The Bad Effects Of Animal Worship
By
The Man Who Saw God Face To Face
Raphael Okechukwu Nweze
Meaning Of Animal Worship
Today, many communities around the world still worship one animal or the other. Every community claims that the animal they worship is their ancestor. That is why a community do not kill snail, another do not kill python and yet another do not kill and eat monkey. Even those who have converted to Christianity still observe this culture of animal worship handed from generation to generation.
The truth about human beings who became animals is this. They did not live righteous life. Therefore, they were demoted to the level of animals as punishment. The same thing happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. He did not live to the glory of God. He was always worshiping images and making people engage in idolatry. Also, he was boasting of what he can do, instead of giving glory to God. In order to punish him, he was demoted to the level of an animal.
23 "And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, 'Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him'; 24 this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: 25 They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.
26 "And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my advice be acceptable to you; break off your sins by being righteous, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps there may be a lengthening of your prosperity."
Daniel 4:23-27
The same was true of King Herod. The Israelites honoured and respected him because he was their Governor. But Jesus made it clear that King Herod was an animal, for he was full of evil and iniquities.
31 On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, "Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You."
32 And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox (animal, wild dog, evil spirit), 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.' 33 Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.
Luke 13:31-33
Another example was King Saul, when he was troubled by a distressing spirit. An evil spirit was allowed to torment King Saul because he failed to obey the word of God. In other words, he was demoted to a level lower than the level of humanity.
14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the LORD troubled him. 15 And Saul's servants said to him, "Surely, a distressing spirit from God is troubling you. 16 Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well."
17 So Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me."
18 Then one of the servants answered and said, "Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him."
19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me your son David, who is with the sheep." 20 And Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by his son David to Saul. 21 So David came to Saul and stood before him. And he loved him greatly, and he became his armorbearer. 22 Then Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight." 23 And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and plays it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.
1 Samuel 16:14-23
Both Bible and culture prove that a person can be demoted to lower level of existence, when such a person fails to live up to expectation.
Now learn wisdom. To worship a person demoted to the level of animal is very bad. It positions such a community against the Almighty. It is wrong to worship a criminal, who is serving jail term in the prison. Likewise, it is evil to worship a person who has been demoted to animal in order to punish and purify him. Such worship makes those who engage in the worship to demote themselves to the level of animals, for everyone is lesser than whatever he worships.
The fact that many communities engage in animal worship, directly or indirectly, is a serious setback to the spiritual growth of humanity. At death, the animal worshippers cannot ascend to the heavens. That also explains why the pagans are always saying that their ancestors are in the underworld (inside the earth, ground). A wise man would ask, “Why didn’t they go up to the heavens?” The answer is now clear and simple. They could not go up to the heavens because they did not worship the Almighty God. In spirit, and at death, you go to whatever you worship. Those who worship mermaids, go to the marine kingdom, while the pagans that worship the ground go to the earth. Etc.
The Book of Revelation confirms the above explanations:
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:11-15