One True Way of Worship (Deuteronomy 12: 1-32)

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Episode Notes:

Introduction:

• Context: Moses is preaching sermons to prepare the Israelites for entering the Promised Land.
• Focus: Application of the first commandment, "You shall have no other gods before Me."
• Overview: Regulations concerning worship, dietary laws, and warnings against adopting pagan practices.

Key Themes and Sections:

Worship Regulations (Verses 1-14)

• Verse 1: Introduction to laws and decrees for the land they are about to possess.
• Verse 2: Command to destroy all pagan worship sites in the land.
• Verse 3: Specific instructions to demolish altars, sacred stones, and Asherah poles.
• Verse 4: Warning against worshiping God in the manner of pagan nations.
• Verses 5-7: Command to seek the place God chooses for worship and bring offerings there.
• Verses 8-9: Reminder that worship practices will change once they enter the land.
• Verses 10-14: Emphasis on worshiping only in the place God designates and bringing all offerings there.

Dietary Regulations (Verses 15-28)

• Verses 15-16: Permission to eat meat in their towns, but prohibition against consuming blood.
• Verses 17-18: Specific offerings must be brought to the designated place of worship.
• Verse 19: Reminder to take care of the Levites who have no land inheritance.
• Verses 20-25: Reiteration of permission to eat meat and prohibition against consuming blood.
• Verses 26-28: Final reminder to bring consecrated things to the designated place of worship.

Concluding Warning and Summary (Verses 29-32)

• Verses 29-30: Warning against being ensnared by the gods of the nations they will dispossess.
• Verse 31: Prohibition against adopting detestable practices like child sacrifice.
• Verse 32: Command to strictly adhere to God's commands without adding or taking away from them.

Application and Reflection

• Core Message: Worship God alone in the manner He prescribes.
• Practical Application for Israelites: Destroy all forms of pagan worship and follow God's specific instructions for worship.
• Contemporary Relevance: Reflect on modern-day idols and ensure worship is directed solely to God, in spirit and in truth.
• Importance of Obedience: Emphasizes the need for strict adherence to God's commands as an expression of loyalty and reverence.

Conclusion

• Main Point: Worship God exclusively and in the manner He dictates, avoiding any form of idolatry or pagan practices.
• Key Takeaway: Honouring God means obeying His commands fully and worshiping Him in the prescribed manner.

Transcript

One True Place of Worship.  (Deuteronomy 12:1-32)

Full Transcript.

Anyone who knows anything about the Bible is aware that there are Ten Commandments in the Book of Exodus, Chapter 20. 

The first commandment is, "You shall have no other gods before Me."  Now, let's think about that for a second. What does that mean? 

It obviously means putting God first. But let's suppose Moses were to preach a sermon on that passage, focusing on just that one verse. How would he apply the first commandment to the children of Israel at the time? 

And of course, the next logical question is, how would he apply it to us today?

We don’t have to guess or speculate because in Deuteronomy Chapter 12, Moses does exactly that. As a matter of fact, if you have been listening to me go through Deuteronomy, you know that this book contains a series of sermons. In this part of the sermon, Moses applies the first commandment. Later, he applies the second commandment. 

Now, in the chapters following, he discusses religious life in Chapters 12 through 16, verse 17; civil life in Chapter 16, verse 18 through Chapter 22, verse 8; and personal life from Chapter 22, verse 9 through Chapter 26, verse 15. 

In this part of Deuteronomy, Moses is preaching and essentially saying, "You need to apply the Law to every area of your life: your religious life, your civil life, and your personal life." 

The section we are going to look at now primarily deals with religious life, particularly the first commandment to have, “No other gods before Me”.

Welcome….

Before we dive in, it’s important to note that this passage contains elements that do not apply to us directly. 

For example, Moses talks about pagan worship sites, which have no direct counterpart for us today. However, the principles in this passage certainly do apply. The main point being that we are to worship the Lord exclusively, reflecting the first commandment, "You shall have no other gods before Me." This passage serves as an amplification and application of that commandment and calls upon us today to ask ourselves what idols we might have today.

