In today’s Scripture reading we will see multiple statements about the importance of obeying Yahweh. This reminds us that God’s greatest demand of us is not correct doctrine, although that is important. Nor is it attending church services where we have emotional experiences. Instead, God’s greatest demand is that we obey Him.
When we finished reading yesterday, Moses had just commanded the Israelites to constantly ponder God’s laws and teach them to their sons. Moses promised that if they did that, then Yahweh would dispossess nations from before them and their days in the land would be long.
Deut. 11:26 ¶ “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse:
Deut. 11:27 the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of Yahweh your God, which I am commanding you today;
Deut. 11:28 and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of Yahweh your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by walking after other gods which you have not known.
Take note of the black-and-white choice Israel had. They could choose to obey Yahweh and be blessed, or they could choose to disobey and be cursed.
Yahweh has always placed a premium on obedience. Adam and Eve were not kicked out of the Garden of Eden because they had faulty theology. They were kicked out because they disobeyed a very simple command not to eat from a certain tree. Israel’s choice between being blessed or being cursed was not based on having correct theology. It was based on obedience.
Many Christians think our highest priority should be having perfect doctrinal statements and then attending so-called worship services where we can have an emotional experience. Instead, Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God and we love God by obeying God. (See Matthew 22:35-38 and John 14:15.)
Deut. 11:29 ¶ “And it will be, when Yahweh your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, that you shall set the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.
Deut. 11:30 Are they not across the Jordan, west of the way toward the sunset, in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Arabah, opposite Gilgal, beside the oaks of Moreh?
Deut. 11:31 For you are about to cross the Jordan to go in to possess the land which Yahweh your God is giving you, and you shall possess it and live in it,
Deut. 11:32 and you shall be careful to do all the statutes and the judgments which I am setting before you today.
Again, Moses did not emphasize correct theology or having a perfect doctrinal statement. He emphasized obedience.
Deut. 12:1 ¶ “These are the statutes and the judgments which you shall be careful to do in the land which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess all the days you live on the earth.
Ponder the word “careful”. Obedience was not something they could be casual about. Instead, they had to be intentional and deliberate about obeying Yahweh.
Deut. 12:2 You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.
Deut. 12:3 And you shall tear down their altars and shatter their sacred pillars and burn their Asherim with fire, and you shall cut the graven images of their gods in pieces and destroy their name from that place.
The first commandment was to have no other gods before Yahweh. Thus, when Israel entered the land, a top priority had to be destroying all the false gods.
Deut. 12:4 You shall not do thus toward Yahweh your God.
Once again, notice the black-and-white choice placed before Israel. They had to destroy all the Canaanite gods, but they had to do the opposite with Yahweh.
Deut. 12:5 But you shall seek Yahweh at the place which Yahweh your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come.
Take note of the words “the place”. Worship of Yahweh had to happen at a particular place. Furthermore, Yahweh was going to choose the place. The Israelites were not free to make that choice.
Deut. 12:6 And there you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the contribution of your hand, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock.
Deut. 12:7 There also you and your households shall eat before Yahweh your God, and be glad in all that you send forth your hand to do, in which Yahweh your God has blessed you.
Deut. 12:8 ¶ “You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes;
Don’t miss the phrase “every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes”. Apparently, that is what was happening on the east bank of the Jordan River, and that had to stop.
We know from the book of Judges that it did not stop. Two verses in the book of Judges state that there was no king in Israel; thus, every man did what was right in his own eyes (see Judges 17:6 and 21:25). Those two verses somewhat summarize the time period covered by the book of Judges, which was several hundred years.
This is a continuation of the theme we see throughout the Bible that Yahweh wants obedience first and foremost.
Deut. 12:9 for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which Yahweh your God is giving you.
Deut. 12:10 Now you will cross the Jordan and live in the land which Yahweh your God is giving you to inherit. And He will give you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security.
Deut. 12:11 Then it will be that the place in which Yahweh your God will choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I am commanding you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to Yahweh.
In order to obey God, it was necessary to bring all the required offerings and sacrifices, and they had to be brought to the correct place, a place which would be specified by Yahweh.
Deut. 12:12 And you shall be glad before Yahweh your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female slaves, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance with you.
Many Christians today think that our top priority as Christians should be singing God’s praises, donating money to the church, having a correct doctrinal statement, and/or having church unity. Those things are valuable. However, that is not God’s top priority.
When Jesus was asked which is the greatest commandment, He said the great command is to love God. He also declared that anyone who truly loves God will obey God (see John 14:15). The test to see if anyone truly loves God is to observe if they obey God (see John 14:21).
Many Christians tend to separate God’s commands into important commands and unimportant commands. Prohibitions against murder, adultery, and lying are considered vital. Meanwhile, commands regarding the role of women and how to conduct church services are treated as unimportant.
However, Adam and Eve were not kicked out of the Garden of Eden because they murdered someone or committed adultery. They were kicked out because they ate from the wrong tree. Likewise, every command from God is important, even commands regarding how to do church and the role of women in the family, church, and society.
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”