II. Profane Worship

To worship HaShem in the way that the non-believers worship their gods profanes His Name, and brings judgement. (What does this say about the supposedly new practices creeping into congregations these days (i.e., hypnotherapy, past life regression, visualization techniques, etc.)

When the L-rd your G-d cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, "How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise." You shall not worship the L-rd your G-d in that way; for every abomination to the L-rd which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it. (Deut 12:29-32)

And you shall not let any of your descendants pass through {the} {fire} to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your G-d: I {am} the L-rd. (Lev 18:21)

Again, you shall say to the children of Israel: "Whoever of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who gives {any} of his descendants to Molech, he shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone him with stones. I will set My face against that man, and will cut him off from his people, because he has given {some} of his descendants to Molech, to defile My sanctuary and profane My holy name. (Lev 20:2,3)

HaShem, our G-d, is not our buddy! He is not the old man upstairs? He is the Holy One of Israel and He must be regarded as such! When we each stand before Him, and the light of His holiness hits us, we will definitely know that He is holy, for His holiness will be overwhelming.

Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censor and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the L-rd, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the L-rd and devoured them, and they died before the L-rd. And Moses said to Aaron, "This is what the L-rd spoke, saying: "By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified..." (Lev 10:1-3)

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the L-rd sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His {robe} filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy {is} the L-rd of hosts; The whole earth {is} full of His glory!" And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: "Woe {is} me, for I am undone! Because I {am} a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The L-rd of hosts." (Isa 6:1-5)

Approaching HaShem with our lips but not with our hearts is tantamount to considering His name as something common.

As for you, O house of Israel," thus says the L-rd G-d: "Go, serve every one of you his idols, and hereafter, if you will not obey me; but profane My holy name no more with your gifts and your idols." (Ezek. 20:39)

"For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name {shall be} great among the Gentiles; In every place incense {shall be} offered to My name, and a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations" Says the L-rd of hosts. But you profane it, in that you say, 'The table of the L-rd is defiled; And its fruit, its food, {is} contemptible.' You also say, 'Oh, what a weariness!' And you sneer at it," Says the L-rd of hosts. "And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; Thus you bring an offering! Should I accept this from your hand?" Says the L-rd. (Mal 1:11-13)