What does an Asherah Pole have to do with the Confederate flag?

If Jesus came into your place of worship, what surrendered pieces of banner would be sewn on HIS train? If he announced his coming and intentions, would your pews be full of soldiers with open hands or empty, remiss of people clinging proudly to objects and ideals contrary to the KINGDOM? 

What is the Christian's response to the removal of the confederate flag? I have an opinion, and  I actually posted it the week before Charleston's prayer rally, and the subsequent tragedy of nine Christians killed in a church  four days later. I have been disturbed by some Christians and their justifications of resorting to name calling, assuming, and blaming about the flag issue here in America. Now many were precious and declared solidarity, unity, and the Love of Jesus immediately after the attack. They went to social networks in a frenzy to share pictures of prayer vigils and hands joined proud to be a Southern Christian. Then, some true colors bled through with the announcement that the confederate flag should be taken down.

Old Asherah poles started surfacing in the name of heritage, and history. The same people that are angry with a rainbow flag flying in the wind are mourning the loss of Bo and Luke Duke's (a show from the 80's depicting southern men getting in trouble and saving the day, and never being shot for evading police) emblem atop the none other than "General Lee."

General lee is quoted when arguing for the ability to use slaves in the Confederate army, “We must decide whether slavery shall be extinguished by our enemies and the slaves be used against us, or use them ourselves.”

Riddle me this: How is Daisy Duke an acceptable Christian icon, and the rainbow flag is sinful? He who has no sin, cast the first stone. (all sexual sin separates you from God) Keep on lusting after her, and showing your daughters what deserves undivided attention. Be careful judging gays though, you might find them to be your roomates somewhere if you don't change your ways.

Christians are giving steam to the History Train. My locomotive might not be as popular, but if you have read any of my post, I am an admitted failure when it comes to polishing the sweet crown of the bible belt. I would rather wash the feet of Jesus' servants than boast of such foolishness as religion.  I'm an astute flunky that loves history. I saw someone rage on facebook about if you ignorantly didn't like the flag, go get a history book.

I did just that.

So shall we begin?

I got the book that predates Roman, English, and American history.

I wanted to start with a scripture from "the beginnings" which is Genesis in the bible. Ironically, my first scripture actually supports the flying of the rainbow flag, and abolishes the hopes of

"THE SOUTH WILL RISE AGAIN."

 Genesis 9:13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

oooh weeee!  I can see the faces now, from the religious when they read this.

The rainbow flag is more biblical than the confederate. The LGBT did not invent the rainbow, God did. I can be gay (means happy) and still be a Christian. In fact, if you have Jesus you should be gay! Oh my word, I need to get back on my train. Either way, God established his promise to Noah where all civilizations came from in the Fertile Crescent , with none other than a Rainbow.  The Last scripture we will read, has a rainbow in it too. Keep reading.......

Exodus 17:15 And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD Is My Banner .

Who is our banner? Jehova Nissi. He reigns in victory.

Leviticus "'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD."

This is self explanatory, but for those still wanting to bless the history argument, I ask something. How would you feel if your wife or husband carried around a naked picture of an ex girlfriend/boyfriend? That person is a part of their history, shouldn't you lay your feelings aside so they can revel in their "history?" But that is different and not a fair comparison. What about your neighbor that loves you and doesn't understand how you cling to something that makes them feel unloved and unimportant?.
 

Deuteronomy 4:8-10 "Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today? "Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons. "Remember the day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when the LORD said to me, 'Assemble the people to Me, that I may let them hear My words so they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children.'…

We are to give our Children the word of the Lord. No Nation under heaven is as righteous as God's whole law.  One part of God's law was a warning against idols and graven images.

Deut 16:21 "You must never set up a wooden Asherah pole beside the altar you build for the LORD your God.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on  Deuteronomy 6:18-22 "Care is taken for the due administration of justice. All personal regards must be laid aside, so that right is done to all, and wrong to none. Care is taken to prevent following the idolatrous customs of the heathen. Nothing belies God more, or tends more to corrupt the minds of men, than representing and worshipping, by an image, that God, who is an almighty and eternal Spirit, present every where. Alas! even in gospel days, and under a better dispensation, established upon better promises, there is a tendency to set up idols, under one form or another, in the human heart."
 

You want to argue heritage? Many righteous men in the bible had wicked fathers, and many wicked sons had righteous fathers. The bible does not sugar coat history.

Judges 3:7 The Israelites did evil in the LORD's sight. They forgot about the LORD their God, and they served the images of Baal and the Asherah poles.

