Schoolmaster to Christ
DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 12
Schoolmaster to Christ
DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 12
Introduction
We now enter a new section of this marvelous book. Having established the all-important principle of obedience in the first eleven chapters, we now come to the application of the principle; to the habits and ways of the people when settled in the land. "These are the statutes and judgements which ye shall observe to do in the land which the Lord God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth"
It is of the utmost moral importance that the heart and conscience be brought into their true attitude regarding God's authority, irrespective of any question pertaining to details. These will find their due place when the heart is taught to bow down to the supreme authority of the Word of God in complete and absolute submission.
As we have seen in the first eleven chapters, Moses earnestly and faithfully labors to lead the heart of Israel into this essential condition. He felt it was no use entering into practical details until the foundation principle of all morality was fully established in the soul. As Christians, we should apply our hearts to the foundation principle, which is: It is man's bounden duty to implicitly bow to the authority of the Word of God. It matters not what that Word may enjoin, or whether we can see the reason for this, that or the other instruction. There is only one grand, all-important, and conclusive point – has God spoken? If He has spoken then that is enough, period. There is no room, no need for further question.
Until this point is fully established or rather until the heart is brought directly under its full moral force, we are not in a condition to enter into details. If self-will is allowed to operate, if blind reason is permitted to speak, the heart will send up its endless questionings. In other words, as each Divine instruction is laid before us, some fresh difficulty will present itself as a stumbling-block in the path of simple obedience.
It may be said, "Are we not to use our reason? If not, to what end was it given?" To this there is a twofold reply. In the first place, our reason is not as it was when God gave it. We have to remember that sin has entered; man is a fallen creature, his reason, judgment, understanding, his moral being is a complete wreck. Further, it was the neglect of the Word of God that caused all this wreck and ruin.
In the second place, if man's reason were in a sound condition, it would prove its soundness by bowing to the Word of God. But it is not sound; it is blind and perverted; it is not to be trusted in things spiritual, divine, or heavenly.
If this simple fact were thoroughly understood, it would settle a thousand questions and difficulties. It is reason that makes an infidel. The devil whispers into man's ear, "You are endowed with reason; why not use it? It was given for the purpose of being used in everything. You should not give your assent to anything that your reason cannot grasp. It is your human right to submit everything to the test of your reason. Only a fool or an idiot blindly receives everything set before him."
We answer such wily and dangerous suggestions with a simple and conclusive answer. The Word of God is above and beyond reason. It is as far above reason as God is above the creature or heaven above earth. Hence, when God speaks, all reasoning must be cast away. Man's word, man's opinion, man's judgment; man's reason must always be judged by what is said in the only perfect standard – the Word of God. But if reason is allowed to work on the Word of God, the soul will inevitably be plunged into the thick darkness of infidelity from which descent into the awful blackness of atheism is but one easy step.
We have to remember that the soul's only safe ground is faith in the paramount authority, divine majesty, and all-sufficiency of the Word of God. This was the ground Moses occupied in dealing with the heart and conscience of Israel. His one object was to lead the people into the attitude of profound, unqualified subjection to God's authority. Without this all was useless. If every statute, every judgment, every precept, every instruction are to be submitted to the action of human reason, then we can say farewell to God's authority and Holy Scripture; farewell to certainty and peace. On the other hand, when the soul is led by God's Spirit into the delightful attitude of absolute and unquestioning submission to the authority of His Word, then every single one of His judgments and commandments; every single sentence of His blessed Book is received as coming direct from Him. Then the simplest ordinance or instruction stands invested with all the importance His authority is fitted to impart. The question is not whether we are able to understand the full meaning or exact bearing of each and every statute and judgment. It is sufficient for us to know that it comes from God – He has spoken and this is conclusive. Nothing is done until this great principle is truly grasped or rather, until it takes full possession of the soul. But when it is fully understood and submitted to, the solid foundation is laid for true morality.
Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 12 (KJV)
The foregoing line of thought will enable the serious student to seize the connection between the chapter now open before us, and the preceding section of this book. Not only will it do this, but we also trust it will also help to understand the special place and bearing of the opening verses of chapter 12: "Ye shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree. 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 that place" (vv. 2, 3).
The land was Jehovah's; they were to be as tenants under Him. Therefore, their first duty upon entering into possession was to demolish every trace of the old idolatry. This was absolutely indispensable. According to human reason, it might seem intolerant to act in this way toward the religion of other people. How could the one true and living God be otherwise than intolerant of all false gods and false worships? To suppose that He could permit the worship of idols in His land would be to suppose that He could deny Himself, which would be blasphemy.
Do not misunderstand. It is not that God does not bear with the world in long-suffering mercy. It seems unnecessary to state this, with the history of several thousand years of forbearance before our eyes. Blessed forever be His holy Name, from the days of Noah God has marvelously borne with the world and He still bears with it, though stained with the guilt of crucifying His beloved Son.
