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175evil in the sight of Jehovah thyGod, to provoke him to anger ; Icall heaven and earth to witnessagainst you this day, that ye shallsoon utterly perish from off theland . . . And Jehovah will scatteryou among the peoples, and yeshall be left few in numberamong the nations ."Jer. 22 :8, 9 "And many nationsshall pass by this city, and theyshall say every man to his neighbor,Wherefore hath Jehovahdone thus unto this great city?Then they shall answer, Becausethey forsook the covenant of Jehovahtheir God, and worshippedother gods, and served them ."Willful Rebellion and Stubbornnessof Religious Leaders in Jesus'Day Was Idolatry ThatBrought Such DesolationMatt . 15 :1-3, 7-9 "Then therecame to Jesus from JerusalemPharisees and scribes, saying :`Why is it your disciples overstepthe tradition of the men of formertimes?' . . . In reply he said tothem : `Why is it you also overstepthe commandment of Godbecause of your tradition? Youhypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesiedabout you, when he said :"This people honors me with theirlips, yet their hearts are far removedfrom me . It is in vainthat they keep paying respect tome, because they teach commandsof men as doctrines." ' "Matt. 23 :37, 38 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem,the killer of the prophetsand stoner of those sent forthto her,-how often I wanted togather your children together, theway a hen gathers her chicks togetherunder her wings! But youpeople did not want it . Look!your house is abandoned to you ."Idolatry Specifically Forbiddento Christians1 Cor. 10 :7, 14 "Neither becomeidolaters, as some of them did ;just as it is written : `The peoplesat down to eat and drink, andthey rose up to revel boisterous-Idolatryly .' Therefore, my beloved ones,flee from idolatry ."Acts 17 :29 "Seeing, therefore,that we are the progeny of God,we ought not to imagine that theDivine Being is like gold or silveror stone, like something sculpturedby the art and contrivanceof man ."1 John 5 :21 "Little children,guard yourselves from idols ."Those Practicing Are a Reproachto God and Make Liarsof ThemselvesRom . 1 :22, 23, 25 "Although assertingthey were wise, they becamefoolish and turned the gloryof the incorruptible God intosomething like the image of corruptibleman and of birds andfour-footed creatures and creepingthings . Even those who exchangedthe truth of God for thelie and venerated and renderedsacred service to the creationrather than the One who created,who is blessed forever ."Meat Sacrificed to Idols CouldBe Eaten, After Its DedicatedPurpose Had Been Fulfilled ; butThis Authority Must NotBe Abused1 Cor. 8:4, 7-10, 13 "Now concerningthe eating of foods offeredto idols, we know that anidol is nothing in the world andthat there is no God but one .Nevertheless, there is not thisknowledge in all persons ; butsome, being accustomed until nowto the idol, eat food as somethingsacrificed to an idol, and theirconscience, as it is weak, becomesvile . But food will not commendus to God ; if we do noteat, we do not fall short, and,if we eat, we have no credit toourselves . But keep watching thatthis authority of yours does notsomehow become a stumblingblockto those who are weak . Forif anyone should see you withyour knowledge reclining at ameal in an idol temple, will notthe conscience of that one who