2 Chronicles 29:6 Our parents were unfaithful; they did evil in the eyes of the LORD our God and forsook him. They turned their faces away from the LORD's dwelling place and turned their backs on him

Here is a good history lesson.

Isaiah 6:1 In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.

King Uzziah was a good king. He did right in the sight of God until his old age. He became proud of himself and went against the Lord by going in the temple and burning incense which was forbidden.  And the Lord allowed  his death. Isaiah probably had many questions and lamented the tragedy. A good man died. Where did he go wrong? What were we going to do now?

Then the Lord gave him a vision. The Lord was still on the throne, and exalted. Above all tragedies, crisis' , arguments and wars. The train of his robe filled the temple. Eastern civilizations understand this better than our democratic societies. The train was the kings bragging rights of sorts. It had pieces of conquered kings' banners or trains sewn to his robe to represent his established authority.

The Lord is above all and is the ultimate authority. His train is so full of tattered pieces of man made banners, that the train fills the temple.

Jeremiah 23:27 They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their ancestors forgot my name through Baal worship.

Be careful proclaiming intelligence by supporting a banner above your brother. You just fell into a trap and took the bait of Satan. Psalm 119 says I will not be offended because I delight in God's word.

Biblical history buff?

What king pleased God the most?

I hope you didn't say David.

2 Kings 23:24-25 Josiah removed the mediums, the spiritists, household idols, images, and ALL the detestable things that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. He did this in order to carry out the words of the law that were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the LORD's temple.Before him there was NO  king like him who turned to the LORD with ALL his mind and with ALL his heart and with ALL his strength according to ALL the law of Moses, and no one like him arose after him.  (click here to read more on JOSIAH)

Josiah had some good kings or forefathers before him, but none that did what he did, or pleased God as he. Some in his heritage were considered good, but they didn't do everything they could to remove the detestable things of worship from the land.

We are moving on up in the biblical timeline, and now we come to the New Testament. Jesus is the Lamb who was slain. He is the word in flesh and this is what he has to say.

Luke 6:30-32 "Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. "Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.…

I see pictures of black men wearing and showing support of the confederate flag floating around on the internet. They may have pride in ancestors fighting for ol' Dixie, but I ask what would have happened to the black slaves promised freedom at the end of the war, if the Confederacy had won and they found out that they were not guaranteed freedom and put back on the plantation?

Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Galatians 6:2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

2 Timothy 2:4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.

Is it not hypocritical of South Carolina which was voted "most patriotic" to be proud of American Soldiers that go to free other nations from tyranny, but proclaim the Confederacy had every right to decide or not decide if blacks were property or people?

I get it. I really do. I understand the talking points directing us to the motivations of many confederate soldiers that did not own a slave and enlisted for other reasons. Governor Nikki Haley said it best when she said "the flag, while an integral part of our past, does not represent the future of our great state."

In the very near future, we will throw down our crowns before the Lord. every knee shall bow, and tongue confess Jesus is Lord. Are we not admonished to lay down  things here on earth in the name of  Love which there is no law against. Humbling ourselves and giving up the battle flag is like free treasure in heaven. Fertilizer to the harvest. We are to be laborers in the field not dividers of people. The world is watching. Be sure what you are standing for, and raising your voice for is worthy of God's approval. We are ambassadors of Christ. His banner over us is love. The flag we wave is surrender to a just and HOLY God. Please don't be disgusted over a rainbow flag and defend St. Peter's Cross.

Pick up your own cross. Be your brother's keeper. Be a light in the darkness. If you are saved, and desiring to bring glory to God's name, make sure you aren't bringing a reproach against him by causing offense. If you want to declare injustice, fight human trafficking. Fight abortion, and the caste system that is still present today. There are today, more slaves in captivity than the entire African-American slave trade.  How much effort have you made on helping that not to be so? Pick up your cross, not your cause.

Revelation 4:3 And he who sat was as the likeness of the appearance of Jasper red quartz stone and of red and white Sardius, and a RAINBOW of the clouds which encircled the throne was like the appearance of an emerald;

The most precious costly decoration was that of his promise fulfilled in the cross appearing as a rainbow.

Revelation 4:9-11 And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."

If you insist on arguing the battle flag is just, because there were black confederate soldiers, you may very well be a good advocate for the rights of those currently benefitting from the human trafficking industry.

He looks real brave and proud for bearing arms does he not? We are to be a voice for the voiceless, and plead the cause of the orphan and the widow. Stop pleading the cause of a flag.