Bad Rocks

This could be called "Bad Gods for Dummies"

produced by static force llc sometimes things don't change.

Transcript

Bad Rocks (Bad Gods for Dummies)

by Eric Engelmann

All content © 2025 Static Force, LLC

When are we?

At the end of Moses' ministry. The end of Deuteronomy. Just before the book of Joshua in the Old Testament.

Where are we?

Near Mount Nebo. In our time, it's found in Jordan, east of Jerusalem.

Why are we here now?

There are two short passages in the Song of Moses that talk about false gods being rocks. We're going to take a look at them.

By Way Of Background

The law of Moses starts with Genesis and ends with Deuteronomy.

In Exodus, Moses led Israel around the desert for 40 years. Near the beginning of that time, God called Moses to meet with Him up Mount Sinai. The people were supposed to wait for Moses but got tired and changed leadership. Even though they had been fed manna from heaven, they made a golden calf, worshipped it and started to rewrite their history.

The people who formed the rebellion thought they had good reasons. They thought there was a need for present leadership, not leadership that disappears up a mountain for a month at a time. They thought the nation needed a new narrative to tell themselves. See Exodus 32.

At the end of Deuteronomy, early in the Song of Moses, that change in leadership is called "quick corruption". Moses likened idols -- like the golden calf -- to worthless rocks.

Every kind of god referenced in the Song of Moses is a kind of rock -- either a worthwhile one or a worthless one.

What is the Problem With Other Gods?

There’s a link between idol worship and demonic worship.Other gods don't redeem. They don't pay for people. They just want the benefits of gathering people to themselves without paying the price of benefiting them in the long run. In contrast, the Most High benefits across thousands of generations, not just the length of a dynasty.

First Scripture Passage

Deut 32:30-31

Listen for the word "rock". I've added the words "enemy" and "my people" to help clarify the pronouns in this passage.

Verse 30 "How could one enemy chase a thousand of my people,

And two enemies put ten thousand of my people to flight,

Unless their Rock had sold them,

And the Lord had surrendered them?

31 For their rock is not like our Rock,

Even our enemies themselves being judges."

NOTE: The Most High can buy and sell. He can bless and He can embarrass. During the blessing, a thousand enemies are not enough to stop His people; during a curse, one enemy is more than enough. If the Most High redeemed and paid for them, then He can sell them. If His people are determined to be sold, they can be unfaithful, and the Most High will eventually sell them. Or their descendants.

END OF THE FIRST PASSAGE

Scenic Overlook – an Interesting Riddle

We're going to take a break from our tour of rocks to look at a poison vine. The very next verses say,

Verse 32 "For their vine is of the vine of Sodom

And of the fields of Gomorrah;

Their grapes are grapes of gall,

Their clusters are bitter.

33 Their wine is the poison of serpents,

And the cruel venom of cobras."

So there we were seeing that "their rock is not like our Rock" and suddenly we're talking about a vine and grapes. I'm wondering -- could this poison vine have anything to do with what Jesus will say about Him being the vine and his followers being the branches? We might look into that riddle in other episodes.

Second Scripture Passage

Continuing our tour of rocks, Deut. 32:36-39

“For the Lord will judge His people

And have compassion on His servants,

When He sees that their power is gone,

And there is no one remaining, bond or free.

37 He will say: ‘Where are their gods,

The rock in which they sought refuge?

End of Verse 38 Let them rise and help you,

And be your refuge.

Verse 39 ‘Now see that I, even I, am He,

And there is no God besides Me;

I kill and I make alive;

I wound and I heal;

Nor is there any who can deliver from My hand.

THAT'S THE END OF THE SECOND PASSAGE.

In the Future

In the Future: When Jesus surrenders to the guards in the garden of Gethsemane, it will be intentional. With the Father's intent.

Jesus will also rise from the dead, showing that He makes alive and no one can deliver out of His hand.

It Is good to have a judge who has already paid for me and my sins.

All content © 2025 Static Force, LLC