I spent some time understanding the scripture term I encountered in today’s M’Cheyne reading, and specifically the term Baalpeor.
Deuteronomy 4:1-3 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. 2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. 3 Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baalpeor: for all the men that followed Baalpeor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from among you.
Before we get to that a quick note on the confirmation of God’s word about his word…
Matthew 5:17-18 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Proverbs 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Revelation 22:18-19 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
We first read of Baal or Baalpeor in Numbers 22 and more specifically in chapter 25 …
Numbers 25:3 And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.
Numbers 25:3 – John Gill
And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor,…. The name of an idol; one of the Baals, Baal being a general name for an idol; and, to distinguish this from other Baals or idols, it was called Peor, either from its opening its mouth in prophecy, as Ainsworth; or from some obscene posture and action used in the worship of it, being, as it is by many thought to be, the same with Priapus; or rather from the mountain Peor, where it was worshipped, as Jupiter is called Jupiter Olympius, Capitolinus, &c. from the mountains where he had a temple, or was worshipped; or from the name of some great personage, called Lord Peor, who was deified after his death; hence these Israelites are said to “eat the sacrifices of the dead”, Psa 106:28. Mr. Bedford (t) takes him to be Mizraim the son of Ham, the Osiris of the Egyptians, and the Priapus of other Heathens: and Father Calmet (u) is of opinion that he is the same with Orus, Osiris, and Adonis; and that Pe is only a prepositive article, and that Or is the name, and no other than Orus; but such a criticism the word will not bear: this idol, the chief god of the Moabites, was, in all probability, the same with Chemosh, who is expressly called the abomination of Moab, 1Ki 11:7 of whom See Gill on Jer 48:7 so Chemosh and Peor are thought to be the same by our English poet (w): to him the Israelites joined themselves, forsook the true God in a great measure, and were initiated into the rites of this deity, and constantly attended the worship of it, and cleaved unto it with their hearts and directions, and joined with their harlots in all parts of service performed unto it; See Gill on Hos 9:10,
and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel; for no sin is more provoking to God than idolatry, that being so directly opposite to his nature, honour, and glory, as well as to his will and worship; and hereby the end of Balaam and Balak was, in a great measure, answered, and Balaam obtained that by his evil counsel which he could not by all his conjuring; this was seen by the plague sent among them; See Gill on Num 24:14.
(t) Scripture Chronology, p. 267. (u) Dictionary, on word “Baal”. 
“Next Chemos, the obscene dread of Moab’s sons, Peor his other name, —–” Milton, B. 1. l. 406, 412.
Btw..if you read Gill you get the sense of the universal names of the false god(s). I don’t think the KJV errored in making it specific in English. This article seems to imply the NIV is more correct making it a general term, but as Gill mentioned there were many names, but I think 🤔 we lose focus on the nature of the dreaded error when we generalize it. So I think the KJV translators actually captured the seriousness of this. Read, it’s informative for its details.
BTW 2: One of the sad things I read about the Roman Catholic Church was Pope Francis statement in Singapore last year…
Here’s a discussion from one of the blogs I read about this. Please note this is a perfect example of Spurgeon’s warning.
Pope Francis Signals Universalism In Interfaith Dialog
Pope Francis has made a lot of headlines in 2024 for his statements that constitute anathema to many Protestants. Recent comments at an youth interfaith dialog in Singapore have raised the eyebrows of both sides of the Reformation as Pope Francis strays into universalism.
It’s okay to discuss because every religion is a way to arrive at God… They are like different languages to arrive at God, but God is God for all. And as God is god for all, we are all children of God.
But my God is more important than your god, is that true? [rhetorical question]
There is only one God in eacxh of us, [a language so-to speak] to arrive at God. Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Christian, they are different paths.
The theological errors abound. Briefly, children of God refer only to the elect, not the broader humanity. But the main crux of Pope Francis’s point is that all religions are aspiring to reach God. The Bible does not view the Baal and Molech worshippers as even attempting something aspirational. Rather they are treated as worshipping demons. Pope Francis in engaging in interfaith dialog is conceding to universalism.
In defense, or cope rather, the Papists have quoted their catechism for additional context:
843 The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as “a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life.”332
The catechism references the “unknown God” in Acts 17:23 where the Greco-Roman pantheon expanded to allow what they did not know. This is hardly applicable to modern religions, with Hinduism as a possible exception. But even though the Athenians left open the possibility for an unknown god, does not mean that they meaningfully attempted to connect with God. John 14:6 clearly eradicates this possibility.
Please note in the Deuteronomy passages coming up the next 2 days we have these important clarifications:
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
Deuteronomy 5:6-11 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 7 Thou shalt have none other gods before me. 8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: 9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, 10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. 11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
We read that earlier….
Exodus 20:1-7 And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
The first time God’s people got it wrong was here:
The Golden Calf
Exo 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
Exo 32:2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
Exo 32:3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
Exo 32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Exo 32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.
Exo 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
Exo 32:7 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
Exo 32:8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
It’s true there is one God. The God of the Bible and God is to be worshipped in his ways, not man’s ways. So easy to go wrong….😑
Rainbow Trout 