DO NOT WORSHIP OTHER GODS

Deuteronomy 12:29-13:18 / Keywords 13:3-4

you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.

 

12:29 The Lord your God will cut off before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess. But when you have driven them out and settled in their land, 30 and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, “How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.” 31 You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.

32 See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.[a]

13:1 [b]If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a sign or wonder, 2 and if the sign or wonder spoken of takes place, and the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. 5 That prophet or dreamer must be put to death for inciting rebellion against the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. That prophet or dreamer tried to turn you from the way the Lord your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you.

6 If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you love, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, 7 gods of the peoples around you, whether near or far, from one end of the land to the other), 8 do not yield to them or listen to them. Show them no pity. Do not spare them or shield them. 9 You must certainly put them to death. Your hand must be the first in putting them to death, and then the hands of all the people. 10 Stone them to death, because they tried to turn you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 11 Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and no one among you will do such an evil thing again.

12 If you hear it said about one of the towns the Lord your God is giving you to live in 13 that troublemakers have arisen among you and have led the people of their town astray, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (gods you have not known), 14 then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly. And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you, 15 you must certainly put to the sword all who live in that town. You must destroy it completely,[c] both its people and its livestock. 16 You are to gather all the plunder of the town into the middle of the public square and completely burn the town and all its plunder as a whole burnt offering to the Lord your God. That town is to remain a ruin forever, never to be rebuilt, 17 and none of the condemned things[d] are to be found in your hands. Then the Lord will turn from his fierce anger, will show you mercy, and will have compassion on you. He will increase your numbers, as he promised on oath to your ancestors— 18 because you obey the Lord your God by keeping all his commands that I am giving you today and doing what is right in his eyes.

Footnotes

a. Deuteronomy 12:32 In Hebrew texts this verse (12:32) is numbered 13:1.

b. Deuteronomy 13:1 In Hebrew texts 13:1-18 is numbered 13:2-19.

c. Deuteronomy 13:15 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.

d. Deuteronomy 13:17 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.

1. The Lord warned the Israelites about the idol worship in the new land, knowing that their hearts were easily attracted by it. He instructed them to follow God’s word, not adding to it or taking away from it. A false prophet or a dreamer would appear and try to lead them to idol worship. But if they loved God wholeheartedly, they would discern it and purge such evil from among them. Loving God means to know Him personally and follow His word, not people’s smooth talk and flattery. The time of temptation is the time of testing if we love God and revere him with all our hearts.

 

2. A tempter could be a family member or a close friend. But the rule should not be relaxed. God wanted them to stand on the Lord’s side firmly. Our love for God and commitment to His word should be consistent and absolute. Troublemakers could tempt and lead the whole town astray to idol worship, but God commanded them to punish the whole town. A group of people’s Idol worship and rebellion against God does not mean that we go along with majority or avoid dealing with what is wrong. In the end God judges everyone according to what they have done. We should guard against Satan's plot to make the blessed land like the wilderness and Egypt.

 

Prayer Lord, thank you for your amazing love for us. Help us to love you and follow your word alone.

One Word Worship God, not idols