Deuteronomy 12: Prepared the Way for Jesus to Mount Zion
1 “These are the statutes and judgments which you shall be careful to observe in the land which Yahweh God of your fathers is giving you to possess, all the days that you live on the earth. 2 You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. 3 And you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and burn their wooden images with fire; you shall cut down the carved images of their gods and destroy their names from that place. 4 You shall not worship Yahweh your God with such things.
5 "But you shall seek the place where Yahweh your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go. 6 There you shall take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, your vowed offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. 7 And there you shall eat before Yahweh your God, and you shall rejoice in all to which you have put your hand, you and your households, in which Yahweh your God has blessed you.
“These are the statutes and judgments which you shall be careful to observe in the land“ etc. from that time until the time of their visitation in the flesh—that is, the time of Messiah— “by which they are admonished to seek no other God” (Geneva Study Bible)—
“all the days that you live on the earth” — not just while in possession of the land but while this earth remains.
“‘You shall utterly destroy all the places...’ etc. Places of false worship “must be completely extirpated, for it would lead their hearts away from the one Jehovah” (Arno Gaebelein)— even His Messiah. “This clause of this law is judicial, peculiar only to the Jews, saith a grave interpreter; as being chiefly intended to prevent their worshipping God in any other place than that one that he had appointed, to which we in the days of the gospel are not tied.” (John Trapp) Shortly before the place of worship— the temple in Jerusalem— was destroyed, Jesus said that the time had come for worship to be enlarged, for neither in this Mount (in Samaria) nor in Jerusalem was worship then constrained but rather anywhere. Yet it was still confined to the the Spirit and truth. (John 4:23)
It is noted that in the subsequent destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, where He chose to place His name, it is intimated that it had become such a place of false worship, not recognizing their Messiah.
“‘And you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and burn their wooden images with fire;” etc. You shall not worship Yahweh your God with such things,’ wicked Ahaz did, [2 Chronicles 28:24] by the advice and help of Uriah, that turn-coat, [2 Kings 16:10-12] who had once passed for a faithful witness, [Isaiah 7:2] but afterwards proved a factor for the devil.” (John Trapp) Thus it is in so-called churches today where doctrine is not regarded and unity is pronounced as more import than truth.
“‘Destroy,’ ‘overthrow,’ ‘burn,’ ‘hew down,’ are words which are not found in the instructions given to Christian evangelists. Has the law then passed away? Not a jot or tittle of it. Is there still to be a work of this kind accomplished in heathen nations? That is the very work that must first be done. This is the work that is aimed at by the humblest and meekest teacher who shoulders the Gospel yoke and proceeds to Christianise the nations. Now we destroy by reasoning, and that is a far more terrible destruction than the supposed annihilation that can be wrought by manual violence.
You cannot conquer an enemy by the arm, the rod, or the weapon of war; you subdue him, overpower him, or impose some momentary restraint upon him; fear of you takes possession of his heart, and he sues for peace because he is afraid. That is not conquest; there is nothing eternal in such an issue. How, then, to destroy an enemy? By converting him--by changing his motive, by penetrating into his most secret life, and accomplishing the mystery of regeneration in his affections. That mystery accomplished, the conquest is complete and everlasting.” (J. Parker D. D.)
“‘But you shall seek the place where Yahweh your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go.’ “No place is here named; for the LORD was content, and most significantly, to dwell in the tent. He sojourned in the desert; and afterwards removed His abode to Gilgal, to Shiloh, to Nob, and to Jerusalem, which He chose by the falling of fire from heaven. 1 Chronicles 21:26. In all these places He recorded His name; and the people usually looked towards His holy place when they called on His name.” (Sutcliffe)
David said, “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of Yahweh; our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem,’ (Psalms 122:1) But Zion is the ultimate resting place. Jesus’ name is written on His robe and on His thigh (Revelation 19:16). “Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads...” (Revelation 14:1) representing knowledge of Him and His ways.
