortune on Earth, but who have no future in Heaven.
No idolater has any inheritance in God’s kingdom, 1 Cor. 6:9-10 KJV;
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
Doubtless many have already been seduced into idolatry through her work.
From Hero to Dupe
Just like the Ephod that godly Gideon placed in his city, which rapidly became an idol for him and all Israel, Judges 8:24-27 KJV;
And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)
And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.
And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks.
And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
Idolatry is Spiritual Fornication
Notice that Father God calls idolising objects, whoring after. ie. spiritual fornication.
Father, give every reader a holy detestation of idolatry in all its varied forms, and discernment to know what is of you, and whatever is of the evil one.
Statues Are Idols
There’s an imposing Victorian marble sculpture, of the Archangel Michael defeating Satan, housed in my hometown museum. It symbolises the victory of Christ over the works of the Devil, but it’s an idol that seduces the unwary to unwittingly worship demons. The sculptor learned his demonic skills in Rome: Second City of Idols after Athens.
Father God wants to destroy it, and He surely will in due course, along with Michelangelo’s profane: “David” idol in the Louvre, Paris.
If you need any object an; altar, icon, statue, cross, medal, stained-glass windows, or picture of Jesus to enable you to worship Him, you’re an idolater, just as much as the Muslim who prostrates himself towards a black-rock twice a day, or the Catholic muttering bead-prayers.
Idolatry is a non-negotiable sin according to The LORD Jesus Christ, who said in the final book of the Holy Bible, Rev. 22:13-16;
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
Consider: Would the genuine LORD Jesus Christ encourage a naive young girl to flatly contradict His written word, and in the process, curse her family and supporters by doing so?
Of course not.
So who would?
The Arch Deceiver and Father of lies: Satan, and a counterfeit “christ”.
Ms. Akiane’s skilful, but idolatrous, paintings will be burned to dust on the Last Day.
Don’t be seduced by feel-good, “find your own way to God”, nonsense.
<< Read What’s Wrong With This? Chick tract: Billions worship some kind of idol. But there’s only one way to Heaven, and that is through The LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Tract image © Chick Publns. Used by permission.
No Other Way
The LORD Jesus Christ is the only way to God, listen to Him, Jn. 14:3-6 KJV;
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
There’s no other way to God in Heaven, no other name through which you may enter Glory, no amount of “your goodness” qualifies, you can never make yourself righteous enough for Heaven. Acts 4:12 KJV;
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
To be saved from Hell, Satan, sickness, and death you must be born again by repenting of unbelief in The Living LORD Jesus Christ, and trusting Him wholeheartedly in spirit and truth.
You can have that once-in-a-lifetime experience right now, if you will do two simple things..
© 23 Colin Melbourne
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