Page 1233 - Church of God Publications

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19
They light them candles, yea, more than for themselves, whereof they cannot see one.
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They are as one of the beams of the temple, yet they say their hearts are gnawed upon by
things creeping out of the earth; and when they eat them and their clothes, they feel it not.
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Their faces are blacked through the smoke that cometh out of the temple.
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Upon their bodies and heads sit bats, swallows, and birds, and the cats also.
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By this ye may know that they are no gods: therefore fear them not.
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Notwithstanding the gold that is about them to make them beautiful, except they wipe off the
rust, they will not shine: for neither when they were molten did they feel it.
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The things wherein there is no breath are bought for a most high price.
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They are borne upon shoulders, having no feet whereby they declare unto men that they be
nothing worth.
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They also that serve them are ashamed: for if they fall to the ground at any time, they cannot
rise up again of themselves: neither, if one set them upright, can they move of themselves: neither,
if they be bowed down, can they make themselves straight: but they set gifts before them as unto
dead men.
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As for the things that are sacrificed unto them, their priests sell and abuse; in like manner
their wives lay up part thereof in salt; but unto the poor and impotent they give nothing of it.
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Menstruous women and women in childbed eat their sacrifices: by these things ye may know
that they are no gods: fear them not.
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For how can they be called gods? because women set meat before the gods of silver, gold,
and wood.
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And the priests sit in their temples, having their clothes rent, and their heads and beards shaven,
and nothing upon their heads.
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They roar and cry before their gods, as men do at the feast when one is dead.
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The priests also take off their garments, and clothe their wives and children.
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Whether it be evil that one doeth unto them, or good, they are not able to recompense it: they
can neither set up a king, nor put him down.
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In like manner, they can neither give riches nor money: though a man make a vow unto them,
and keep it not, they will not require it.
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They can save no man from death, neither deliver the weak from the mighty.
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They cannot restore a blind man to his sight, nor help any man in his distress.
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They can shew no mercy to the widow, nor do good to the fatherless.
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Their gods of wood, and which are overlaid with gold and silver, are like the stones that be
hewn out of the mountain: they that worship them shall be confounded.
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How should a man then think and say that they are gods, when even the Chaldeans themselves
dishonour them?
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Who if they shall see one dumb that cannot speak, they bring him, and intreat Bel that he may
speak, as though he were able to understand.
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