Deuteronomy 12:1-51These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the Lord God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth. 2Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: 3And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place. 4Ye shall not do so unto the Lord your God. 5But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: (Deuteronomy 12:1‑5)
THE first eleven chapters of this book God sets forth the great principle of obedience. All depended on that. Israel were now in the plains of Moab and about to enter the land. If they were to keep it and enjoy its blessings (Mount Gerizim) they must be obedient to the word of the Lord. If they were disobedient they would surely come under the curse (Mount Ebal) and lose all.
So Moses taught the people how they were to behave in the land, that they might be blessed. In all their actions they were to show that they were God's people, and that He was their God.
The first thing was the complete destruction of the gods, the altars and the high places of the heathen. It was Jehovah's land and it was only worthy of Himself that His rights should be maintained, and that He should reign there without a rival. How Israel utterly failed in maintaining the glory of the Lord their after-history only shows. But if His people fail, as often they do even now, the Lord will maintain His own glory. "I am the LORD; that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images." Isa. 42:88I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. (Isaiah 42:8). Oh that we might seek grace from Him, dear young Christian, to so walk that every thing we do might be for His glory and praise!
"Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: and ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place."
All must come down, and their very names were to be blotted out. God set Himself against those high places for He would not have them. Israel were to have the heathen's land but not their idols and places of worship.
Furthermore, after they had destroyed these high places they were not to consecrate them to the worship of the Lord. They were not even to inquire after the gods of the heathen. Perhaps an Israelite might say to himself, We are certainly right in getting rid of this graven image and this altar, but it seems too bad to cut down all these nice trees. Would it not be a fine place to build an altar and worship the Lord here. But no, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord." Isa. 55:88For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8). All must come down and the memory of such obliterated. God does not need man to choose for Him; He will choose for Himself.
"There shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause His name to dwell there." We can see then that the first thing the Lord guards His people against is self-willed worship. Where and how they were to worship was set forth by Him; nothing was left to the will or mind of man. The Lord directed all for His people.
This is a serious thought to those who say they can worship anywhere — to those "who choose a place of worship." Six times in this chapter the Lord tells that He has "chosen" a place where He will be honored. Has this no power over the conscience? Has this no voice to the heart that loves Him? Can I, with Scripture before my eyes speak of choosing my religion, my place of worship? No, I ought to be as sure from the Word of God that I am where He would have me be as I am certain that I am saved.
Messages of the Love of God 3/16/1975