How did these nations serve their gods?
October 12, 2019 (Bible Devotional)
Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. — Deuteronomy 12:30
Take heed to yourself
God calls his children to be attentive. After he delivered the children of Israel out of bondage, God wanted them to serve him. The Israelites had an opportunity to become familiar with the working of God. They have seen the mighty works of God and the miracles that he had performed on their behalf.
The Israelites needed to understand that there is a difference between the false gods of the other nations and the true God. The portion of Jacob is the creator. The false gods of the other nations were worthless idols. The Israelites needed to spend time to know the God that delivers them. They were counseled not to inquire about the other gods of the surrounding nations.
Be not snared by following them
An idol is an inanimate object. They cannot save. They cannot speak, touch, hear and feel. Yet, many worship them. God did not want Israel to follow in this practice. It makes no intellectual sense to continue in this practice, but by being curious and many can be ensnared in these idolatrous practices.
Destroyed before you
It is one thing for a man to go to a forest and cut down a tree. And from that tree, he creates an idol. It is one thing for a man to bow himself down before an idol that he created. It is another thing, for that man to sacrifice his children to that idol. While God gives each man the freedom to choose whether they will worship him, he would require the innocent blood that is shed.
Do not inquire after their gods
God does not want his children to become familiar with sophistry. He did not even want the children of Israel to name the names of the foreign gods. God wanted them to be wise concerning the good practices, and be simple concerning evil.
How did they serve the gods?
Corrupt knowledged is a curse. There is no benefit to understanding how to worship false gods. There is no benefit in learning magic. There is no benefit in knowing how to make an idol. This knowledge only serves to make us unfaithful to the requirements of God.
God wants us to only know and experience good. God wants us to be curious. He desired that each of us should have a learning attitude. But, he wants us to avoid vain and foolish teachings. After all, it was the unbounded curiosity to know both good and evil that led Eve to the temptation. And here we are.
