Deuteronomy 13 and The Unique Character of Covenantal Law⤒🔗

Say the word 'law' today, and most people think of 'rules' and 'regulations' that stifle freedom and restrict fun. How different it was for the psalmist David, who describes the upright believer this way: 'But his delight is in the law of the LORD, / And in His law he medi­tates day and night' (Psalm 1:2).

Unlike most of the human rules governing civil and social life, God's law reaches into the secret places of our heart. Often man's law deals only with the exter­nal, while God's law extends to the internal dimension of our existence. Speed limits and tax codes don't require love, only compliance. In Scripture, especially Deuteronomy, obedience surpasses compliance to the extent that we 'put our heart into it.'

What makes God's covenantal law unique is that in it, the LORD speaks to our heart within a context of grace, asking for the love and devotion of our whole being. If the essence of 'covenant' is that gracious relationship begun by the LORD with us, then the uniqueness of His law is that it is at the same time gospel, good news for blessed living. It is very impor­tant for us to understand that grace was not something added to the law, as a kind of divine afterthought or second try. Because many Christians play off law against grace, they fail to see the gracious or gospel character of God's law. We will never grow to love the LORD'S precepts without receiving them as the expression of grace. Only being in the grip of God's gracious love prompts us to 'amen' His love with the love of our whole being. (Question 1)

Case #1: The Heart Seduced by Experts (Read 13:1-5)←↰⤒🔗

Deuteronomy 13 provides three cases, or examples, of spiritual seduction, whereby God's people are led away from serving Him alone.

The first case involves a prophet or a dreamer, each of whom employs signs and wonders to accom­pany his seductive message. Their technique climaxes with an invitation: 'Let us go after other gods which you have not known, and let us serve them' (v. 2b).

Notice carefully the LORD'S instruction in verses 3-4:

You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer ... you shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.

Here nothing is said about debating or evaluating the validity of the signs and wonders, or about measur­ing the personal sincerity of the messenger. Rather, attention is focused negatively on not listening to the words of the messenger and, positively, on obeying God's Word. It is, after all, nothing else than a contest of words — man's against God's!

The LORD knows how easily His people are lured away from His simple, straightforward Word, by signs and wonders, by spiritual novelties and excitement, presented by religious experts whose recommendations are difficult to dispute.

The only test is the outcome of their advice: Will the result be walking more closely with the LORD, according to His Word, in more consistent holiness and purity? (Question 2)

Spiritual Discipline against Spiritual Seduction←⤒🔗

Before moving to the second case, let's pay atten­tion to the spiritual discipline required. The messen­ger leading God's people astray was to be executed. 'So you shall put away the evil from your midst,' the LORD says (v. 5).

Many tend to dismiss or weaken this requirement (also called a 'sanction') by viewing it simply as an Old Testament form of church discipline. At this point we must be very careful to avoid playing off the New Testament (grace, love, mercy) against the Old Testa­ment (law, judgment, death).

In fact, there is a New Testament passage that helps us apply Deuteronomy 13:5 today. The apostle Paul instructed the New Testament believers in Corinth:

But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore 'put away from yourselves the evil person. 1 Corinthians 5:11-13

Space permits only these brief observations.

• First, notice the apostle's direct reference to the Old Testa­ment rationale of excluding the evil person from the community.

• Second, there is development or change reflected in the New Testament, in that excommuni­cation for impenitence occurs now through social-spiritual shunning, rather than through execution.

• Third, the list of offenses extends beyond spiritual seduction, to include violations of most of the Ten Commandments.

• Fourth, the church's application of biblical sanctions is here limited to those 'inside' the congregation; God will punish those 'outside' who are disobedient.

Let us not view these contrasts between Deutero­nomy 13:5 and 1 Corinthians 5:11-13 as contradictory, but rather as reflecting development in God's program of redemption. There is indeed something new about the New Testament. Part of that newness is the opportunity, between Easter and the Parousia, for those excommunicated (including idolaters!) to be evangelized and converted. (Question 3)

Case #2: The Heart Seduced by Family Members (Read 13:6-11)←↰⤒🔗

This second case envisions spiritual seduction through the secret intimacy of family members and close friends. These verses foreshadow the words of our Savior, called the Second Moses, who insisted that 'he who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me' (Matthew 10:37). It may even be necessary to abandon one's spouse for the sake of God's kingdom (Luke 18:29)!

Both the first and the Second Moses teach us that our relationship to the LORD is fundamental to all human relationships. Family bonds and friendships must be subjected to, and serve, our relationship to God.

The temptation toward spiritual seduction is so serious that the LORD commands the death penalty even for intimate family members. When all is said and done, walking with the LORD is an intensely personal matter, for which He holds us individually responsible, and for which family relationships may need to be sacrificed. Our Lord Jesus Christ sanctifies this kind of sacrifice with His promise: 'Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life' (Luke 18:29-30).

Case #3: The Heart Seduced by Fellow Citizens (Read 13:12-18)←↰⤒🔗

The scenario in this third case is a bit different. The citizenry of a particular town has been negligent in applying covenant sanctions against spiritual seduc­ers among them. Worse still, the community is actually following these messengers into idolatry. Their 'leading astray' has moved from suggestion to reality.

When it comes to spiritual seduction, criminal and 'victim' are equally culpable. Both the seducer and the seduced have rebelled against the LORD'S clear revelation, which means that for both, there is abso­lutely no excuse for surrendering one's heart to another god. Their punishment is the 'ban' of destruc­tion. Since the citizens devoted themselves to another god, everything in their city — inhabitants and property, means of production and livelihood — must be devoted to destruction.

By insisting that the city be annihilated for the sake of sparing the nation, the LORD was teaching Israel that her national unity was subordinate to listening to God's commands. Obedience to God's law was the only pathway toward national prosperity and blessing. (Question 4)

Deuteronomy 13 confronts us with two kinds of ’devotion': to the LORD or to destruction. Each 'consecration' embraces all of life and proceeds from the heart. Remember that these alternatives are presented after Israel's Father had, earlier in this sermon, spoken heart to heart, saying: 'I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me' (Deuteronomy 5:6-7).

Only two kinds of devotion. Only two kinds of people (Psalm 1:6). Only two pathways (Matthew 7:13-14), toward or away from the Father. Which way are you going?

Questions for Reflection and Reply←⤒🔗

1. What is the significance of the Preamble or Pro­logue of the Decalog (see Deuteronomy 5:6)? In other words, was the law given before or after grace and redemption? What does this mean for our use of God's law?

2. Mention examples of modern spiritual seduction by messengers who try to lead people away from God's Word with signs and wonders. What warn­ing does Christ give in Matthew 24:23-25? What standards of evaluation does the apostle Paul give in Galatians 1:6-9?

3. Recall from Deuteronomy 12:2-4 that Israel's 'negative obedience' paved the way for her 'positive service.' Here, too, New Testament excommunica­tion (putting out) paves the way for evangelism (bringing in). Explain why lack of church discipline necessarily results in lack of missionary zeal. Explain why excommunication is not the church's last word to an impenitent sinner.

4. What does the New Testament teach us about dealing with fellow-citizens (outside the church) who deny God by following other gods? Mention ways in which we should apply verses 12-18 today.