Deuteronomy Chapter 13
One thing that is very clear in the Bible is how clear God is about the worship of Him alone. While other religions seem to make it up as they go along, God was clear right from the beginning that He alone was to be worshipped and worshipped in all purity. Religion wants to add in other practices of what feels right, and it wants to elevate man rather than God. I think of Israel of the Old Testament as a microcosm of what people should and should not do to please God. And for the most part we read about how Israel fell short and were examples of what not to do. To us on this side of history it seems that Israel was a complete failure, that they were so incredibly rebellious against God who had done so much for them. But then we must turn that mirror around and look at our history since the cross; we are no better, in fact we are so much worse and yet we have been redeemed by the shed blood of Jesus.
We must remind ourselves of this truth when what we read in this chapter seems too harsh. How could God tell His people to kill those who might have been a close family member who went astray and worshipped other gods? God was setting a precipice with His people Israel. That precipice is that He is God, and they are His people, they belong to Him. Therefore, worshipping other gods was and is a blasphemous betrayal. On this side of the cross the price has already been paid for all our shortcomings and sins, even the sin of betraying God. All that is required for that forgiveness is true repentance, and a recognition that Jesus is the Son of God.
John 4:23-24 “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. “
Let's Reflect
1. There is a warning about prophecies and dreams. Prophecies and dreams can be sent by God, but what is a sure sign that some are not of God?
2. According to verse 3, why does God allow these false prophecies to exist?
3. The key to worshipping God in the manner He is worthy of is found in verse 4. “You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and __________________________________.
4. God had strict judgement for those who led people astray to worship other gods. The punishment was death. According to verse 11 what was the expected outcome of such judgement?
5. God instructed them to be vigilant to search out communities that they had heard were worshipping other gods. If they found this to be true, the judgement was again death. They were to not only kill the worshippers of that community, but they were to also do what to that town?
6. When they carried out this judgement it literally stopped the anger of God. This is significant because God had previously told Moses that the worship of other gods was causing His anger to burn so hot that He wanted to take out all the Israelites and start over. What did God lovingly and mercifully tell the people would stop His anger? See the last verse. Note, this is what Jesus did for us when He died on the cross. He took on all of the wrath of God for our sins.