All this is vain because it leaves untouched the great principle laid down in this chapter. Israel had to learn that they were about to take possession of the Lord's land, and as His tenants their first and indispensable duty was to obliterate every trace of idolatry. To them there was to be only "the one God." His Name was called upon them. They were His people and He could not permit them to have fellowship with demons. "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God; and him only shalt thou serve."
In the judgment of the uncircumcised nations around, this might seem intolerant, narrow, and bigoted. They might boast of their freedom and glory in the broad platform of their worship of "gods many and lords many." According to their thinking, it might argue greater reasoning to let everyone think for himself in matters of religion, choose his own object of worship, and his own mode of worshipping. Or, it might give evidence of a more advanced civilization, greater polish and refinement to erect, as in Rome, a pantheon in which all their gods might find a place. "What does it matter about the form of a man's religion, or the object of his worship, provided he is sincere? Everything will come out right in the end. The great point is attending to material progress – helping national prosperity is the surest means of securing individual interests. Of course, it is good for every person to have some religious activity, but the form of that religious experience is immaterial. After all, the greatest question is not what is your religion, but who are you?"
Surely we can well conceive that all this would admirably suit the carnal mind, and be popular among the uncircumcised nations. But as for Israel, they had to remember one commanding sentence, "The Lord thy God is one God." And again, "Thou shalt have none other gods before me;" This was their religion; the platform of their worship was to be as wide and as narrow as the one true and living God, their Creator and Redeemer. That was broad enough for every true worshipper, every member of the circumcised assembly, those whose high and holy privilege was belonging to the Israel of God. They were not to concern themselves with the opinions or observations of the surrounding uncircumcised nations. Those nations were not worth the weight of a feather. What could they know about the claims of the God of Israel on His circumcised people? Were they competent to decide the proper breadth of Israel's platform? Being ignorant of the subject how could they? Hence their thoughts, reasoning, arguments, and objections were worthless. Israel's one simple, bounden duty was to bow down to the supreme and absolute authority of the Word of God; and that Word insisted on the complete abolition of every trace of idolatry from that goodly land they were privileged to hold as tenants under Him.
While it was incumbent on Israel; while they were solemnly bound to abolish all the places where the heathen had worshipped their gods; there was more. The heart might readily conceive the thought of doing away with idolatry and setting up God's altar. This might seem to be the right course to adopt. But God thought differently.
"Ye shall not do so unto the Lord your God. But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes, to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come; and thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks; and there ye shall eat before the Lord your God; and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the Lord thy God hath blessed thee."
A great cardinal truth is now unfolded to the congregation of Israel. They were to have one place of worship – a place chosen by God, not man. His habitation; the place of His presence was to be Israel's grand center; there they were to come with their sacrifices and offerings – there they were to offer their worship and find common joy.
Does this seem exclusive? Of course it was exclusive; how else could it be? If God was pleased to select a spot where He would take up His abode in the midst of His redeemed people, surely by necessity they were shut up to that spot as the only place of worship. This was God's exclusiveness and the pious soul would delight in it. A true lover of Jehovah would say with all the heart, "Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth." And again, "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth; yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God . . . Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; they will be still praising thee . . . A day in Thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness" (Ps. 26:84).
Here was the one grand and all-important point. It was the dwelling-place of Jehovah that was dear to the heart of every true Israelite. Restless self-will might desire to run here and there, and the vagrant heart might long for change. But for the heart that loved God any change from the place of His presence, the place where He had recorded His blessed Name, could only be a change for the worse. The truly devout worshipper could find satisfaction and delight, blessing, and rest only in the place of God's presence; on the authority of His precious Word. Such a worshipper could never think of going anywhere else. Where else could he go? There was only one altar, one habitation, one God that was the place for every right-minded, true-hearted Israelite. To think of any other place of worship would not only be a departure from the Word of Jehovah, but from His holy habitation.
This great principle is insisted on throughout this chapter. Moses reminds the people that from the moment they entered Jehovah's land, there was to be an end to all the irregularity and self-will that had characterized them in the plains of Moab and in the wilderness.
"Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes. For ye are not as yet come to the rest, and to the inheritance, which the Lord your God giveth you. But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose, to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you . . . Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt-offerings in every place that thou seest; but in the place which the Lord shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee" (vv. 4-14).
Thus, not only in the object, but also in the place and mode of Israel's worship, they were absolutely shut up to the commandment of Jehovah. Regarding the worship of God, self pleasing, self-choosing, self-will was to end the moment they crossed the river of death, and as a redeemed people planted their foot on their God-given inheritance. Once there, in the enjoyment of Jehovah's land and the rest it afforded, obedience to His Word was to be their reasonable, intelligent service. Things might be allowed to pass in the wilderness that could not be tolerated in Canaan – the higher the privilege, the higher the responsibility and standard of action.
