I planned to comment (write a little Lesson) on each chapter in Deuteronomy. But earlier this morning, when previewing Chapter 13, I nearly laid aside my goal!

It is full of death, chapter 13.

Honestly, it is composed of 18 verses, commanding death to person after person, in some cases groups of people. It is Mosaic Law at its most stringent intersection!

Here’s an example. When a false preacher or teacher has arrived: “That prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Deuteronomy 13:5

Then follows event after event where some offender is to be executed.

Wow!

“If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: but thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.” Deuteronomy 13:6-10

And if a whole town is found to be idolatrous … “Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword. And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the LORD thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again.” Deuteronomy 13:15-16

Strong!

Now I AM NOT ADVOCATING following such procedure in today’s world. In fact, I do not believe God would want us to do such. We do not operate under the strict commands of Moses’ law now. We live in a time where God’s Grace is reigning, ruling.

Today we’d see that idol-worshipping crowd and (at least try) win them to Jesus! Or tell them of His Love and Forgiveness anyway.

After all, killing one of them would simply be sending him to Hell!

BUT …

BUT …

BUT …

I do believe there is a spiritual principle behind these requirements!

The danger of casually coexisting in the midst of sin and degradation, extreme tolerance for wickedness (rebellion culminating in the worship of a plethora of gods and goddesses).

That stuff is still deadly to a vibrant life of loving God and His Son.

So, instead of hurting anyone (fact is “loving” them as Jesus might would have done) … we should just “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing.” Using Paul’s words from 2 Corinthians 6:17.

Sin contaminates, folks!

Paul again, in the same context: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?”

To what extent do I not “mess” with that godless crowd?

Get this! “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:22, even its appearance!

REMEMBER, DO NOT HURT ANYONE!

But guard yourself diligently!

(Idolatry is no less dangerous today than it was 3,500 years ago, folks!)

It’s just that God solved the problem in Moses’ day in a different manner.

Oh, the beauty of the GRACE of God!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Ask the Lord to show you some “sin” in your life today, one with which you have been much too “cozy,” and deal with it! Again you can’t hurt anybody … but you sure can “slaughter” that sin! Paul again: “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Colossians 3:6, where “mortify” literally means “to put to death!” (Hack that “sin” to pieces! Eliminate it from your life as a Christian!)

No literal blood shed … but the principle of Deuteronomy 13 will have been followed indeed! And the sins we too often tolerate might actually begin disappearing!

Again, WOW!