The Law was given, the mission established, and yet the people of God failed. But, God–in His compassion–gave them another chance, though not without judgment. He wiped out one generation, and raised up a new generation ready to embark upon their mission, with their Law, and into their promised land. The biblical storyline continues to unfold…
However, God must reestablish His ordinances and instructions, hence the book of Deuteronomy (meaning Second Law). And so it is, God’s preparation is through His Law stated once again.
Particular
Upon entering their promised land, the people must abide within God’s parameters as they carry out the Law. In other words, God is particular. He is not only particular about how, when, and who can carry out the Law, but also where the Law is to be carried out.
“But you shall seek the Lord at the place which the Lord your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come.”
Deuteronomy 12:5
God’s people–Israel–cannot choose the place of worship, they cannot reuse places of worship, but they must instead seek the Lord’s direction–the Lord’s will–as to their worship of Him. To do this, they must…
“…utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. You shall tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and burn their Asherim with fire, and you shall cut down the engraved images of their gods and obliterate their name from that place.”
Deuteronomy 12:2-3
Also, they must not…
“…do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes…”
Deuteronomy 12:8
In other words, they must be humble, they must be focused, and they must be obedient. There’s a couple problems right off the bat though: they didn’t tear down all the high places, but instead–after getting settled in the promised land–worshipped false gods on the high places, and they didn’t look to God’s will, but were rather characterized some 300+ years later as doing “…what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 21:25b. Thus, they were set aside. The were not replaced, but disciplined. And it was into this chaos that God sent forth His Son…born of a woman…born under the Law, in order to redeem those under the Law. In other words, this once again demonstrates Why Christ Had To Die. Like the Israelites of old, we’re all too good at doing what is right in our own eyes.
How Does This Apply To Us Today?
- Be humble.
- You’ve heard it said before, “I’m sure proud of my humility…”, but do you recognize this in yourself? Humility, as others have said, is the shy guest that often leaves as soon as he’s addressed. Nevertheless, we must strive for and pray for humility. Pride will keep us from tearing down the altars we worship from in our own lives. Whether it’s the altar of comfort, the altar of pleasure, the altar of power, the altar of man’s approval, the altar of prestige and fame, or the altar of convenience, we are at all times having to tear these down. Pride won’t, but humility will.
- Incidentally, God opposes the proud, but lifts up the humble. Bend low…both knees…face down, and worship God in humility.
- Seek God’s will.
- Jesus–as He was instructing His disciples how to pray–said to pray this, “…Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”. In other words, seeking God’s will is not seeking your own–simple, but not easy.
- God has revealed His will in His Word, and we find His will through His Word. A Christian is a person of the Book, not a person steeped in self-actualization.
- Obey Christ.
- God remains particular about how, who, where, when, and what we are to worship. Since His ancient decrees have been satisfied in Christ, Jesus is therefore able to say in John 14:6, “…I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”.
- In other words, the one path to reconciliation with God is through His Son. God is too holy to wink at sin, and therefore poured out His judgment of sin upon His Son at the cross. Christ was raised from the grave, thus conquering sin and death. And thus, by the grace of God through faith in His Son–Jesus–one can be reconciled back to God. God dealt with sin and death through the cross, so that all men–who look to Him in faith–might come home to eternal fellowship with Him.
- Come home. Look to Christ–He is the way, the truth, the life. Transfer your trust for being right with God from yourself or your religion to Him. Come home.
— November 30, 2018