With that in mind, let's look at Chapter 12 and its different sections.

In the first portion of this passage, Moses talks about worship—specifically, how they were to follow the Mosaic laws for the Tabernacle and regulate their worship. 

The second part of the passage, which might seem less relevant, deals with dietary regulations. As we will see, this also pertains to worship in their context. 

The third part concludes with a brief warning, again related to worship. 

The overarching theme of the chapter is worshipping God exclusively, meaning, "You shall have no other gods before Me."

Let's begin by examining some of these worship regulations. In verse 1, Moses says.

These are the decrees and laws you must be careful to follow in the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you to possess—as long as you live in the land.

(Deuteronomy 12:1)

Keep in mind, they are on the east side of the Jordan River, about to cross over and possess the land. Moses is giving these sermons to prepare them for what will happen once they enter the land. He is essentially saying, "When you get into the promised land, be careful to obey the laws I am about to review with you." 

This verse serves as an introduction to the detailed laws that will  follow, starting with an exhortation to "Be careful to observe everything I am about to tell you."

In verse 2, Moses continues.

Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains, on the hills and under every spreading tree, where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods.

(Deuteronomy 12: 2)

Here, he is instructing them to destroy all the places where the previous inhabitants worshipped their gods.

This is significant because the pagans in Palestine worshipped false gods on the tops of mountains or at the highest hills they could find, believing that being higher up brought them closer to the gods in the heavens.

These were called high places.

If you read the Old Testament carefully, you will notice the frequent mention of high places, which were sites of pagan worship. God is commanding them to utterly destroy any place of worship other than those dedicated to Him.

Verse 3 gets more specific:

Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places.

(Deuteronomy 12: 3)

Verse 2 provides a general statement, while verse 3 details specific actions—destroying altars, breaking sacred pillars, and burning wooden images. These wooden images probably refer to representations of female deities, while the sacred pillars likely symbolize male deities. 

God is instructing them to eradicate everything related to pagan worship.

In verse 4, Moses adds.

You must not worship the Lord your God in their way.

(Deuteronomy 12: 4)

This interesting point suggests that the Israelites might be tempted to adopt pagan worship methods. God insists that they worship Him exclusively and destroy every form of pagan worship to avoid polluting their worship of Him.

In summary, the core message is clear: Worship God alone, as He commanded in the first commandment, "You shall have no other gods before Me." This passage in Deuteronomy elaborates on how to practically apply this commandment, emphasizing the complete destruction of pagan worship practices and the exclusive worship of the Lord.

By doing this, they were expressing absolute loyalty to the Lord: no other gods, just Him. As we will see, God specifies that they must worship Him in the manner He dictates. 

It worth noting that it is entirely logical that if the Israelites went into the land and destroyed all the other gods, they would realize those gods had no power. 

This would alleviate any fear of retribution. By demonstrating the impotence of these false gods, it becomes clear that the true and living God holds all the power. Not only to them but to the conquered people.

In verse 5, it says.

But you are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go;

(Deuteronomy 12: 5)

We need to connect these verses to understand their full meaning. He wants them to hear and heed His words. He commands them to destroy all the other gods and worship only in the place He designates. This command to seek the place He chooses will be repeated seven times in this chapter, emphasizing the importance of worshipping God exclusively and in the manner He prescribes.

God had already given them the Tabernacle, which they took into the land. Later, this was replaced by the Temple. At this point, He doesn't specify the place because there were several locations where God allowed them to worship initially, such as Shiloh and ultimately Jerusalem. 

The main point is that they are to worship God and destroy all other forms of worship to avoid the temptation to adopt pagan practices. The commandment "You shall have no other gods before Me" is clear and reiterated throughout these instructions.

Verse 6 continues.

There bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.