It may be that our broad thinkers (those contending for freedom of will; freedom of action; the right of private judgment in matters of religion; liberality of mind; and catholicity of spirit) will be ready to pronounce all this as extremely narrow, unsuited to our enlightened age, and to men of intelligence and education.
The answer to one who might adopt this form of speech is simple and conclusive: Did not God have a right to prescribe the mode in which His people should worship Him? Did not He have a right to fix the place where He would meet His people Israel? Either we deny His existence, or we admit His absolute and unquestionable right to determine His will regarding how, when, and where His people should approach Him. Will anyone, however educated and enlightened, deny this? Is it a proof of high culture, refinement, breadth of mind or catholicity of spirit, to deny God His rights?
If God has a right to command, then is it narrowness or bigotry for His people to obey? This is the point. In our judgment, it is as simple as anything can be. We are thoroughly convinced that the only true breadth of mind, largeness of heart, and catholicity of spirit, is to obey the commandments of God. Hence, when Israel was commanded to go to one place and there offer their sacrifices, it most assuredly was neither bigotry nor narrowness on their part to go there, and to refuse to go anywhere else. Uncircumcised Gentiles might go where they pleased; the Israel of God was to go only to the place of His appointment.
Assembling at the place where He recorded His Name – what an unspeakable privilege for all who loved God and loved one another. And what touching grace shines in the fact that the Father desired to gather His people near from time to time. Did that fact infringe on their personal rights and domestic privileges? No, it immensely enhanced them. In His infinite goodness God took care of this. It was His delight to privately, socially, and publicly minister to the joy and blessing of His people. Hence we read, "When the Lord thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh, thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after. If the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the Lord hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat them; the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike."
Here, by the goodness and tender mercy of God, we have a broad margin afforded for the fullest range of personal and family enjoyment. The only restriction was in reference to the blood. "Only be sure that thou eat not the blood; for The blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh, Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water. Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the Lord."
This was a cardinal principle under the law, to which reference has been made in our study of Leviticus. It is not a question of how much Israel understood; they were to simply obey in order that it might go well with them and their children after them. In this matter, they were to accept the sovereign rights of God.
Having made this exception regarding personal and family habits, the lawgiver returns to the important subject of public worship. "Only thy holy things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place which the Lord shall choose; and thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the Lord thy God; and the blood of thy sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the Lord thy God, and thou shalt eat the flesh" (vv. 26, 27).
If reason, or self-will were permitted to speak, it might say, "Why must we all go to this one place? We can have an altar at home; we can have an altar in the center of each tribe?" The conclusive answer is, "God has commanded otherwise; this is enough for every true Israelite. Even though, by reason of ignorance, we may not be able to see the why or wherefore, simple obedience is our obvious and bounden duty. It may be that as we cheerfully tread the path of obedience light will break in on our souls regarding the reason, and we will find abundant blessing in doing that which is well-pleasing to the Lord our God."
This is the proper method of answering all reasoning and questioning of the carnal mind. Treading with a lowly mind the sacred path of obedience, light is sure to break in on the soul; and untold blessing will flow into the heart in that conscious nearness to God that can only be known to those who lovingly keep His commandments. Are we called on to explain to carnal objectors and infidels our reasons for doing this or that? No, that is no part of our business; it would be time and labor lost, because objectors and reasoners are incapable of understanding or appreciating spiritual reasons.
For example, could a carnal mind, an unbeliever, a mere child of nature, understand why Israel's twelve tribes were commanded to worship at one altar; to gather in one place; to cluster around one center? No, the moral reason of such a lovely institution lies far away beyond his thinking.
But to the spiritual mind all is as plain as it is beautiful. From time to time, Jehovah would gather His beloved people around so that they might rejoice together before Him, and so He might have His own peculiar joy in them. How precious this must have been to those who loved the Lord.
No doubt, to a cold and careless heart toward God the place of worship would matter little; all places would be alike. But it is a fixed principle that every loyal loving heart from Dan to Beersheba would rejoice to flock at the place where Jehovah had recorded His Name; where He had appointed to meet His people.
We now draw this section to a close by quoting the last paragraph of the twelfth chapter of Deuteronomy: "When the Lord thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; take heed to thyself, that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God; for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it; thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it" (vv. 29-32).
The precious Word of God was to form a sacred enclosure around His people, within which they might enjoy His presence and delight in the abundance of His mercy and loving-kindness. Within this enclosure they were to be separated from all that was offensive to God Whose presence was to be their glory, joy, and moral safeguard from every snare and abomination.
Sadly, they did not abide within that enclosure; they broke down the walls and wandered away from the holy commandment of God. They did the very things they were told not to do and reaped the consequences.
