18: Warning against Idolatry and False Prophets (#2 make no image, false teaching about God) (Deut 13:1 – 18)

Ch. 12 warned about the outside influence of pagan worship. Ch. 13 warns about idolatry that emerges inside of them. Ch. 13 is related to the second commandment, 'do not make images.' 

πŸ‘‰ Read Deuteronomy 13:1-18

The Lord warned them to follow every detail of His commands (12:32). Do not (       ) to it or (            ) from it!

 

Sometimes, false prophets could perform miracles and wonders to deceive believers. Why does God allow it? (3-4)

 

They needed to execute false prophets without mercy (T or F)

If one of your family seduces you to serve other gods, you need to be the first who strikes to kill him/her (T or F)

If you hear a report that there is a false prophet saying, “serve other gods,” in a city among you, you should treat them as one of Pegan towns (T or F)

 

In this way, you must purge evil from (                 ).

Answers and Meditations

Add, subtract

Adding or subtracting will lead you to idolatry because you don’t know the truth. Because of our sinfulness, any trial to do more than subscribed will lead you to idolatry of self-righteousness. Any trial to do less will make you compromise with pagan idolatry. They should follow the rule strictly until the wisdom of God was given to them by the pouring of the Holy Spirit.

 

God tests you to see if you love Him with all your mind and being

If your motive for seeking God is money, you will follow false prophets if they provide wealth.

 

True

True

False

You need to totally destroy the town that didn’t punish the person of idolatry among them.

 

Among you

You would think God is too harsh. If there is someone among them who entices idolatry, it is not only an individual sin. It would lead the whole congregation of God. God is very concerned about the purity of Israel and the church.

“Thus all Israel will hear and be afraid; no longer will they continues to do evil like this among you” (verse 11)

Doing evil = turning away from the Lord.

We should do our best to purify the church from various heretics and worldly ways of worship and ministry.

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