How many times in the whole Bible has it been commanded or mentioned or both to burn breakdown, or destroy idols? And how many times did it happen in the old testament too? & New testament? I would like to know. Cause I'm trying to get the point across. Israel was in ruin over this by the way how many times?
Deu 12:1 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.
Deu 12:2 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:
Deu 12:3 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.
Deu 7:5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.
Deu 7:25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God.
In the Old Testament God commands idols to be destroyed and any physical structures used for their false gods.
Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
1Th 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.
Act 15:20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
1Jn 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
In the New Testament it warns against idols.
In the Old Testament God allowed the Hebrews to fight physically to protect their land and to destroy the idols of the Canaanites, and those they conquered, and the idols of any Hebrew.
It was permitted because it was a physical covenant.
The Hebrews are the only people allowed to fight physically and be justified.
God allowed other nations to take down a nation and take His people captive for their disobedience but they were punished for it.
Isa 31:4 For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.
Isa 31:5 As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.
An example is this during New Testament times the 1967 6 day war which Israeli fighter pilots like birds flying paved the way to win that war and they took control of Jerusalem.
Israeli troops captured the Old City and the Western Wall for the first time in 2000 years, described by officials as a reunification of the city.
Israel quickly moved to integrate the eastern part of the city, significantly expanding its borders.
In the New Testament it is a spiritual covenant.
Love your enemies.
Feed and clothe your enemies.
Do violence to no person.
Bless them that curse you.
Do good to them that hate you..
Pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.
Turn the other cheek.
Luk 3:14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
Mat 26:51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.
Mat 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Because of this behavior the Christians are to have there is no mention of going against the heathen and destroying their idols.
God does not want physical fighting between the saints and the heathen avoiding conflicts.
Jesus came and gave salvation and violence between the saints and the heathen can hinder that.
Because showing love is the best way to reach them.
And trying to force them does not work for they will only bow the knee to save their skin and will not believe in their heart at least the majority of them.
We do not fight for the kingdom of God by physical force.
Which the Roman Catholic Church could not understand that with their war mongering ways trying to extend Christianity by physical force.
The Pope apologized for the world knows what they do and they would be shunned if they tried anything.
And they do not have the power to do anything anyway compared to the world going against it.
But they will go back to persecution like the old days to enforce their ways as the Pope embraces the new age christianity.
And gives support to the New Age Christ, antichrist.