(Deuteronomy 12: 6)

Previously, God stated they were to worship only in places He chose. Now, He specifies that these designated places are where they are to bring their sacrifices—expressions of appreciation and gratitude to the Lord.

In verse 7, it says.

There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you.

(Deuteronomy 12: 7)

This indicates that some sacrifices involved communal meals. They were to eat these meals before the Lord, with their households, and with joy. This was not a sombre occasion but a time of rejoicing.

Verse 8 adds.

You are not to do as we do here today, everyone doing as they see fit, since you have not yet reached the resting place and the inheritance the Lord your God is giving you.

(Deuteronomy 12: 8-9)

This might sound confusing, so let me explain.

They were no longer in the wilderness. As I mentioned, they were on the east side of the Jordan River. In the wilderness, they did not always follow the specific rituals they would be expected to once they entered the Promised Land.

This will become clearer as we progress through the passage. In the wilderness, they camped together around the Tabernacle, making it easy to access. Once in the land, they would be scattered over a larger area, making it more challenging to gather.

Verse 10 clarifies.

But you will cross the Jordan and settle in the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and he will give you rest from all your enemies around you so that you will live in safety. Then to the place the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name—there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the Lord.

(Deuteronomy 12: 10-11)

In the wilderness, God laid down many regulations, and while they didn't always follow them strictly, He overlooked this. However, once in the land, they were expected to adhere more closely to His commands.

Verse 12 instructs.

And there rejoice before the Lord your God—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites from your towns who have no allotment or inheritance of their own.

(Deuteronomy 12: 12)

They were to rejoice in the Lord with their entire household, including male and female servants.

Additionally, they were to take care of the Levites, who had no land inheritance because their inheritance was serving the Lord in the Tabernacle and later the Temple. Essentially, God was saying, "Make sure you take care of the preacher," as the Levites lived among the people and relied on their offerings.

Verse 13 then warns them.

Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please. Offer them only at the place the Lord will choose in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you.

(Deuteronomy 12: 13-14)

This emphasizes the need to follow God's specific instructions regarding worship and offerings, ensuring they were performed only in the designated places chosen by Him.

I don't know how many times I have to say this for it to come through clearly: you are not to offer sacrifices in any place except the place I designate. That's the point—only in the place I designate will you worship, and their worship involved offering sacrifices.

Sometimes these sacrifices were for sin, but often they were simply gifts of gratitude and appreciation to the Lord. This was their form of worship.

These first 14 verses of this chapter lay out the regulations for that worship, essentially boiling down to this: you shall have no other gods, and you shall worship the one true God in the manner He prescribes. 

These verses in effect apply the first commandment by regulating worship.

Now, I want to take a moment to discuss worship, as it is a term often thrown around these days. 

In contemporary church discussions, "worship" often refers specifically to singing. This is a relatively new concept.

This raises the question: what is worship? Current theories suggest that during the song service, we enter into God's presence.

The expression "in His presence" is often taken from the Psalms, where it refers not to a mystical presence but to being in the Tabernacle or Temple. When David wrote about coming into God's presence, he meant being welcomed by the Lord in the Tabernacle.

There are two main issues with this contemporary view of worship. 

First, it is not biblically accurate to define worship solely as singing. 

Second, transformation occurs through the Word of God.

The Hebrew and Greek words for worship mean "to bow down." Worship, therefore, involves honouring and giving reverence to the Lord. In the New Testament, this concept is expressed as presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice, honouring the Lord by obeying Him with our actions.

The next part of this passage addresses dietary regulations, what are we to make of these today?

In verse 15, it says.

Nevertheless, you may slaughter your animals in any of your towns and eat as much of the meat as you want, as if it were gazelle or deer, according to the blessing the Lord your God gives you. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat it.

(Deuteronomy 12: 15)

This introduces a change from the previous regulations in Leviticus, which distinguished between clean and unclean animals for sacrifices. 

Now, in the land, they could eat whatever they desired within their gates, indicating that the clean and unclean distinctions did not apply to their regular meals.

