Deuteronomy 13 part 2
I want us to revisit Deuteronomy 13:6-18. God warned them about idolatry and the warning included punishment for continuing their actions. God tries corrective punishment first, just as we chastise our children. If that does not work, then comes punitive punishment that often includes destruction.
God gives us many examples. The plagues that were sent upon Egypt first afflicted property. When that did not work, the first-born were struck down. When that was still met with rebellion, they were swallowed up in the Red Sea and perished. When Sodom and Gomorrah rebelled, they were first hit with rebellion and captivity in ward. When they did not repent, God destroyed the cities with fire and everyone perished, except for a few. And contrary to popular belief, although they were an extremely wicked people, that is not why they were destroyed. Ezekiel 16:49 tells us, “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.”
Sodom’s lawlessness was pride (arrogance), plenty of food without working too hard for it, plenty of free time, and they did not help the poor and needy. Does this sound familiar? This sounds like the promise of every politician in America. “You need only self-esteem and if you vote for us, we will give you food and a life of leisure!” And the result is the poor and needy are kept enslaved to poverty. In fact, if you study the history of these cities, not only did they not help the poor, but if a poor person came to town, you were prohibited from helping them to the point that you would be persecuted and attacked if you did. Does that sound familiar? It should. Our government here in the USA has prohibited groups and individuals from helping and feeding the poor. And let us not get started on sacrificing our children to the god of convenience.
What happened in the Bible when people refused to turn from their rebellion? They were cut off. The cities were destroyed. People perished. It is past time for us, as a nation, to repent.
Deuteronomy 13:11: And all Israel shall hea1 and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you.