Yes, in Jeremiah 44 the women of Israel were the primary active participants in idolatry, burning incense to the queen of heaven, while the men knew about it.
Jeremiah 44 reveals that the wives burned incense unto other gods and that the men knew their wives were doing it. A great multitude of women stood with the people in refusing to listen to Jeremiah's message. Les Feldick points out that when it comes to apostasy and spiritual things, the women lead the way.
Jeremiah 44:15 — This verse explicitly states that all the men who knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods — showing the women were the ones actively burning incense, with the men's knowledge.
In Jeremiah 44, the women of Israel are depicted as actively participating in idolatry by burning incense to other gods. Jeremiah 44:15 notes, 'Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude...' This indicates that the wives were the ones burning incense, while the men were aware of it. A great multitude of women also joined with the people in Egypt and Pathos in declaring they would not hearken to Jeremiah's word spoken in the name of the Lord. The people's response in Jeremiah 44:16-17 shows their deliberate determination: 'As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her.' The Scripture also records in Jeremiah 44:19 that the women said, 'When we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her without our men?' — showing the women's active role in making cakes and pouring out drink offerings to this female deity, apparently with the involvement or knowledge of their men.
Les Feldick emphasizes that when it comes to apostasy and spiritual things, the women lead the way. He points to Jeremiah 44:15, where the men knew their wives had burned incense unto other gods — indicating the women were the active participants. He connects this to the queen of heaven, explaining that the term refers to the worship of female goddesses, such as Ashtoreth or Venus, which was at the very core of most abject idolatry. Les also teaches that whenever worship of female goddesses was involved, immorality hit new lows. He states that this was true in Egypt, Babylon, Greece, and Rome — when they went into the worship of a female goddess, it was gross immorality. He shows Israel, God's covenant people with the Temple and priesthood, responding to Jeremiah with a determined refusal to listen, saying they would continue burning incense to the queen of heaven because they believed that since they left off that worship, they had wanted all things and been consumed by sword and famine. Les calls this reasoning ridiculous. Furthermore, Les ties this to the broader pattern that Satan started with the woman in the Garden of Eden, and that throughout Israel's history, women often led in apostasy and idolatry. He notes that when it gets to pagan, idolatrous worship, nothing is ever as grossly immoral as the worship of female goddesses. He also observes that idolatry always leads to abject immorality in the name of religion.
Les Feldick explains that the term 'queen of heaven' immediately tells you it was the worship of the female goddesses. It was Ashtoreth in one case, it was Venus in another, but it was always that same female goddess that was at the very core of most abject idolatry. When worship of the female goddesses was involved, immorality hit new lows.
Les Feldick shows that the people, including the women, stubbornly refused to hearken to Jeremiah's word spoken in the name of the Lord. They declared, 'We will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven.' They even claimed that when they worshiped the queen of heaven they had plenty of victuals and saw no evil, but since they left off that worship they had wanted all things and been consumed by sword and famine. Les points out that this was a lie — it was just the opposite.
Les Feldick teaches that whenever it gets to pagan, idolatrous worship, nothing is ever as grossly immoral as the worship of the female goddesses. He states this was true in Egypt, Babylon, Greece, and Rome. In Jeremiah 44, Israel was burning incense to the queen of heaven, and this was accompanied by immorality. He also connects this to the broader principle that whenever you go into idolatry, you go into abject immorality as well — in the name of religion.
Les Feldick notes that the incense they burned in the cities of Judah and streets of Jerusalem did not go unnoticed — the Lord remembered it, and it came into his mind, so that the Lord could no longer bear because of their evil. He then refers to 2 Kings 17, where the Northern Kingdom was carried away because of their idolatry and wickedness. The people had served idols whereof the Lord had said, 'You shall not do this thing,' and they would not hear but hardened their necks.
Satan Started with the Woman
Les Feldick introduces Jeremiah 44 to show that Satan started with the woman in the Garden, and that this pattern continued through Israel's history.
Women Lead the Way in Apostasy
Les shows that in Jeremiah 44:15, the men knew their wives had burned incense to other gods, and he explicitly says that in apostasy and spiritual things, women lead the way. He identifies the queen of heaven as a female goddess like Ashtoreth or Venus.
Queen of Heaven and Female Goddesses
Les explains that the queen of heaven refers to the worship of female goddesses and that such worship was accompanied by immorality reaching new lows.
Gross Immorality of Female Goddess Worship
Les emphasizes that the worship of female goddesses was always grossly immoral, and he reads the people's stubborn refusal to forsake burning incense to the queen of heaven.
The People's Lie About Prosperity
Les reveals that the people's claim of having plenty of food and no evil while worshiping the queen of heaven was a lie — it was the opposite. He shows how the people made cakes to worship her and poured out drink offerings.
People's Ridiculous Reasoning
Les points out the ridiculous reasoning of the people who thought that if they stopped worshiping the queen of heaven, they would lack everything. He also shows Jeremiah confronting the people and reminds them that the Lord remembered their evil, leading to judgment.
Idolatry Leads to Abject Immorality
Les teaches that idolatry always leads to abject immorality in the name of religion, and he references 2 Kings 17 to show Israel's wickedness and their refusal to hear.
Israel's Unbelievable Apostasy
Les marvels that Israel, a covenant people with God's miraculous works, came to such a low spiritual condition, and he introduces Jeremiah 44:16 as the people's response to Jeremiah's plea.
Jeremiah 44:15: Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,
This verse shows that the wives were the ones burning incense to other gods, while the men knew about it, establishing the women's active role.
Jeremiah 44:16: As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.
The people's response demonstrates their determined refusal to obey God's word through Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 44:17: But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.
This verse explicitly mentions burning incense to the queen of heaven, a female deity, and shows the people's defiance.
Jeremiah 44:18: But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.
The people falsely claim that their troubles began when they stopped worshiping the queen of heaven.
Jeremiah 44:19: And the women said, When we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her without our men?
The women themselves affirm their active participation in worshiping the queen of heaven, making cakes and pouring drink offerings.
Jeremiah 44:21: The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it not into his mind?
Jeremiah reminds the people that God remembered their idolatrous incense burning, leading to judgment.
2 Kings 17:11-12: And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger: For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.
Les references this passage to show the pattern of idolatry leading to wickedness and God's judgment on the Northern Kingdom.
In Jeremiah 44, the women were the primary active participants in idolatry. They burned incense to other gods and to the queen of heaven, made cakes to worship her, and poured out drink offerings. The men knew that their wives were doing this.
Les Feldick teaches that the queen of heaven refers to a female goddess, such as Ashtoreth or Venus. The term indicates the worship of female goddesses, which was at the core of most abject idolatry.
The people were determined to continue burning incense to the queen of heaven, believing that since they left off that worship they had wanted all things. They would not hearken to Jeremiah's warning in the name of the Lord.
Les states that when it comes to apostasy and spiritual things, the women lead the way. He points to Jeremiah 44 and the fact that the wives burned incense while the men knew about it.
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