What was an Asherah pole?

from the old testament

• An Asherah pole was a sacred pole (or sometimes a tree) used in the worship of the pagan goddess Asherah. The Old Testament repeatedly mentions Asherah poles as symbols of idolatry and one of the ways the Israelites sinned against the Lord by worshiping other gods (Exodus 34:13; Deuteronomy 16:21; Judges 3:7; 2 Kings 23:6).
• The first mention of the Asherah pole is in Exodus 34:13 (NIV): "Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles." The Israelites were commanded to destroy any Asherah pole they found among the other people in the land.
• Asherah poles and Asherah worship were against the law God gave to Moses. Israel's use of these objects was sinful and in contradiction with His teachings to worship only the Lord (Exodus 20) and that He alone was God (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).
• In Deuteronomy 16:21, the Lord commanded the people of Israel to not make Asherah poles of their own. However, it did not take long for the Israelites to disobey this command. In Judges 3:7, we read, "And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. They forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asheroth." Instead of obeying God's commands, they worshiped the gods of the people God sent them to drive out.
• God later used Gideon as one of the judges who would stand against this practice of the Asherah pole. He cut down his father's Asherah pole as part of God's call for reform (Judges 6:25-27).
• Asherah was considered a fertility goddess, and worship connected to her was often associated with practices that violated the moral commands God had given Israel (Deuteronomy 23:17–18; 1 Kings 14:23–24).
• Some scholars suggest that the “Queen of Heaven” condemned by the prophet Jeremiah may refer to Asherah, though this identification is uncertain (Jeremiah 7:18; Jeremiah 44:17–19).
• Because she was viewed as a fertility deity, the rituals connected to her worship frequently included sexual practices that were forbidden under the law God gave to Israel (Leviticus 18:24–30).
• Asherah poles were often connected with places of worship known in Scripture as “high places,” where pagan rituals were carried out on hilltops or mountains (1 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 17:10).
• After the temple was built in Jerusalem under King Solomon as the central place for worshiping the Lord (1 Kings 8:27–30), the use of high places for other gods became a sign of spiritual rebellion. Those who worshiped at these sites were not only honoring false gods but also rejecting the way and place God had appointed for His worship (Deuteronomy 12:2–5; 2 Kings 23:13).
• Many of the revivals in the books of Kings and Chronicles involved destroying and removing Asherah poles from among the people of God. In one case, King Josiah of Judah had an Asherah pole ground to powder and its dust spread over the graves of the dead (2 Kings 23:6).

from the new testament

• The New Testament does not mention Asherah poles specifically, but it continues the Old Testament rejection of idolatry. In 1 Corinthians 10:14, believers are commanded: “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.” Idolatry is a sin because it gives worship and devotion to something other than God, replacing the honor that belongs to Him alone (Romans 1:21–23; 1 John 5:21).
• 1 John 5:21 reinforces the same principle behind the Old Testament commands: God alone is worthy of worship, and objects used to represent or enable the worship of other gods must be rejected.

implications for today

We may not be worshipping around poles or on high places today, but the call to flee from idolatry is still just as applicable. Idolatry happens whenever we give ultimate devotion, trust, or identity to something other than God—whether that is success, money, relationships, influence, comfort, or cultural values. Like the Asherah poles in Israel, these things can quietly become symbols of misplaced trust that compete with the worship that belongs to the Lord alone.

Another danger connected with the Asherah poles was syncretism, the blending of worship of the Lord with the practices of surrounding cultures. Israel was repeatedly warned not to adopt the religious customs of the nations around them because doing so would lead to divided loyalties and hearts that were not fully devoted to God (Deuteronomy 12:2–5). Instead of standing apart as God’s people, they often began to look more like the world around them, worshipping the Lord while also adopting pagan practices.

We must recognize and tear down anything that competes with wholehearted devotion to God, just as Israel was commanded to destroy the idols in their land. When we examine our priorities, attitudes, and actions in light of God’s Word, we can identify anything that has taken His rightful place in our hearts. Turning away from idols and returning our devotion fully to God allows us to live with undivided loyalty, loving Him with all our heart, soul, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:4–5).