“When the king came back from Damascus, he saw the altar. Then he approached the altar and ascended it. He offered his burnt offering and his grain offering, poured out his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his fellowship offerings on the altar. He took the bronze altar that was before the Lord in front of the temple between his altar and the Lord’s temple, and put it on the north side of his altar.” 2 Kings 16:12-14 HCSB
The above scriptures are a part of the story of King Ahaz. King Ahaz had seen an altar when he was in Damascus. He had the priest Uriah build a replica of this altar. Once King Ahaz’s altar was built he had the offerings offered on this altar instead of the altar for God. Then King Ahaz took the Lord’s Altar and brought it out from the temple to put near his altar. He only wanted the Lord’s altar for when he wanted to seek guidance from the Lord.
This was an abomination to God. King Ahaz did other detestable things in regard to removing items from the temple and worshipping other gods. King Ahaz had no regard for the Holy items set aside for the offerings and worship of God.
We can learn so much from this story. In Revelation there is a warning at the end of the book that if anyone adds or subtracts from God’s word will suffer the consequences. As Christians we should view the Bible as sacred and treat the Bible with utmost reverence and respect. It is not just merely a book. However, like King Ahaz many just see the Bible as a book of guidance and nothing more. Instead, our true worship is giving to idols.
The USA Bible contains the King James Version and various US government documents including the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence and the Pledge of allegiance. The KJV is also considered public domain so you can do what you like with this version of the Bible without violating any copyright laws.
How can we combine man made documents with the Bible? First the gospel is not just an American gospel. The US documents helped to establish the USA as a nation, but the Bible shows us that no nation is everlasting, only the Kingdom of God will endure for all eternity.
Many Christians see these US documents as sacred texts but even the men that founded this nation left room for these documents to be amended or changed. It was not to be forever. The Bible – God’s word remains forever. Unfortunately, there are Christians who value these documents over the Bible. Some are willing to die to preserve these government texts.
In his address in Gettysburg, Lincoln makes a profound statement about the USA – that the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
Here is what John says in the Gospel of John about Jesus:
“All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it. He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not recognize Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God. The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:3-5, 10-14 HCSB
As Christian’s our lives belong to Jesus. Jesus bought us for a price. It is an abomination to Jesus to take texts created by men and put them in the same framework as the Bible. We cannot serve two masters. We cannot give allegiance to two different entities. We cannot serve God and mammon.
If we died with Christ, then we will be raised with Him on the last day. We have been adopted into God’s kingdom and we eagerly wait for Jesus’ return. For this reason, how could we hold any text apart from the Bible as sacred?
Reflections 