Most people may not be aware of this shift, as they remember the strict clean and unclean laws previously guiven.

Verse 16 clarifies, 

"But you must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water.

They were allowed to eat various animals but were prohibited from consuming blood.

Wild game and sacrificial animals could now be eaten without taking them to the central sanctuary as long as they were not slaughtered for offerings.

This shows that the clean and unclean distinctions were symbolic, not intrinsic. The clean and unclean regulations were meant to illustrate a spiritual truth for a season, an eon of time rather than provide dietary or medicinal guidelines forever.

Verse 17 continues.

You must not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine and olive oil, or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts.

(Deuteronomy 12: 17)

Again, these specific offerings were to be brought to the designated place of worship. Verse 18 emphasizes,

Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God will choose—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites from your towns—and you are to rejoice before the Lord your God in everything you put your hand to.

(Deuteronomy 12: 18)

They were to enjoy these offerings with joy, in the presence of the Lord, along with their households and the Levites, who had no land inheritance. Verse 19 reminds them….

Be careful not to neglect the Levites as long as you live in your land.

(Deuteronomy 12: 19)

This emphasizes the importance of taking care of the Levites, who served the Lord and relied on the people's offerings for their livelihood.

In summary, these regulations highlight the importance of worshiping God in the prescribed manner and taking care of those who serve Him. 

Worship involves honouring the Lord through obedience and reverence, and the regulations regarding sacrifices and offerings are an essential part of this worship.

So, they live in towns among the tribes, and the tribes will provide for them. Then he says in verse 20….

When the Lord your God has enlarged your territory as he promised you, and you crave meat and say, “I would like some meat,” then you may eat as much of it as you want.

(Deuteronomy 12: 20)

This means that all those regulations in Leviticus are being relaxed a little. You can eat as much as you desire. The permission to eat meat not intended for worship without bringing it to the sanctuary is what's being stated here. This is actually a repetition of what we've already seen.

Repetition can sometimes be tedious, but keep in mind this was a sermon. Having written some books and preached a lot of sermon sermons, I can tell you that when you write, you shouldn't repeat yourself because the reader can go back and read what you said. Repeating yourself in writing is not good. However, when you're speaking, repetition is one of the laws of learning. Especially if you're talking for any length of time. The you actually need to repeat where you are and where you're going so people can follow you. 

Repetition in speaking is not bad. In this case, this was a sermon, so the repetition is appropriate. At any rate, that's what he's doing.

Now look at verse 21.

If the place where the Lord your God chooses to put his Name is too far away from you, you may slaughter animals from the herds and flocks the Lord has given you, as I have commanded you, and in your own towns you may eat as much of them as you want.

(Deuteronomy 12: 21)

Again, this is a repetition of what we have been seeing so far. As I mentioned a moment ago, when you are so far away from the central sanctuary, the kinds of rules that applied in the wilderness are not going to be applicable to you in the land.

He goes on in this vein. Look at verse 22:

Eat them as you would gazelle or deer. Both the ceremonially unclean and the clean may eat. But be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life, and you must not eat the life with the meat. You must not eat the blood; pour it out on the ground like water. Do not eat it, so that it may go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

(Deuteronomy 12: 22-25)

Only the holy things which you have, the things you have vowed to offer, should be taken to the place which the Lord has chosen.

But take your consecrated things and whatever you have vowed to give, and go to the place the Lord will choose. Present your burnt offerings on the altar of the Lord your God, both the meat and the blood. The blood of your sacrifices must be poured beside the altar of the Lord your God, but you may eat the meat.

(Deuteronomy 12: 26-27)

Does this sound like something we've heard before? Again, it's just repetition. So, he says in verse 28….

Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God.

(Deuteronomy 12: 28)

The passage began with a call to obey, then it gave regulations pertaining to worship, followed by dietary regulations, and now it ends with a call to observe and obey all these words.

