The Place

O. T. #393  "The Place"
October 24, 2014
Deuteronomy 12
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. 
Deuteronomy 12:5

LET IT GLOW

Although we can worship God at home, in the car on our way to work, and in other buildings, God still wants us to come into His house. Do you have a special place of worship, where you gather with a local church? Israel was given requirements of the place where they were to worship. Join me in finding out what they were.

The place, in the new land, where Israel was to worship God is the main emphasis in this chapter. Also, the promises and commands of this chapter were to be carried out in the land. In 6 verses, God demands Israel to worship in a specific geographical place. (verses 5, 11, 14,18, 21, 26)
In the Old Testament there were four qualifications for the place of worship:

1. God's name was there. (verse 11)
2. His presence was there. (verse 11)
3. The symbols of redemption, such as the burnt offerings and sacrifices, were there. (verse 11)
4. The Levite was ministering at the place. (verse 12)  [Resource: Liberty Bible Commentary]

In the Old Testament God's presence resided in the tabernacle, where He manifested Himself to Israel. When Israel enter Canaan, He manifested Himself and they worshiped at:

• Mt. Ebal (27:1-8; Joshua 8:30-35),
• Shechem (Josh. 24:1-28),
• Shiloh (Josh.18:1),
• at the site of the threshing floor of Araunah (2 Sam. 24:18, 1 Chron. 21:18),
• in Jerusalem, site of Solomon's temple.

[Resources: The MacArthur Bible Commentary, Liberty Bible Commentary]

The church wasn't established until the New Testament (Matt. 16:18). Instead of a central location for the place of worship, as in the Old Testament, it is a local place. Today, our place is not the tabernacle or the Temple, but in the local church building, where one must be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19-20) as a testimony to identification with Jesus Christ and use of gifts to serve Him.

LET IT GROW

In the first four verses, God gives specific instructions about the Canaanite sanctuaries:

• All places were to be destroyed completely, whether on mountains,hills, or under every green tree, where other gods were worshiped.
• Break down their altars.
• Smash their sacred stones.
• Burn their Asherah poles in the fire.
• Cut down the idols of their gods.
• Wipe out their names from those places. 

God wanted all remnants of idolatry blotted out so Israel would not be tempted by them. Each person was to go to God's designated place and worship according to the plans laid down by God. When man worshiped God when and where he chose, it was rebellion, as today. Also, when man does not want to submit to God's laws and worship according to God's ways. Even today, not every place is acceptable for corporate worship.

Do we have idols, things that we worship in place of God? If so, we need to break them down, smash them, break and cut them down, burn them and wipe out their names in our lives.
How is our time being spent? Are we polishing the silver, cleaning the mansion, waxing the car, giving more time to the television or computer, than to God and His Word?
Only God is to be worshiped. We are to not bow down to any idols or graven image. (Exodus 20)

LET IT GO
                    ...of any idols in my life.
                              ...and worship the one true living God.
                              ...love and serve God.
                              ...share Jesus with others.