What Is Sacrilege – and How Should Christians Respond?

Sacrilege can sometimes fall into that messy category of things that are difficult to define, but someone recognizes it when they see it. The dictionary provides the following definition, “the violation or profanation of anything sacred or held sacred; an instance of this; the stealing of anything consecrated to the service of God.”

In life, this plays out in different ways. It usually manifests as desecrating the Bible, destroying crosses or sacred sights, and marking it up with vulgar language. Theft from the church can also be seen as sacrilege under this definition. In the Old Testament, it was easier to identify moments of sacrilege because God usually responded directly. When priests mishandled sacred items in the tabernacle or temple, or Israel’s enemies mocked Him directly, there were usually repercussions.

Much of what constitutes sacrilege falls under the purview of violating “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain” (Exodus 20:7). Disgracing God’s name is sacrilegious as it gets to the heart of what believers hold sacred, God Himself. He is called God because He identified himself that way. “God said to Moses: ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14). Abusing the name of God is, in some ways, the ultimate act of sacrilege, as it directly disrespects God.

Not everything that offends Christian or Jewish sensibilities constitutes an act of sacrilege. For example, someone mocking an individual for being stupid and worshipping a sky-daddy may be offensive, but they are not directly attacking the name or image of God, nor are they stealing from that which has been consecrated to the Lord. Insulting Christians is not sacrilege, even if it feels hurtful. Sacrilege requires explicit abuse, theft, or destruction of the sacred.

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Being able to identify sacrilege is partly intuitive, and partly based on recognizing it from moments in the Bible. God’s Word exists, in part, to instruct and to warn people about what is right and wrong. There are several instances of acts that can be seen as sacrilegious, and God treats them as such.

1. Aaron’s Sons

The tribe of Levi did not inherit land like the others, but instead they were sanctified to serve in the temple of the Lord. They made the sacrifices and helped maintain the law. Moses and his family were of the tribe of Levi, and Aaron was the first High Priest of Israel. He had two sons, Nadab and Abihu, who violated the rules and regulations of sacrifices. Leviticus records,

“Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them.  And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord” (Leviticus 10:1-2).

Their wrongful actions were sacrilegious due to the flagrant disobedience which violated the tabernacle space.

2. Eli’s Sons

Eli was God’s high priest in the temple when the prophet Samuel was born, and during his youth. Like Aaron, Eli had two sons who were meant to inherit his duties. Their names were Hophni and Phineas. The Bible does not have much to say about them, but, “ Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the Lord” (1 Samuel 2:12).

Among their sins were having sex with many women and sacrilege by abusing the sacrificial system. “Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt” (1 Samuel 2:17). God cut off the line of Eli because of their behavior, and Hophni and Phineas died at the hands of the Philistines.

3. The Destruction of the Temple

For centuries, God came to His people in the tabernacle, which was not a permanent structure. King Solomon built and dedicated the first permanent temple in Jerusalem, and in the following centuries it was often ransacked, and ultimately leveled by invading forces. Kings Jehoash, Josiah, and Hezekiah helped restore the temple at various points in the nation's history, and it had to be completely rebuilt under the supervision of Nehemiah after the exile.

It was destroyed one more time, rebuilt by the Herod family centuries later. These acts of violating the temple through destruction and pillaging were sacrilege committed by pagan enemies of Israel. Many of these nations eventually died out or were destroyed by their own enemies later in time.

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In the early years of the church, the new Christians were figuring out how to live together, work together, and obey the Great Commission. In Jerusalem after Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came to reside in each believer, “There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need” (Acts 4:34-35).

There were two individuals named Ananias and Sapphira who sold some of their land, but chose to keep some of the money for themselves. When they presented the money to the Apostles, they lied. It was not sacrilege to keep some of the money, but their intention was not just to deceive fellow believers, but to the Holy Spirit; “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?  While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God” (Acts 5:3-4).

They came claiming to be giving the money in the name of the Lord for the sake of fellow Christians, but took God’s name in vain, and tried to deceive Him.

5. The Abomination of Desolation

One of the ultimate acts of sacrilege is prophesied in several places across the Bible, including the Book of Daniel and the Olivet Discourse. Jesus said, “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Matthew 5:15).

Jesus refers to a prophecy from Daniel which reads, “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days” (Daniel 12:11). While many scholars dispute what the specific abomination is, many believe it is related to Antiochus Epiphanes outlawing the practice of the Jewish faith and erecting a statue of Zeus in the temple. Some scholars believe this event is the one prophesied, while others argue that Jesus refers to an action that will be committed by the Antichrist during the Tribulation that will be like the one by Antiochus, but on a larger scale.

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Christians should make sure they conduct themselves with a combination of love, joy, and appropriate reverence for God. While the Lord is not striking people down with lightning as soon as they say something foolish or shake their fist at God for not doing what they want, they will still have to answer to God for their actions.

Some people do not commit sacrilege, but fall into the trap of seeing Jesus only as the meek lamb and their friend, and forget that He is also the roaring lion and judge. One day everyone will see Jesus in His full glory, and the Apostle Paul wrote that on that day, “...at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the hearth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10a-11).

God will be revered and loved. It can be difficult to imagine seeing God in His full glory, but there is a glimpse of how people might feel. Isaiah was given a vision of the Lord on the throne, and he declared, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:5). Isaiah loved the Lord, but was still struck by how unworthy He was before a perfect God.

Christians’ sins are covered by the blood of Jesus. Just like He calls people to love Him during this life, those who love Him should also revere Him. This respect would also include not taking the Lord’s name in vain.

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There is not much that can be done when non-believers desecrate sacred objects or images, or profane the name of God. What Christians can do is not support it, and try to speak in love and truth with those who do. It is not for believers to try to return insults for insults or violence for violence. Jesus Christ said, “ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). The Apostle Paul also does not tell believers to respond angrily.

While believers can publicly condemn sacrilege, and express their dislike, it is important to forgive, and try to be a good witness to the non-believing world. Paul wrote, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:19-21). Keeping the focus on the Lord, His love, and His purposes and obeying His commands will keep believers on the right path, and will highlight God’s love to a sneering world.

The true source of sacrilege is the sin of pride, of putting oneself above God, thinking He does not deserve respect and reverence, despite being the source of all love and life. It is setting oneself against the Lord and expressing itself through action. God’s patience is extensive, and just because someone has committed sacrilege does not mean they are ultimately beyond the Lord’s forgiveness, but it does require sincere repentance, and the pursuit of a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Sources

Dictionary.com – Sacrilege

Alter, Robert. The David Story. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1999.

Calvin, John. Calvin's Complete Commentary on the Bible. United States of America: Delmarva Publications Inc., 2013.

Walvoord, John. Daniel. Chicago: Moody Press, 2012.

Weitzman, Steven. Surviving Sacrilege Cultural Persistence in Jewish Antiquity. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2005.

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