November 17, 2012
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

God Punishes Sin!

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Opening Prayer

God of the Bible, I am poised again to read Your Word. I pray for the Spirit’s enlightenment.

Read Deuteronomy 4:15-31

[15] You saw no form of any kind the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, [16] so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, [17] or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, [18] or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. [19] And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars-all the heavenly array-do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. [20] But as for you, the LORD took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are. [21] The LORD was angry with me because of you, and he solemnly swore that I would not cross the Jordan and enter the good land the LORD your God is giving you as your inheritance. [22] I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan; but you are about to cross over and take possession of that good land. [23] Be careful not to forget the covenant of the LORD your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the LORD your God has forbidden. [24] For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. [25] After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time-if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of the LORD your God and arousing his anger, [26] I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed. [27] The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you. [28] There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. [29] But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. [30] When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him. [31] For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Reflect

“We must let God be God in everything…. We must simply let him be God and listen to him for our orders. There can be no other gods” (John Killinger).

God assured the children of Israel that he was going to use them to dispossess all the different tribes who inhabited the land he had promised to their ancestor Abraham. He also made it clear that he was doing so not on account of Israel’s righteousness but because of the wickedness of those nations (Deut. 9:4). Crucially, if they committed the same sins they would receive the same judgment. Moses warned them solemnly, therefore, against all forms of idolatry. They were the chosen race, but chosen on God’s terms which must not be violated; and v. 24 describes God with words that command attention. What is more, Moses cites his own punishment as an example. If God should ever show favoritism, surely it must be to Moses, the man with whom he conversed as with a friend (Exod. 33:11). He was not spared when he did wrong, even on a matter which we might consider to be a minor error of judgment committed under extreme provocation by the people. This was when, instead of speaking to the rock to bring forth water as the Lord commanded, he had struck it with his staff (Num. 20:7-12).

We see ourselves as a people who stand for human rights and democratic ideals in the council of nations, lofty values which derive from our Christian heritage. When we depart from the clear teachings of the word of God, however, we cannot expect God to turn a blind eye to our disobedience. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. People reap what they sow” (Gal. 6:7). God holds not only individuals but also entire nations to account.

Apply

What are the main idols that are subverting our national life today, and what contribution can you make to combating them?

Closing prayer

Father, idols can so easily creep into my life. Not just bad things, but good things can usurp Your place. Help me to seek You as my highest priority.

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