Back in Leviticus 17, God had commanded that when any sacrificial animals such as an ox, sheep, or goat were slain, they had to be brought to the Tabernacle. Now that the people were about to settle in Canaan, the law must be changed. 

Henceforth, the Jews could kill and eat domestic animals commonly and use them for sacrifices, just as they would eat the gazelle and the deer, clean animals that were not used for sacrifice.

This permission was granted to those who were ceremonially unclean as well as those who were clean. However, they were repeatedly warned not to eat the blood because the blood is the life of the flesh, and the life belongs to God."

This explanation captures the difference between Leviticus and Deuteronomy, highlighting the changes being made and emphasizing that while they could eat various animals, they were still prohibited from drinking the blood.

This brings us back to the three parts of this passage: regulations concerning worship, dietary regulations, and now the concluding warning that ties back to the main point of the chapter.

Look at verse 29-30:

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.”

(Deuteronomy 12: 29-30)

We are right back to where we started. He said, "Look, I want you to go in and destroy all these things. I don’t want you to follow their practices or worship their gods."

He continues in verse 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.

(Deuteronomy 12: 31)

This is horrendous. The Lord is making it clear that He wants His people to worship Him and only Him in the way He prescribes, not in the detestable ways of the surrounding nations.

In context, they are on the east side of the Jordan, about to cross into Palestine, a land filled with pagan worship practices, including the horrific act of sacrificing their own children. God is saying, "I want you to worship me alone, and I don’t want you to adopt any of these abominable practices, thinking you are doing it for me."

No less than Solomon built a place in one of these high places, and he wasn't the only one—Manasseh did the same thing. The Old Testament indicates that other kings did this too, and this is one of the ultimate reasons why God sent them into exile. This was abominable to God.

This is Moses' application of the first commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me." This commandment is not just about who you worship, but how you worship. 

In verse 32, he concludes by saying….

See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it."

(Deuteronomy (12: 32)

Sound familiar? God wants us to do exactly what He tells us, without adding to or taking away from His commands. Simple, right?

Summarizing the Chapter:

The children of Israel were given specific regulations on how to worship the Lord to prevent them from worshiping any other gods. 

Another way to express this is that God is saying, "I want you to worship me, no other gods, only Him and only His way." For us, honouring God means obedience to Him.

In the Old Testament, they offered animal sacrifices. The New Testament picks up this idea and tells us about the sacrifices we are to offer are good works, prayers (as in Hebrews), and giving money (as in Philippians).

 But the one great way the Lord wants us to worship Him is in spirit and in truth.

In the Old Testament, worship was centered in one place.

In John chapter 4, Jesus discusses with the Samaritan woman that worship is not confined to one place; it's in spirit and in truth. True worship involves presenting our bodies as living sacrifices, as mentioned in Romans 12:1.

We need to worship the Lord in the way He prescribes. 

Churches sometimes drift into programs that don't align with God's intentions, which is to make disciples, teach Scripture, and bring people to the Spirit. 

So, bBe careful to worship God only in the way He has instructed.

May I suggest there are six lessons t be learned from this passage:

1.     The Only Legitimate Object of Worship is the Lord: The Creator of heaven and earth.

2.     Only the Redeemed May Worship God Legitimately: Those whom God has brought from bondage into His marvellous light.

3.     True Worship Involves an Audience with the Divine King: It transpires in God's place, by His invitation, on His terms.

4.     Location is Less Important Than the Presence of the Divine Host: Jesus' words about worshiping in spirit and truth mean worship must be driven by the Holy Spirit and have integrity.

5.     Worship Should Be Both Joyful and Solemn: Those who worship God in spirit and truth recognize both the grace lavished on them and their unworthiness to come before Him.

6.     True Public Worship is Collective: While private worship has its place, corporate worship involves bringing collective praise and petitions to God. Those who understand their unworthiness and God's grace will focus on worship that pleases Him rather than themselves.

To sum it up simply, "You shall have no other gods before me," says the Lord.

Worship only Him and only in His way, which means obedience to His word.