How long has false god worship been a problem for humanity?
False god worship has plagued humanity at least since the Tower of Babel. It is an innate bent in human nature to follow the drawing power to worship a false god, expressed through idols and pagan worship. Even Israel, despite proof of the living God, followed pagan gods.
Les explains that the sins listed in verse 20—idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, and heresies—can be lumped together under idolatry or pagan worship. He then goes back to Jeremiah, saying false-god worship has plagued the human race ever since the Tower of Babel at least. It is innate in human nature to follow the drawing power to worship a false god, idols of one sort or another. Even Israel, who had proof of the living God from their beginning, followed pagan gods, as in Jeremiah 44 starting at verse 18 and the controversy Elijah had on Mount Carmel with the prophets of Baal.