CHAPTER 13:
We are in the middle of a pandemic, the likes of which the world has not seen in 100 years. Schools are closed. Work places are shutting down. Grocery store shelves are empty. People are told to stay inside to escape being exposed to the deadly virus. Stop the spread and flatten the curve is the mantra of the world. God warned the Israelites of a contagious disease long ago. A disease of the heart.
Read Deuteronomy Chapter 13:1-5.
What is this passage telling the Israelites to do?
Read Deuteronomy 13:6-11.
What is this passage telling the Israelites to do?
What will be the effect of the punishment?
Read Deuteronomy 13:12-18.
What are they told to do in this passage?
What is the sin in all three scenarios presented in chapter 13?
How is this a matter of the heart?
What is God preventing with these commands?
Ouch! This is really hard to swallow. We wouldn’t do this today, of course. As New Testament believers, we are not called to do these things, but to think our God commanded this is really hard to defend in our modern world. Go against your own family and friends? Destroy a whole city? That sounds extreme to our modern ears. God is making a point, though. This kind of thinking, this kind of heart is extremely contagious. It will spread like a highly contagious virus infecting everyone if it isn’t stopped.
Imagine if no one followed the LORD, no one loved Him, and everyone worshipped some other god, or even themselves. What would the world be like then? I don’t even want to imagine the chaos and misery that would ensue. God is saying, “Stop the spread. Flatten the curve.” In the middle of this coronavirus chaos, I totally understand the concept in a way I never had before this crazy time. I’m not saying go out and destroy people who don’t follow Christ. No. I’m just saying I get it on a little different level now. Remember: the Old Testament is a physical picture of the spiritual lessons offered in the New Testament.
I think one of the hardest things to do is what God commanded in verses 6-11: call out your family members and close friends. “Don’t spare them. Don’t conceal them,” He says. I don’t know about you, but I tend to compromise when it comes to the people I love. I don’t want to hurt them. I don’t want them to think I don’t love them. I don’t want to ruin the relationship, so I often keep my mouth shut. But compromising God’s word always leads to corruption. If I make allowances for that person close to me, pretty soon I’m thinking, “Well that’s not too bad. Surely God will overlook that in everyone.” And when my viewpoint changes, then I stop reaching out with the truth, which is right where the enemy wants me to rest: blind and quiet.
Deuteronomy give us a physical picture of what is happening spiritually: the people don’t believe and are spreading their mindset. Friends, this is happening today. Apostasy, the falling away from God’s truth, is all around us. Jesus would not have us going out to kill our family or destroy an entire city physically. He would have us confronting unbelief with His truth that we are all sinners, and that He has redeemed us from our slavery to sin. Jesus would have us utterly destroying the lies that serving this world can fulfill us. We must share the Word of God with those around us, the people who don’t believe, who are stuck in sin and need His truth. We must share in love and with grace but not silence. Spiritual sickness leads to spiritual death . . . and we have the cure!
Hebrews 4:12 reveals our weapon: “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Silence will spread the infection of disbelief and sin. Silence will lead to their spiritual death. We have the opportunity to stop the contagion and offer the cure found in God’s Word, but it will take effort. It will make us uncomfortable at times. Is it worth it? Yes, because sharing His truth will save lives and increase His people. It will make people spiritually healthy, and that brings honor and glory to Him. Is it worth it? Yes! Our God is worth all praise and honor and glory forever. Amen!
Who is on your mind right now? Who do you need to share God’s truth with?
Pray and ask that God will help you?
He is faithful. He will do it!
Lesson to Remember: God deserves our respect and worship.
A Way to Walk: You have the cure for the spiritually dead heart. Reach out and share God’s truth with those around you. It will bring glory and honor to Him.
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