We continue, from part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, considering Ernest L. Martin, Ph.D.’s article titled, “Lingering Idolatry in the Temple of God,” AskELM (as in Ask Ernest L. Martin about whom I previously wrote Nightmare on AskElm Street – angelic “Sons of God”?), September 1, 2000 AD which contains some interesting point, some thought provoking speculations and some very serious errors.
In apparent contradiction to 2 Maccabees 2’s claim that the items will be revealed once again Jeremiah 3 notes the following as quoted and bracketed by Martin (which I quote in part):
they shall say no more, ‘The ark of the covenant of YHWH: neither shall it [the ark] come to mind: neither shall they remember it [the ark]; neither shall they visit it [the ark]; neither shall that be done any more” [allowing images of Cherubs for an Ark of the Covenant].’
At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of YHWH; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of YHWH, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.”
The Maccabees and Jeremiah text will come into play when we get to Martin’s eschatological views. But next, he claims “the two Cherubs that made up the one image in the Holy of Holies had personal names…That is right. Those names are revealed in the Holy Scriptures.” Relying on 2 Maccabees, he states that “the Tent (or Tabernacle) that housed the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies” which, he specifies, is a “separate ‘Tabernacle’ is mentioned in First Kings 1:39” and that the Tent was hidden.
We finally get to Amos 5:25-26 which Martin quotes and comment on thusly:
“Have you offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O House of Israel? But you have borne the Tabernacle [the special Tent] of your Moloch and Chiun your images [there were two images], the star of your Elohim [the Star — a single “star” of your “gods”], which you made to yourselves.”
Martin emphasizes that the two Cherubim were “soldered together as one image” and now notes that the Tent “contained two images that were indeed a single ‘Star’ (an image molded together into one image of two heavenly beings).” Keep this in mind as we continue by noting that he concludes that the two Cherubim were “named by the Israelites…Moloch (which is the Hebrew word for ‘King’ or ‘King Star’ which was the name given to the planet Jupiter). The other was Chiun (which was another name for the planet Saturn…” He then trails off about planetary conjunctions and writes that when “Jupiter (Moloch) and Saturn (Chiun) ‘face each other’” they “become like a ‘Single Star.’”
Of course, commentaries differ on the meaning of these term as exampled by the Benson Commentary which notes, “it is probable that by Moloch is meant the sun…Chiun, rendered by the LXX. Rephan or Remphan, according to Vossius, it signifies the moon; but Aben Ezra understands it of Saturn.” Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary notes, “‘Molech’ means ‘king’ answering to Mars [Bengel]; the Sun [Jablonski]; Saturn, the same as ‘Chiun’ [Maurer].” Matthew Poole’s Commentary notes, “Chiun: perhaps if we understand the whole apparatus or storehouse of their images…Others will have Chiun to be Saturn.” Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible notes, “perhaps by one was meant the sun, and by the other the moon,” etc.
That the Cherubim were “as one image” which results in “a single ‘Star’” is not only nonsensical but unexplained, it is merely asserted: what does it mean that two images soldered, as it were, atop the mercy seat result in a star? (although, surely anyone could photo-shop what they think a Cherub looks like and how the position of their bodies results in the form of a star—somehow). The point is that he is seeking to make the God inspired ark into the God condemned ark—as he sees it. For example, he generically asserts that Moloch means “King” which it does “or” or so he merely asserts, “King Star” which is certainly news. Moreover, supposedly, Moloch and Chiun represent the planets Jupiter and Saturn and yet, somehow two planets depicted facing each other (however it may be that one sphere can face another sphere) results in a star (meaning what exactly? Another sphere such as the star we call “Sun,” a pentagram, a hexagram; what exactly?).