SCRIPTURE UNION DAILY GUIDE
Monday, January 18, 2021
Text: Deuteronomy 13: 1-18
(:1 When a prophet or visionary gets up in your community and gives out a miracle-sign or wonder,
:2 and the miracle-sign or wonder that he gave out happens and he says, "Let's follow other gods" (these are gods you know nothing about), "let's worship them,"
:3 don't pay any attention to what that prophet or visionary says. God, your God, is testing you to find out if you totally love him with everything you have in you.
:4 You are to follow only God, your God, hold him in deep reverence, keep his commandments, listen obediently to what he says, serve him - hold on to him for dear life!
:5 And that prophet or visionary must be put to death. He has urged mutiny against God, your God, who rescued you from Egypt, who redeemed you from a world of slavery and put you on the road on which God, your God, has commanded you to walk. Purge the evil from your company.
:6 And when your brother or son or daughter, or even your dear wife or lifelong friend, comes to you in secret and whispers, "Let's go and worship some other gods" (gods that you know nothing about, neither you nor your ancestors,
:7 the gods of the peoples around you near and far, from one end of the Earth to the other),
:8 don't go along with him; shut your ears. Don't feel sorry for him and don't make excuses for him.
:9 Kill him. That's right, kill him. You throw the first stone. Take action at once and swiftly with everybody in the community getting in on it at the end.
:10 Stone him with stones so that he dies. He tried to turn you traitor against God, your God, the one who got you out of Egypt and the world of slavery.
:11 Every man, woman, and child in Israel will hear what's been done and be in awe. No one will dare to do an evil thing like this again.
:12 When word comes in from one of your cities that God, your God, is giving you to live in,
:13 reporting that evil men have gotten together with some of the citizens of the city and have broken away, saying, "Let's go and worship other gods" (gods you know nothing about),
:14 then you must conduct a careful examination. Ask questions, investigate. If it turns out that the report is true and this abomination did in fact take place in your community,
:15 you must execute the citizens of that town. Kill them, setting that city apart for holy destruction: the city and everything in it including its animals.
:16 Gather the plunder in the middle of the town square and burn it all - town and plunder together up in smoke, a holy sacrifice to God, your God. Leave it there, ashes and ruins. Don't build on that site again.
:17 And don't let any of the plunder devoted to holy destruction stick to your fingers. Get rid of it so that God may turn from anger to compassion, generously making you prosper, just as he promised your ancestors.
:18 Yes. Obediently listen to God, your God. Keep all his commands that I am giving you today. Do the right thing in the eyes of God, your God.
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Q.1: What does the passage teach about God the Father, or God the Son or God the Holy Spirit?
Destroy Sin or Be Destroyed!
Our God is truly a jealous God who does not share His glory with any other god or being (Isaiah 42: 8). Today's passage shows how He detests the sin of idol worship among His people (Israel). Anyone who leads God's astray and entices them to worship other gods was to be destroyed completely. It begins with stoning the false prophet to death (v.5). Then the friends and relatives however close and dear they may be (v.6). It goes on to an entire town, "Both its people and its livestock"! (v.15). This is an indication and a warning to us that sin, in any form or shade, must be dealt with and completely eradicated from our lives. Thank God for the grace that gives us the opportunity to confess and forsake our sins in order to receive His forgiveness (1 John 1:9). We like to think of God only as the God of love and mercy. We must never lose sight of His holiness and justice. Sin of any sort is totally unacceptable to Him. From Genesis to Revelation, God punishes sin. Are you in the practice of worshiping any modern-day God or leading other people astray by your actions and inactions? Remember, Heaven is real and so is Hell.
For reflection: The real question is not why this Holy God sends anyone to Hell but why He allows anyone in Heaven!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, please teach me to love sinners and hate sin like you do._
A YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN - DAY 18
Gen. 43-45; Rom. 15: 1-13
Have a great week ahead
It is obvious that one of the laws the Muslims still hold very strongly unto is in verse 6-10 of this chapter but they are forgetting that today God is more interested in an individual. God wants us to destroy sin from our lives completely and not necessarily kill somebody for leaving our faith. Besides, God commanded the children of Israel to kill such a person when the person tries to entice them. Separate yourself from anything that entices you to sin.
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