Cleansing the land Deuteronomy 12

 Christ in all the scriptures

Cleansing the land   Deuteronomy 12v1-4 and 29-32

The land which Israel were about to occupy was steeped in idolatry, with its carved images, its depraved practices, and its brutal sacrifices.  The extent of their wickedness is stated in v31, "for every abomination to the Lord which He hateth. have they done unto their gods, for even their sons and their daughters they have burned in the fire to their gods"  (refer Deuteronomy 18v9-12).  Israel were to eradicate every vestige of idolatrous practice within the boundaries of the promised land.  The instructions are clear and extensive:

"And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of their place (see also Numbers 33v52-53).

The call was to destroy the memory of a false religion which God hated, in order to cleanse the land for the true worship of His people.  God's attitude to idolatry is severe, and it is the same in the New Testament:

1st Corinthians 5v11  A church member who is an idolator is to be excommunicated.

1st Corinthians 6v10-11 No idolator shall inherit the kingdom of God.

1st Corinthians 10v14  True believers are to flee from idolatry.

1st Corinthians 10v19-20  The idol is nothing, but reveals the state of the heart, it is the worship of devils.

Ephesians 5v6  The wrath of God is upon the idolater for their willing disobedience.

Colossians 3v5  Covetousness is idolatry.  It is one of the members of our past life to be mortified.  Craving more than what the Lord has given us is to demean Him.  Give thanks for what you have.

1st John 5v21 The apostle John warns the people of God to keep themselves from idols.

Revelation 22v15  All idolaters will be banished to eternal loss of wellbeing.

Idolatry is the state of the heart alienated from God, leading to unrestrained abominations.  All idolaters will be banished from the presence of God, and all good withdrawn forever.

Idolatry is a serious sin for which God reserves singular judgment.  Whenever we read of "abomination" in scripture it usually has idolatry at its heart.  This is how God views this particular evil.

We normally think of it as devotion to, or worship of, graven images set up in public.  However, God spoke of "idols in the heart" in Ezekiel 14v3.  This can take many subtle forms and the warnings in scripture to flee from any vestige of it should be heeded.  This is because we are surrounded by it in many guises.  We live in a world steeped in idolatry, just as confronted Israel as they entered the land.   

Paul was stirred in spirit as he saw the city of Athens "wholly given to idolatry"-Acts 17v16. How many cities today are just like Athens?  For them it was the worship of philosophy, novel imaginations, devotions to different religions, anything, really, apart from the true God.  

Idolatry is the worship of anyone or anything lesser than God.

God is greater than all, He is supreme in all heaven and earth, and He will not share His glory with another (Isaiah 42v8).  Paul says as much to the Corinthian church: in chapter 8v4-6 he writes, "...we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.  For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth (as there are gods many, and lords many), but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things and we by Him...".  The supreme majesty of heaven is greater, higher, and more powerful than all, and He seeks our devotion.  We are "complete in Him, who is the head of every principality and power" (Colossians 2v10).  In Him, we have everything, He knows our needs and He supplies them (Matthew 6v32/33).  From the throne He sends His angels to minister to us, the heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1v14).  There is no need to seek anything or anyone else; if we are in Him we have everything!

So hear the word from the man who died for us, and is taking us to glory: don't give your devotion to lesser things than Himself.  Understand that we live in a world occupied with less noble heart devotions than God.  He says, "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth.....covetousness which is idolatry"-Colossians 3v5.  "Henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind"-Ephesians 4v17.

Materialism, wealth, possessions, status, can all be forms of idolatry.  Why worship another human being, when you can worship the God who made all human beings?  The great artists of the world, the singers the sports people, the craftsmen, the artisans, all owe their talents to the God who gives them all. 

When John the apostle was filled with the visions of heaven, so awesome was the sight of the angel he wanted to pay homage to him.  What did the angel say?  "See thou do it not...worship God!"-Revelation 22v9.  The angel who lived in the presence of God knew there is none higher, in whose majestic presence he was as nothing.  Even Satan knows there is no one higher than God, when he uttered his ultimate impossible ambition..."I will be like the Most High"-Isaiah 14v14.  Instead he was brought down to hell as will all idolaters.

Paul the apostle, who suffered the loss of all things for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ his Lord, wrote, "I have coveted no man's silver or gold, or apparel"-Acts 20v33