And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.
Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our heart with food and gladness. And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them. - Acts 14:11
All Saints and angels would have done the same thing if people had tried to worship them the same way they tried to worship Paul and the same way many people are doing right now. Worship belongs to God and only God. He alone has created the heavens and earth. We all are the works of his hands.
It is true we have to love and respect the servants of God who have paid a lot of sacrifices for the kingdom of God. Those who had been persecuted for preaching the good news and brutally killed.
But worshiping a human being is one of the greatest sins in the Bible.Worship belongs to God and not to human beings.When we spend more time preaching about human beings rather than God.
When we dedicate day and month just for saints to just have communication with them in the spirit, it is one way of worshiping them.
I would say if we try to pray to a person (saint person that has already died) rather than to God himself (even to ask forgiveness from God through prayer), is some kind of worship which is not biblical.
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. - Revelation. 19 10
Only Jesus can intercede for us to the father. He is our High Priest that had completely paid the price of the death of sin. He continually intercedes for us with him.
When we offend God, we offend Jesus also. So he has to present your case to him and to the father when you come to him with a broken heart and ask for forgiveness.
He is doing it for you all the time, no time restriction applied. That is how we maintain the good relationship with him.
God (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) is jealous God and he cannot share his glory with any other person.
Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 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; - Exodus 20:3
When the Bible says in this place “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
It means we should not put anything above the love and respect we have for God.
Whether it is work or family. Whether it is the person or an angel. Whether it is money or fame. Whether it is drugs or immorality.
Anything should not have any power over our lives mo
e than what the Lord has commanded us to do. That is to love him with all our strength, heart, and will. If we pray sometimes directly to Jesus and sometimes to an angel of God, that is sharing God’s glory with a creation.
If we dedicate an entire day just to think about saints and angels and have the rituals for them, that is one form of worship and it is considered as a sin in the Bible.
According to Revelation 5, only the Son of God is worthy to open the book of Judgment and loose the seals of condemnation. Therefore, he is the only person worthy of our praise and worship.
And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to lo0se the seals thereof?
And no man in heaven, nor in the earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. - Revelation 5
Jesus, only you are worthy of our praise!! We give you all the glory and honor that you deserve. We worship you all the days of our lives. Amen!!