Tearing Down to Rebuild

Yesterday we looked at Isaiah’s prophetic calling to set the captives free. Today we will look at Jeremiah’s anointing to pluck up and tear down, destroy and overthrow and to build and plant. The thoughts of plucking up, breaking down, destroying and overthrowing all sound counter productive. Let’s consider an old building which is faulty and derelict. A derelict building is one which is generally empty and in a bad state of repairs because it has not been used appropriately or occupied for a long time. While some buildings can be repaired, others will be deemed a safety hazard and need to be torn down and rebuilt.

During Jeremiah’s time, many of the Kings who sinned against God would build altars to other gods such as Baal. God would use Jeremiah to pull down and destroy any systems or structures, built to give glory to any other god but the one true God. Elijah was sent to confront the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Elijah rebuilt the altar of God which had been thrown down by Jezebel and her servants. He commanded God to send fire to consume the sacrifice, as a demonstration to the people that God was all powerful and mighty. God responded by fire and the people fell on their faces before God and declared him as Lord.

“And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there” (1 Kings 18:40). The slaughtering of the prophets seems harsh to us reading, but the context of the time required it as Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the Lord and set up her own prophets to offer idol worship. Jezebel and King Ahab build altars and a temple to sacrifice to Baal and erected an Asherah pole to worship Sidonian and the fertility goddess Asherah.

God is very clear that he will not share his glory with anyone and we have been instructed to worship no other gods or make sacrifices to them. Ahab and Jezebel led the people of God astray and caused them to serve Baal. Elijah was the only one bold enough to confront and challenge Jezebel and Ahab and put a stop to their worship of idolatry. There are systems of idolatry and satanic worship that God will use us to tear down and rebuild altars of true worship, prayer and praise unto God. We have to be bold in our conviction to discern systems that do not give glory to God and move when given the unction from God to destroy and to rebuild.

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24).

A.P.-Y.