John the Baptist prepared the way for the Lord by preaching a sermon on this text from Isaiah 40. John and Isaiah had a twofold message. Firstly, “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of Yahweh blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall,bbut the word of our God endures forever.” And secondly:
O Zion,
You who bring good tidings,
Get up into the high mountain;
O Jerusalem,
You who bring good tidings,
Lift up your voice with strength,
Lift it up, be not afraid;
Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”— Isaiah 40:9
Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world— John 1:29
Thus the Spirit declares, “Yahweh has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation. This is My rest forever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.” (Psalms 132:13.) “Similar statements everywhere occur, confirming the opinion that the Ark [perhaps the Antitype] never rested in its true home until it is deposited on Zion; and God, in my judgment, in order that He might keep the hope of His people in suspense, promised, although the Ark changed its place from time to time, that He had still determined on a perpetual abode in which it should rest. Yet it does not therefore follow that, up to that period, a free permission was given to the people to sacrifice wherever they would. For, wherever the sanctuary was, there was also a temporary choice of the place, until the legitimate resting-place was shewn them. Therefore God, chastising by Jeremiah the foolish confidence by which the Jews were puffed up, said,‘Go ye now unto my place, which was in Shiloh, and see what I did to it,’ etc., (Jeremiah 7:12;) in which words he implies that Shiloh had been highly honored for a season, but had now been deprived of its honor, because the sacrifices had there been unworthily polluted. Although, then, there is a special promise here concerning Zion, still there is no doubt but that God in the meantime confines the Jews to His sanctuary, lest any one should erect a private altar for himself, or build for himself other cities and other temples. The phrase is worthy of observation, ‘to put His name there;’ and again, “His habitation.’” (Albert Barnes)
“‘There you shall take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, your vowed offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks.’ For none might appear empty handed before Jehovah.” (John Trapp)
All these shall be placed at His feet in that Day. “And there you shall eat before Yahweh your God,” of the portion of the various sacrifices allowed for consumption by the worshippers, even the blessed peace offering, “and you shall rejoice in all to which you have put your hand, you and your households, in which Yahweh your God has blessed you.”
Deuteronomy 12: 8 “You shall not at all do as we are doing here today—every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes— 9 for as yet you have not come to the rest and the inheritance which Yahweh your God is giving you. 10 But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which Yahweh your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety, 11 then there will be the place where Yahweh your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to Yahweh . 12 And you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion nor inheritance with you. 13 Take heed to yourself that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every place that you see; 14 but in the place which Yahweh chooses, in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.
Deuteronomy 12: The Blood Of Animals
15 “However, you may slaughter and eat meat within all your gates, whatever your heart desires, according to the blessing of Yahweh your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, of the gazelle and the deer alike. 16 Only you shall not eat the blood; you shall pour it on the earth like water. 17 You may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain or your new wine or your oil, of the firstborn of your herd or your flock, of any of your offerings which you vow, of your freewill offerings, or of the heave offering of your hand. 18 But you must eat them before Yahweh your God in the place which Yahweh your God chooses, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, and the Levite who is within your gates; and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God in all to which you put your hands. 19 Take heed to yourself that you do not forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land.
“During their encampments and travels in the wilderness, it was enacted, that all the beasts that were to be slain by any Israelite, for the use of his family,” — clean animals blessed for consumption— “should be first presented to God at the tabernacle, by way of peace-offering, and there slain; Leviticus 22:1; Leviticus 22:33 which was no inconvenience to them, as the tabernacle was very near.” (Thomas Coke)
“‘However, you may slaughter and eat meat within all your gates, whatever your heart desires, according to the blessing of Yahweh our God which He has given you.’—that is of clean animals. The unclean and the clean [people] may eat of it’—... both those in a state of ritual cleanness, and those not so, could then eat of them for they had not been offered in the sanctuary. — ‘of the gazelle and the deer alike.’ While being clean beasts they were not sacrificial beasts. But now in the same way all clean animals could be treated in the same way, even sacrificial-type animals, if they were not being offered as an offering..." (Peter Pett)
There was still a teaching of God concerning the matter. Because man was made from dust— the earth from one blood —and the penalty for sin is death— or put another way, “The blood of a man is required of mankind is required of him,” that is of mankind— God provided in His law for sacrifice to be made to atone for sin. He had only one Great Sacrifice in mind, but the burnt offering first was typical of that Sacrifice. In type, it incurred the wrath of God in the place of the sinner.
