SCRIPTURE: DEUTERONOMY 12
BIBLE VERSES:
“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 12:23-25)
“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. 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 12:27-28)
“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. See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.” (Deuteronomy 12:31-32)
THE ONE PLACE OF WORSHIP (vs. 1-32)
DECREES AND LAWS TO FOLLOW WHEN THE ISRAELITES POSSESS THE PROMISED LAND:
- Destroy completely all the places where the nations are worshiping their gods. (v. 2)
- Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their asherah poles in the fire. (vs. 3a)
- Cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places (v. 3b)
- Do not worship the Lord your God in their way(v. 4)
- Seek the place the Lord your God will choose (v. 5)
- Bring your burnt offering, sacrifices, tithes, special gifts, freewill offerings, first born of your herds and flocks an what you have vowed to the presence of the Lord. (vs. 6-7)
- Chose a place as a dwelling place for His name (v. 11)
- Rejoice before the Lord your God. (v. 12)
- Do not sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please but offer only at the place the Lord will choose. (vs. 13-14)
- You can eat both the ceremonially unclean and the clean, but you must not eat the blood. (vs. 15-16; 23-25)
- Do not eat in your own towns the tithe of your grain and new wine and oil, or the firstborn of your herds and flocks, or whatever you have vowed to give, or your freewill offerings or special gifts. Instead, you have to eat in the presence of the Lord at the place the Lord will choose. (17-18)
- Do not neglect the Levites as long as you live (v. 19)
- Be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring the gods of other nations. (v. 30)
- Do not worship the Lord your god in their way. (v. 31)
- Do not add or take away any of my commands. (v. 32)
THOUGHTS:
Upon entering the promised land, the Israelites were supposed to destroy all pagan altars and idols in the land. When we accepted Jesus as our Savior, we should also remove any centers of false worship in our lives. Theses may be activities, attitudes, possessions, relationships, places or habits – anything that tempts us to turn our hearts from God and do wrong.
Pagan offered sacrifices to their gods in many places. But God demanded the Israelites to offer sacrifice in the a distinctive place and prescribed manner to ensure purity of worship. We should also safeguard the purity of worship in our congregation. Do not customize worship to suit our own preference as it will lose the benefit of worshiping as a body of believers.
Blood was strictly prohibited to eat because it represents life which is sacred to God. It was also a symbol of sacrifice for sin.