“Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!” (Zep 3:1)
As a little boy, I was always playing outside. Little boys don’t think about how dirty they get when they are playing. The life mission of every little boy is to get dirty and have fun. In fact, to a little boy, you’re not having fun UNLESS you’re getting dirty!
In our text, God is telling Jerusalem that they are filthy and needed to be cleansed. Many Christians are like Jerusalem, today. They are supposed to be the people of God, but have become filthy! One of the ways in which Jerusalem had become filthy was in their worship.
1. They were involved in PAGAN Worship.
(1:4) “..I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place…” Baal was a pagan god. It was the 450 prophets of Baal Elijah encountered. It was what everyone around them was worshipping. They gave into Peer Pressure! Christians, today, are worshipping the gods of this world because they don’t want to be different.
2. They were involved in PLANET Worship.
(1:5a) “And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops…” Astrology is a big thing. Some people have to check their horoscopes every day. If you live more by what your HOROSCOPE says than by what your HEAVENLY FATHER says, you’ve become filthy in your worship!
3. They were involved in PLURALISTIC Worship.
(1:5b) “..and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham;” They were not only swearing by the Lord, but ALSO swearing by a false god as well! Some think they can mix true and false and have a good product but it never works that way. They say, “I can worship God on Sundays but live like I want the rest of the week.” Try mixing dirty water with clean water and the result will always end up being dirty water. That is why Jesus said in (Matt. 4:10) says, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”
If, like Jerusalem, you have allowed idols into your life, then you have become filthy in your worship. Repent, and get back to serving God, and God alone.