The following article was written by Dani, a worker in Thailand.
In the morning, when the people of the town got up, there was Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar (Judges 6:28 ESV)!
If you ever visit Thailand, one of the first things you will notice is the number of shrines and idols that crowd daily life. Almost every home is accompanied by a spirit house, a shrine for protective spirits. Some trees, believed to be inhabited by spiritual beings, flow with colorful cloth, ribbons, and flowers. Taxi drivers paint symbols on the roofs of their cabs to ward off bad spirits. Street food vendors offer plates of food and incense in hopes that spirits will bring blessing. People wear amulets around their necks and place symbols above their doorways for protection.
When I pray over Bangkok, I often get a picture of a fat dragon coiling on top of the city, crushing the Thai people beneath it. Enslaved to this dragon, the people stumble, dragging heavy chains behind them. The dragon’s hot breath stifles them, and smoke from his nose pollutes the air.
You may wonder: why don’t the Thai people throw off these chains? Why do they continue appeasing the dragon? I think it is because they have been blinded. How can we open their eyes?
A friend recently visited a region of southern Asia. The believers there also face a culture filled with idol worship, and shared an insight from Judges 6:25-32. I will summarize the passage:
God tells Gideon to tear down his father’s altar to Baal, cut down the Asherah pole beside it, and build an altar to the Lord on top of the rubble. On this altar, Gideon must offer his father’s bull as a burnt offering, using the Asherah pole as fuel. Under the cover of night, Gideon takes ten servants to do as God said.
When the people of the town wake to discover Gideon’s actions, they go to his father’s house, demanding he hand over his son to be put to death. Gideon’s father responds, “Are you defending Baal? If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself.”
The believers in southern Asia noticed the difference in Gideon’s father: before Baal’s altar was destroyed, he was a staunch believer—blind to God. But with Baal’s altar gone, he had eyes to see that Baal was just stone, nothing more. This insight intrigues me.
With Baal’s altar gone, he had eyes to see that Baal was just stone, nothing more.
A dear friend and her family favor a particular serpent dragon called Payanak, worshiping him in hopes that he will protect their family and bring them prosperity. I have shared my faith with them and they seemed open, but suddenly lost interest. When my husband visits our Buddhist neighbor, he feels the strong man there too, binding our friend up during long conversations. We know other Thai people who are reading the Bible and even seem to experience God working in their lives, yet cannot see the Truth. It’s just out of their grasp.
Just like Baal, the idols in the houses of the Thai people are nothing more than stone and wood. And just like Gideon’s father before his idol was destroyed, the Thai people are blinded to God. We cannot walk into our neighbors’ houses and destroy their idols like Gideon did. So, what can we do? The believers my friend met with in South Asia are praying about this now.
Recently, my Thai Bible study has been studying the book of Revelation. One of the many things that have struck me during this study is that God wins. There is no question—Satan can only lose. I can rest assured that God will, in His perfect timing, open the eyes of the Thai people and set them free. One day, the dragon will be overthrown, and the Thai people will experience the incredible joy that comes from only their Creator.
Please join me as I pray for eyes to be opened, captives to be set free, and Christ’s love to transform Thailand, southern Asia, and all unreached peoples of the world.
Photo credit: pexels.com-Ramiro Poggi