Thus: “‘Only you shall not eat the blood;” “flesh with the life thereof” (Genesis 9:4) —“you shall pour it on the earth like water,’ upon the earth for God, whether the victim was consigned to the altar or not. It was a continual reminder of the necessity for the sacrifice of the death of Christ, to be continued until He should come. Thus the act was, in a sense, sacramental.” (C. J. Ellicott) “‘The life of the flesh,’ i.e. of living creatures.—‘is in the blood,’ i.e. it depends upon the blood, is preserved and nourished by it, and is extinguished when the blood is gone.” (Matthew Poole) — ‘It is the blood that maketh an atonement’; typically [daily burnt offering for individuals and annually burnt offerings for the nation on the Day of Atonement], and in respect of the blood of Christ, which it represented, by which the atonement is really made, Hebrews 9:12...” (Matthew Poole on Leviticus 17:11) “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” (Hebrews 10:4)
What can wash my sin away? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
“You may not eat within your gates the tithe of your grain or your new wine or your oil, of the firstborn of your herd or your flock, of any of your offerings which you vow, of your freewill offerings, or of the heave offering of your hand. But you must eat them before Yahweh your God in the place which Yahweh your God chooses, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, and the Levite who is within your gates; and you shall rejoice before Yahweh your God in all to which you put your hands.” That blood was generally poured at the one universal altar of earth (unhewn stone) and sprinkled on all the holy vessels, as well as the people of God.
“If reason, or self-will were permitted to speak, it might say, ‘Why must we all go to this one place? Can we not have an altar at home? Or, at least, an altar in each principal town, or in the centre of each tribe?’ The conclusive answer is, ‘God has commanded otherwise; this is enough for every true Israelite.’… For example, in the matter now under our consideration, 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 round one centre? Not in the smallest degree. The grand moral reason of such a lovely institution lies far away beyond his ken.
But to the spiritual mind all is as plain as it is beautiful. Jehovah would gather His beloved people around Himself, from time to time, that they might rejoice together before Him and that He might have His own peculiar joy in them. Was not this something most precious? Assuredly it was to all who really loved the Lord. No doubt, if the heart were cold and careless toward God, it would matter little about the place of worship; all places would be alike. But we may set it down as a fixed principle that every loyal loving heart from Dan to Beersheba would rejoice to flock to the place where Jehovah had recorded His Name, and where He had appointed to meet His people.” (C. H. Mackintosh's Notes)
This does not preclude situational exceptions. The Lord’s anointed had liberty. “Few dispositions in religion have a worse effect than to be narrow and uncharitable in our views. The Lord accepted the sacrifice of Gideon. Judges 6. The levites offered kine on a stone in Bethshemesh, which was a complicated breach of the law. 1 Samuel 6. Samuel also offered a sucking lamb in Mizpeh. 1 Samuel 7. David at the threshingfloor of Araunah, and Elijah on mount Cannel, indulged the same liberty, and with the divine approbation. 2 Samuel 24:1.” (Joseph Sutcliffe)
“Take heed to yourself that you do not forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land.” They were the link to Jerusalem in David's time and spiritual Levites will be a vine to Zion in the future time of restoration. Israel was called to become a nation of priests and the Levites would help them execute the law of God at home. They should be like kin to all.
Deuteronomy 12: Beware of Leaven of the Heathen Nations
29 “When Yahweh your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, 30 take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ 31 You shall not worship Yahweh your God in that way; for every abomination to Yahweh which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.
32 “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.
“‘When Yahweh your God shall cut off the nations from before you,’— the seven nations of the land of Canaan, Deuteronomy 7:1" (John Gill) —‘which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them’—into sin and death by going after their vain theologies or philosophies.
