Jump Start # 3377

Deuteronomy 13:8 “You shall not yield to him or listen to him; and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare or conceal him.”

In this section of Deuteronomy, the Lord is placing the high importance of serving no other gods but Him. This was the hallmark of the Ten Commandments. As Israel would enter the promise land, there would be evidence of idolatry and paganism everywhere they looked. Like a kid in a candy store, the Lord was trying to keep Israel away from those things.

What leads up to our verse and what follows are verse are some very emotional and heartfelt statements. Before our verse: “If your brother, your mother’s son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, ’Let us go and serve other gods’…” (6).

Look at those powerful relationships the Lord puts before their eyes. Your brother. Your children. Your wife that you love. Your friend that is a kindred spirit. We love those people. Those people mean everything to us. Even those so dear to our hearts should try to lead us to other gods, we are not to listen or follow.

What follows our verse: “But you shall kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people” (9). The “him” in this passage refers to verse six. Your brother. Your children. Your wife. Your close friend. They have tried to lead you away from the Lord secretly, and now, the secret is revealed. You have revealed it. You have drawn a line in the sand with the Lord. You are to be the first to throw a rock at them. This is so hard for us to understand. We are thankful that this was under the Old law and for Israel.

Now some observations:

First, the Lord comes first and not just first, but His ways are not to be compromised, deviated from or changed. Idolatry is wrong. God will not tolerate it. Not then and not now. In the Gospels, the Lord said that he that loves father or mother more than Me, cannot be my disciple. There is a tie that is stronger than blood and that is Jesus. There is a time when one may have to part with family because family is not doing right.

Second, what a powerful temptation there would be to look the other way because of our love for these people. Your own wife. The wife that you cherish. It’s not the ex-wife. It’s not the wife that you wish you had never married. You cherish this woman. Job told his wife that she spoke like a foolish one when she recommended Job to curse God and die.

Much too often, I have seen brethren side with family over the Lord. A grown child is not walking right with the Lord and rather than stand with God and encourage him to repent or be disciplined, the family sides with the one who is wrong. The family throws darts at the people who are trying to follow the Bible. The family leaves and the one doing wrong, continues in his sin.

Is this any different than the instructions in Deuteronomy? How many lives might be saved, had a father or mother said to their child, you must do what the Lord says. Stop this foolishness and get back to the Lord.

Third, hearts that were not committed to the Lord would never do what this passage commands. In Israel’s history, this passage was ignored. Kings introduced idolatry. Parents sacrificed their own children on the altars of false gods. Between husband and wife, secrets about idolatry were kept secret. This passage was ignored and souls were doomed.

One day I hope disciples will realize that there is nothing worth losing my soul over. I hope disciples will realize that nothing stands between me and the cross of Christ. I hope disciples will put the Lord first in all that they do.

The days of ’playing church’ are over. The hour of half hearted weak faith are over. The season of dead churches has past. It’s time for Christians to put the Lord first in all things. Above friends. Above family. Above all things, comes the Lord.

Put yourself in our Deuteronomy passage. Could you throw the first rock at one of your children? Could you throw it at your best friend? Had they tried to lead you away from the Lord, you were to do that.

God first, last and always. This is serious stuff!

Roger