God is loving, merciful and gracious. He has been with the northern kingdom of Israel, and with the southern kingdom of Judah. In His love, and His pursuit of His people the rebellion, coldness, disobedience, and rebellion continue.
It is a shame that those who call themselves the people of God cannot see that they have departed from Him. They are a backsliden people. Hear the words of the prophet from God:
"The LORD said also to me in the days of Josiah the king: 'Have you seen what backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there played the harlot. And I said, after she had done all these things, 'Return to Me.' But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it." Jeremiah 3:6-7 (NKJV).
The sin of Israel was their turning away from their worship of God alone, and they had started developing patterns consistent with pagan worshippers of false gods, even including their worship to false gods in their supposed worship to God. God has given very careful guidance in the true worship of Him. "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me", and that means the worship of God, YHWH [YaHWeH] alone. To include others is to destroy true worship of the one true God.
They in effect have worshipped demons, rather than God;
"They shall no more offer their sacrifices to demons, after whom they have played the harlot..." Leviticus 17:7 (NKJV).Paul writing to the Corinthians says,
"Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons." 1 Corinthians 10:18-20 (NKJV).Worship directed to a Jesus who is not God is a false worship. Worship directed to anyone or anything that is not God is false worship.
Israel has sinned in their worship. It appears that there is more and more people who call themselves Christian who are also sinning in their worship. Their rebellion, disobedience, and adultery toward God must be repented of, seeking God's forgiveness.
God has said to Israel, "Return to Me". His call to the Church is the same; "Return to Me". Be backsliding no more and return to God, and the holy and right worship through the Lord Jesus Christ alone.
