Pillars
Any Greek or Hebrew translations are quoted from
New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
James Strong, LL.D., S.T.D.
Thomas Nelson Publishers 1990 edition
A pillar of stone was erected by Jacob to signify the place where he talked with God. Genesis 34:14: And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. Jacob also set up a pillar in memory of Rachel. Genesis 35:20: And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day. In II Kings 23:3 the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant to God. II Kings 23:3: And the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant. Pillars are even a reference to people, or the church as a whole, in Galatians 2:9 and I Timothy 3:15. However, the pillar was also used by the pagans or heathens. Pillars were erected in connection with Baal worship. Deuteronomy 12:1-3: These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land which the Lord God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth. Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. The Hebrew word for ‘pillars’ in Deuteronomy 12:3 is “Matstsebah, mits-tsay-baw’; …an idol… garrison”. You notice that not only do you find the word idol but also the word garrison; a garrison is a stronghold. Many churches have created evil strongholds at the altar. They have set them up, as the pagans did, creating pagan altars of worship. A pillar of support is one thing, but to have a free standing pillar at a church altar surrounded by statues and images puts it in a whole different perspective.
(Also see my document on ‘groves or asherah poles’)
