Jethro
The Midianites were the descendants of Midian, who was a son of Abraham through his wife Keturah. This can be seen in the following Biblical passages. Genesis 25:1-2 1
The Midianites had an apparent religio-political connection with the Moabites were believed to worship a multitude of gods. There appears that some of Midianites worshipped Baal-peor and the Queen of Heaven, Ashteroth.
There was also an Egyptian temple of Hathor at Timna whih continued to be used during the Midianite occupation of the site. However, whether Hathor or some other deity was the object of devotion during this period is impossible to ascertain.
Therefore, even though the Midianites in general didn't worship the God of Israel, enough knowledge of Him must have existed among them for Jethro, Moses' Father-In-Law, to make the following statement after hearing about the Exodus, and God's miraculous freeing of the Jewish People from their Egyptian bondage:
- "And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. 10 And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them. 12 And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father in law before God." Exodus 18:9
The Kingdom of God is from generation to generation". And any and all generations may go into apostasy if the unmoore the ritual of religion from its purpose and precept.
Most people today do not understand words like worship or religion as used in history nor the purposes and functions of temples and priests.
Today, most of the functions of those temples is now provided through public religion. The early Church established by Jesus the Christ was providing the service that the modern Christian now go to the government of the world to obtain.
The Christian conflict with Rome was because they were willing to die rather than sign up for the benefits of their free bread and circuses which was the welfare of the State. Today modern Christian are back in the bondage of Egypt because of sloth and covetousness.
They have committed the error of the Nicolaitans and Baal.