Queen of heaven

Description

In Jeremiah 7 and 44, the “queen of heaven” is an object of worship to whom incense and offerings were given. Jeremiah calls this worship unfaithfulness to God. The biblical text therefore describes actual idolatry, but does not define a separate demon or spiritual power bearing this name.

In his book “Confronting the Queen of Heaven”, C. Peter Wagner presents the “Queen of Heaven” as a spiritual power behind such worship. Some contemporary deliverance ministries use similar language. This is their spiritual interpretation, not a literal formulation from the Book of Jeremiah.

What matters most remains the actual act of idolatrous devotion: prayer, a vow, an offering, consecration or entrusting oneself to a created spiritual figure in a way that gives that figure the place belonging to God. Merely growing up in a particular tradition or belonging to a denomination does not automatically mean spiritual bondage.

The Christian response leads to directing trust and devotion towards God through Jesus Christ. If specific vows or acts of worship have taken place, they can be confessed, rejected and broken in prayer, without contempt for the person or their family.

Symptoms / signs

Directing prayers, requests or acts of entrustment to a female spiritual figure instead of God, attributing omniscience, omnipresence, mediation or authority belonging to God to a created being, strong fear of questioning inherited religious practices, and placing revelations, tradition or worship above the clear text of Scripture.

Possible roots / causes

Family and cultural religious tradition, specific vows and acts of consecration, practices of worship, seeking maternal protection in a spiritual figure, and not having previously examined inherited practices in the light of Scripture.

Doors / context

Specific prayers, vows, offerings, acts of consecration and entrustment directed towards the “queen of heaven” or another spiritual figure in a way that gives that figure a role in worship. Simply coming from a particular culture or family is not sufficient evidence.

Effects

Shifting spiritual trust from God to a created being, dependence on rituals and intermediaries, fear of questioning tradition, and resistance to a direct relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Help / what next

Calmly examine specific practices in the light of Scripture, repent of and renounce acts of worship or entrustment recognised as idolatrous, break specific vows, and direct prayer to God through Jesus Christ. Without ridiculing the person or their family.

Information from De Oppresso Liber

The Library of Knowledge and Discernment is based on the Bible and on materials and teaching from various Christian ministries involved in prayer for deliverance. We are not creating our own demonology and do not assume that all the classifications presented here are recognised equally by every church and ministry.

The expression “Queen of Heaven” occurs in the Bible (Jeremiah 7:18; 44:15–19) in the context of worship, offering sacrifices and burning incense. Some contemporary Christian deliverance ministries also apply this biblical pattern to particular forms of Marian devotion — this is the theological interpretation of those circles. Including this card is not intended as an attack on Catholics. We present an issue found in the teaching of some deliverance ministries, identify its sources, and leave readers the opportunity to consult them and exercise their own discernment.

“We will continue to offer incense to the queen of heaven, as we and our fathers have done.”
Jeremiah 44:17; cf. Jeremiah 7:18 and 44:17–25. Teaching sources: C. Peter Wagner — “Confronting the Queen of Heaven”; Prayer M. Madueke — “Queen of Heaven: Wife of Satan”.