Lest you be seduced “by following their superstitions and idolatries, and thinking to serve Me by it.” ( Geneva Study Bible) “‘You shall not worship Yahweh your God in that way.’ “For this is the origin of idolatry, when the genuine simplicity of God’s worship is known [by His people], that people begin to be dissatisfied with it, and curiously to inquire whether there is anything worthy of belief in the figments of men; for men’s minds are soon attracted by the snares of novelty, so as to pollute, with various kinds of leaven, what has been delivered in God’s Word.” (John Calvin)
“For every abomination to Yahweh which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.’ Thus they murder in the name of their gods. There were also orgies in that day in the name of religion. etc. We must be in “a perpetual battle with moral evil. We cannot afford to parley with the enemy nor give him a single advantage.” (Pulpit Commentaries) Flee from youthful lusts.
“‘Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it;’ for the seed of all true Revelation is the old story of the Creation, the Fall, and the promised Redemption, as given to Adam and Eve— and perpetuated it by word of mouth— the same content given to Moses on the mount, which was written in the Pentateuch.— “‘You shall not add to it’—To add anything to the Word of God, saith Theodoret, ‘is bold madness.’—‘nor take away from it.’ But to open those things by the Word, that in the Word are more darkly delivered, is both lawful and laudable.” (John Trapp)
“There is a certainty in the heavenly doctrine which does not permit our faith to waver or to be overthrown, Ephesians 4:14.” (John Calvin) Many people call themselves Christian, but will not examine another man’s religion, nor their own, against the standard of God’s Word. They cannot go to battle for the just cause of defending Him because they have no standard under which to march. They act “as though Confucianism, Buddhism, Mohammedanism, Shintoism, Mormonism, Christian Science, etc. are only alternative styles of worshiping the same God.
But all of these are absolutely false and opposed to the worship of God as revealed in His beloved Son Jesus Christ. Such religions can sink into such a low state that people dare to even burn their children in the fire as sacrifices to their gods. Though some of these do not go that far literally today, yet by teaching unholy doctrines to their children, they are virtually sacrificing them to the flames of hell!
The only real protection we have from such evil is in obedience to the Word of God (v.32). How vital it is that we should take to heart the words of this verse: ‘Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it: you shall not add to it nor take away from it.’ This verse is found in the history of Scripture. In that history there is no slightest error. It provides all that is necessary for us to know as regards what is past, and nothing must be taken from it. Another similar warning is found in the poetry of Scripture (Proverbs 30:5-6); and another in the prophecy of Scripture (Revelation 22:18-19). Whether in its history, poetry or prophecy, the Word of God is absolute and full in its truth. We must not dare to add to it nor subtract from it, but treat it with utmost reverence.” (L. M. Grant)
People must desire the truth. “We should depend entirely upon the Word, and do all which it enjoins heartily; for if the Word is lost, God is lost. But it is better that one should lose friend, brother, saints and nobles, and all, than God.” (Martin Luther) “Alas! if our religion be not of the heart, there can be no stability, no dependence in our faith. But if I love the Lord Jesus because I really and truly know him: this is life eternal. Lord, confirm me in this faith! John 17:3.” (Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary)
Look for multiple witnesses and pray. “‘One would wonder,’ says Bishop Patrick, ‘that so learned a man as Maimonides should have laboured to prove from this the immutability of the law of Moses.’ It is strange that he could not see, what some of his brethren have seen, that though God did not permit the Israelites to alter these laws, He bound not up Himself from changing them; this another Jewish writer very well illustrates: ‘A physician prescribes a diet to his patient for such a time as he judges convenient, which he does not declare to the sick man; but when the time comes that the physician hath obtained his end, he changes the diet, permits the patient what he formerly forbade, and prohibits that which he formerly permitted.’” (Thomas Coke) This is the leaven or doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees that Jesus warned His disciples about; see Matthew 16:5-12. Nothing can be diminished in importance, but Jesus has done away with the ceremonial law, that is the handwriting of ordinance “that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:14)
There is but one way to serve / worship Yahweh your God—by observing all of His Ten Commandments, forever. These were written on stone by the finger of God and placed in the Ark of the Covenant. Obedience produces worship that endure judgment. “How does God want His people to worship Him? [in Spirit and in Truth.] His people should worship Him exclusively and only as He has instructed us (cf. Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 22:19; John 4:20-23).” (Dr. Thomas B. Constable)— not as the heathen.