Setting – Moses gives commands to put to death prophets, dreamers, friends or relatives who entice them to serve other gods.
Content – Instructions are given regarding how to handle people who attempt to draw people away from serving God. If it’s someone was among them, a prophet, dreamer of dreams, relative or friends, they are to be put to death by stoning. If someone goes out from among them and induces another city to serve other gods, they are to strike that city with the sword completely destroying it. Then they are to burn everything and leave the city in ruin – this city is never to be rebuilt.
Application – God is serious about dedication to Himself. He doesn’t want anyone to redirect our devotion away from Him. In Israel’s time, if someone did convince them to serve other gods, God wanted the person killed as well as those who followed him. Even (v. 6), “If your brother, your mother's son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul, entice you secretly…” and (v. 8 & 9), "...you shall not yield to him or listen to him; and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare or conceal him. (9) "But you shall surely kill him..."
Obviously, God was serious about this. Even if those whom we love try to distract our devotion, we are not pity them. We need to be careful on how we take this. Many could use this as an excuse not to listen to Godly rebuke, rebuke that can correct errors in our life. So there needs to correct balance. On one hand, we need to not let anyone distract our devotion to God, not society, friends or family. And on the other hand we need to be sensitive to God’s correction in our lives from God’s community, friends and family.
The basic bottom line is undistracted devotion to God is what He wants from us, Mark 12:30, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind and with strength.”
Content – Instructions are given regarding how to handle people who attempt to draw people away from serving God. If it’s someone was among them, a prophet, dreamer of dreams, relative or friends, they are to be put to death by stoning. If someone goes out from among them and induces another city to serve other gods, they are to strike that city with the sword completely destroying it. Then they are to burn everything and leave the city in ruin – this city is never to be rebuilt.
Application – God is serious about dedication to Himself. He doesn’t want anyone to redirect our devotion away from Him. In Israel’s time, if someone did convince them to serve other gods, God wanted the person killed as well as those who followed him. Even (v. 6), “If your brother, your mother's son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul, entice you secretly…” and (v. 8 & 9), "...you shall not yield to him or listen to him; and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare or conceal him. (9) "But you shall surely kill him..."
Obviously, God was serious about this. Even if those whom we love try to distract our devotion, we are not pity them. We need to be careful on how we take this. Many could use this as an excuse not to listen to Godly rebuke, rebuke that can correct errors in our life. So there needs to correct balance. On one hand, we need to not let anyone distract our devotion to God, not society, friends or family. And on the other hand we need to be sensitive to God’s correction in our lives from God’s community, friends and family.
The basic bottom line is undistracted devotion to God is what He wants from us, Mark 12:30, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind and with strength.”
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