The Worship of Mary is the Queen of Heaven Idolatry
The Scriptures give an unwavering command: to worship the LORD God alone. Yet, across the religious landscape, the figure of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is elevated from a blessed woman to a powerful celestial being—a Queen of Heaven—to whom prayers and devotion are directed. This raises a crucial, prophetic question: Is this devotion to Mary a new phenomenon, or is it a dangerous continuation of the ancient idolatry God condemned? A direct examination of the Bible reveals that the worship of any “Mother in Heaven” is a fulfillment and continuation of the Queen of Heaven practice that brought divine judgment upon ancient Israel.
The Stern Warning: The Forbidden “Queen of Heaven”
The Bible provides a severe and unmistakable warning against the worship of a “Queen of Heaven.” This historical idolatry, practiced by Israel during the time of Jeremiah, was not merely a side issue; it was the sin that provoked God’s fierce displeasure and led to devastating national judgment:
“The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.” — Jeremiah 7:18 (KJV)
This condemned “Queen of Heaven” worship was an ancient pagan practice that substituted the worship of the LORD for devotion directed at a celestial mother figure. It was a direct affront to God’s exclusive claim on the heart and worship of His people.
The elevation of Mary in devotional prayers (such as the “Hail Holy Queen”), titles (“Queen of Heaven,” “Queen of Peace”), and rituals (votive candles, chaplets) mirrors the very practices condemned in Jeremiah, placing a human figure in a divine role.
The Unwavering Command: No Intercessor but Christ
To claim Mary holds a powerful intercessory role in heaven is to deny the most exclusive truth of the New Testament—that salvation and access to God are granted through one, and only one, Mediator.
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” — 1 Timothy 2:5 (KJV)
Jesus Christ is the only High Priest who can carry our petitions to the Father (Hebrews 4:14-16). To direct prayer or devotion to Mary, or any other person, is to bypass the sole, divinely appointed channel. Mary herself confirmed her human need for redemption:
“And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” — Luke 1:46-47 (KJV)
She is a saved servant of the Lord, not a saving intercessor.
The Prophetic Hotspot: The False Symbol of Revelation 12
The prophetic Scriptures further confirm the danger of diverting worship. The Woman of Revelation 12, often mistakenly identified as Mary in a glorified sense, is actually a prophetic symbol for the true Church, God’s faithful people, from whom Christ arose:
“And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars…” — Revelation 12:1-2 (KJV)
This figure is the collective body of God’s covenant people. To mistake this symbol of the Church for an individual object of devotion is a dangerous error that only serves to perpetuate the ancient Queen of Heaven deception under a new name.
The Return Question: The Pure Focus of the End Time
As we look toward The Lord’s Return, the message for the final generation is to purify our worship. The Bible provides clear warning that in the last days, Satan will seek to deceive the world into false worship (Revelation 13).
The evidence is clear: the worship of Mary as a Queen in Heaven, a mediatrix, or a powerful intercessor, is a doctrinal development that stands in direct opposition to the Second Commandment and the exclusive mediation of Christ. It is a modern manifestation of the ancient, condemned idolatry of the “Queen of Heaven.”
The faithful remnant, those awaiting the Lord’s return, must turn their devotion and prayer solely to the LORD:
“And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.” — Isaiah 66:23 (KJV)
We are commanded to keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, which means the absolute rejection of any worship directed to any figure other than the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit.