Similarly, the fate of the temple guardians and priests is bound to be severe. Judah and Benjamin had sunk into such depravity that, as noted in the writings of Ezekiel and the Second Book of Kings, they erected a statue of Baal in the temple dedicated to the Lord. The Lord refers to this idol as the image of Zelah, and within the same temple, they offered worship equally to both the Lord and the idols. Thus, it is telling that those who are supposed to be priests of the true God are described instead as τεμενίτας, meaning temple servants or attendants, a term reflected in the Hebrew word ‘acchumarim’ (חכמרים). Likewise, the temple keepers, former priests of the Lord, and those who worship the heavenly hosts—sun, moon, and stars—from their rooftops, who invoke the names of both the Lord and Melchom, the Ammonite idol, will also be removed from Jerusalem or faced with complete destruction.
This means that God will expunge the remnants of Baal, eliminate the names of false temple officials, and destroy those practicing idolatrous worship on rooftops. He will remove those who swear in the name of the Lord and Melchom while turning their backs on the path of righteousness and failing to seek Him wholeheartedly. Those who forsake the worship of the Lord of Israel to swear allegiance to Melchom and honor Baal are called out.
At this juncture, the essence of the narrative is clear; we must now delve into its symbolic meaning. Regarding the Lord, who arises from the tribe of Judah and Jerusalem, the homeland of His kingship, we must recognize that as unrighteousness prevails and many grow indifferent, faith will be scarce when the Lord returns to earth. During these trying times, the Lord will extend His hand against Judah, which falsely believes it confesses His name, and against Jerusalem, the Church named for peace. He will purge the Church of the names Baalim, which signifies high places of idol worship.
The Lord will also eradicate names of superficial praise and empty reverence that circulate within the Church, where, as Paul the Apostle notes, the affluent are favored while the poor are dismissed. Here, in attendance of the wealthy and influential, the humble are given no place of honor. Similarly, He will dismantle the names of those religious leaders who seek affirmation through titles rather than through genuine service and righteousness.
It is essential to note that He does not mention the deeds of these spiritual leaders but rather their misleading titles, which they uphold while their actions contrast with the righteousness expected of them. The Lord will also vanquish those who worship heavenly bodies from their rooftops—those who oppose divine truth and accept false knowledge, allowing them to be swayed by worldly philosophies. He will address the contradiction of serving both God and worldly gain, as they neglect His authority by embracing sinful patterns that arise from their pursuit of dual allegiances.
The reality is that those who abandon the Lordship of Christ, who turn away through their iniquities, and neglect to seek Him, invariably serve mankind as their ruler. Nevertheless, when interpreting the significance of Judah and Jerusalem, one may rightly reflect this to their individual souls. For ultimately, the Lord will enact this judgment at the end times or upon the death of each person, when they too will hear, "Fool, this night your soul is required of you." He will challenge those who do not confess Him and those who falsely claim peace so that from such a Jerusalem, He might rid it of all pride, false piety, and various misconceptions arising from an inconsistent devotion that ultimately leads to neglect of the divine.
THEOSIS