OK, so this is a very difficult concept to grasp.
It is not difficult to understand, as the words are given to us in scripture.  Black and White.

It is difficult to grasp because it goes against the entire Christian establishment.  It goes against the only things we’ve ever known.
It goes against what our fathers believed and what our grandfathers believed before them.
It requires us to let go of what we think we know and simply believe scripture instead.
That is not always easy.

Here is what we are going to look at today:
1. The words of Yahweh, through Moses, in Deuteronomy 4, telling us what IS going to happen.
2. The words of Yahweh, through His prophet Jeremiah, giving us prophecy of what will have happened, by the time we reach end times.

Let’s get started…
Deuteronomy 4:23-29
²³ Watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the covenant of Adonai your God, which He cut with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything that Adonai your God has forbidden you. ²⁴ For Adonai your God is a consuming fire—a jealous God.
²⁵ “When you father children and children’s children and have been in the land a long time, and you act corruptly and make a graven image in the form of anything and do evil in the sight of Adonai your God, provoking Him to anger, ²⁶ I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that you will certainly be carried off quickly from the land you are crossing over the Jordan to possess. You will not prolong your days on it, for you will certainly be destroyed.
 ²⁷ Adonai will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where Adonai will drive you. ²⁸ There you will serve man-made gods of wood and stone, which do not see or hear or eat or smell. ²⁹ But from there you will seek Adonai your God and you will find Him, when you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.

In this bit of scripture, we see what IS going to happen.
Israel is not told what might happen if they stray, but Yahweh clearly communicates this is going to happen.
Does that mean He willed it to happen and Israel had no choice to comply with His will?
No, it does not.
It simply shows us that Yahweh is outside of our concept of time.
He sees the end from the beginning, and the beginning from the end.
He simply states what He has already observed, even though it did not happen yet in our physical realm.

Isaiah 46:9-10
Remember the former things of old:
For I am God—there is no other.
I am God, and there is none like Me—
¹⁰ declaring the end from the beginning,
from ancient time, what is yet to come,
saying, “My purpose will stand,
and I will accomplish all that I please.”

So what is it that He tells us, through His spokesman Moses?
Verse 23 comes across as a warning, and subsequent verses tell us what will happen.
“Watch yourselves…”
“Do not make graven images…”
“You will be scattered…”
“You will serve man-made gods of wood and stone…”
And then, the restoration of Israel is mentioned.

As we read scripture, we see all of these things come to pass.
Of course we do.  Why wouldn’t we?
If Yahweh communicated these things to us, then it is absolutely certain, and not to be doubted.

With regard to graven images, we see further instructions [the Ten Commandments] in Exodus 20:3-5.
³ “You shall have no other gods before Me. ⁴ Do not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or on the earth below or in the water under the earth. ⁵ Do not bow down to them, do not let anyone make you serve them.

How many times have you witnessed a crucifix of ‘Jesus’ in a church? Sometimes they are 20 or 30 feet tall!! Enormous elaborate ornaments.  Sometimes just a cross, sometimes a crucifix.

How many cross and/or crucifix necklaces have you witnessed around the necks of men and women, wearing them with good intentions, but in direct disobedience to the words of Yahweh?
[when we learned of this truth in scripture, my wife and I took hammers and smashed all of her cross necklaces, even the white gold one with tanzanite and sapphire jewels!  —  obedience is more important than possessions.]

How many times have you witnessed people kneel down at the front of a church, thus kneeling before these carved, graven images, once again in direct disobedience to scripture?  “Do not bow down to them, do not let anyone make you serve them.”

Our modern church culture is in direct violation of the instructions given to us by Yahweh.
Do we accept these things and keep doing them?
Or do we recognize the truth of scripture and say no?
I for one, say no.

Joshua 24:15
But as for me and my household, we will worship Adonai!”

Moving on, let’s take a look at Jeremiah 16:19-20.
¹⁹ O Lord, my strength and my fortress,
My refuge in the day of affliction,
The Gentiles shall come to You
From the ends of the earth and say,
“Surely our fathers have inherited lies,
Worthlessness and unprofitable things.”
²⁰ Will a man make gods for himself,
Which are not gods?

Yahweh tells us, through His prophet Jeremiah, that during end times [the day of affliction], the Gentiles will realize they have inherited lies.
These lies are not almost correct.
These lies are not ‘close enough’ for Yahweh.
These lies are not mostly true, but just a little bit off.

Yahweh (God) says these lies are worthless and unprofitable.
That is not good for those who believe these lies.

What is the result of these inherited lies?
Scripture tells us…

Man-made gods, which are not really gods.

Does this remind you of Deuteronomy 4:29?
²⁸ There you will serve man-made gods of wood and stone, which do not see or hear or eat or smell. 

Yahweh told us it would happen, and then we see evidence of it in the prophecy of Jeremiah.

“Yes, but the churches have created these statues out of reverence for God. Surely, God will appreciate that, right?”

If this thought is still running around in your mind, please go back to the top and begin reading this study again, from the start.

No, Yahweh (God) does not appreciate our disobedience.
He warns us of the consequences all throughout scripture.
There are no do-overs.
Hebrews 10:26-31 tells us there is no sacrifice (by Messiah) that remains for willful disobedience. Instead, we can expect fiery judgement (don’t believe me? Go read it…).

Do you understand what I’m showing you in scripture here today?
Our mainstream doctrine is made of inherited lies.
Our mainstream doctrine has created gods which are not gods.
Not because I say so, but because Yahweh Himself says so, through His prophets Moses and Jeremiah.

This is barely scratching the surface of things.
Are you still wondering if there is any chance I could possibly be right about this?

Please do this, if you are not sure:
Review the following from Deuteronomy 12:
Deuteronomy 12:4
⁴ You shall not worship the Lord your God with such things.

Deuteronomy 12:9
⁸ “You shall not at all do as we are doing here today—every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes—

Deuteronomy 12:29-32
²⁹ “When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, ³⁰ take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ ³¹ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.
³² “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.

Yahweh (God) clearly tells us to not worship Him in the way the pagans worship their gods. We are told this multiple times.

Google “the pagan origins of Christmas.”
Read up and decide if Deuteronomy 12 applies.

Then Google “the pagan origins of Easter.”
Read up and decide if Deuteronomy 12 applies.

If you’d like some help with this, please watch the videos in the links provided below. People have studied these things and provided videos for our benefit.
Don’t know or trust those ministries?
That’s ok.
You can study these topics for yourself .

CLICKABLE Links to video teachings:
What is Pagan [119 Ministries]
Hosea’s Christmas Tree [119 Ministries]
Let the Christmas Trees Rejoice [119 Ministries]
Pagan Origins of Easter and Christmas Exposed [Jim Staley]
The Origins of Easter
And there are many more.  Too many to share here…

Please do this…
If we have inherited lies…
[and if you believe scripture to be true, then you have to take this seriously]
…we need to see if these lies have consequences.

In Revelation 22:15, in Messiah’s final words to us, He gives this warning about who will NOT be in His kingdom:

Revelation 22:15
“But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.”

This is a direct quote from Messiah Yeshua.
If you happen to love and practice a lie, you will not be in His kingdom.
This is worth evaluating, even if it goes against everything you’ve been taught and believe.

Actually, ESPECIALLY if this goes against what you have been taught and believe.