Deuteronomy 12:20-32: a reflection

20When the LORD your God enlarges your border, as he has promised you, and you say, “I want to eat meat,” because your soul desires to eat meat, you may eat meat, after all the desire of your soul. 21If the place which the LORD your God shall choose to put his name is too far from you, then you shall kill of your herd and of your flock, which the LORD has given you, as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your gates, after all the desire of your soul. 22Even as the gazelle and as the deer is eaten, so you shall eat of it. The unclean and the clean may eat of it alike. 23Only be sure that you don’t eat the blood; for the blood is the life. You shall not eat the life with the meat. 24You shall not eat it. You shall pour it out on the earth like water. 25You shall not eat it, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, when you do that which is right in the LORD’s eyes. 26Only your holy things which you have, and your vows, you shall take and go to the place which the LORD shall choose. 27You shall offer your burnt offerings, the meat and the blood, on the LORD your God’s altar. The blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on the LORD your God’s altar, and you shall eat the meat. 28Observe and hear all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever, when you do that which is good and right in the LORD your God’s eyes. 29When the LORD your God cuts off the nations from before you where you go in to dispossess them, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, 30be careful that you are not ensnared to follow them after they are destroyed from before you, and that you not inquire after their gods, saying, “How do these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise.” 31You shall not do so to the LORD your God; for every abomination to the LORD, which he hates, they have done to their gods; for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods. 32Whatever thing I command you, that you shall observe to do. You shall not add to it, nor take away from it.

As God gives Israel instructions for life in the land, he warns them pointedly against adopting the worship practices of the nations around them. Be careful, he says, that you not inquire after their gods, saying, How do these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise. You shall not do so to the LORD your God. Israel was not to worship the true God by copying the ways the surrounding nations worshiped their gods; they were to worship God as he directed, not by importing the practices of the world around them. God is not to be served the world's way, but his own.

Notice the warning: do not worship God by copying the ways of the surrounding nations. Israel might have been tempted to look at how the nations around them served their gods, and to adopt those practices in worshiping the true God; but God forbids it. He is not to be worshiped by importing the world's ways, but as he himself directs. The manner of worshiping God was to come from God, not from the surrounding culture; his people were not to serve him by copying how the world served its gods.

That warning is worth taking to heart, for we too can be tempted to approach God by the world's ways rather than his. We can look at how the surrounding culture pursues its aims and satisfactions, its methods, its spirit, and import them into how we approach and serve God, worshiping him by the world's ways; but God calls us to serve him as he directs, not by copying the world. Do not approach and serve God by importing the ways of the surrounding culture, worshiping him as the world pursues its gods; serve him as he directs, not by copying the world around you. Be careful, as Israel was warned, not to serve God by adopting the ways of the world, but to worship and follow him on his own terms, as he directs, rather than by importing the practices and spirit of the surrounding culture into your approach to the true God.

Lord, as you give Israel instructions for life in the land, you warn them pointedly against adopting the worship practices of the nations around them. Be careful, you say, that you not inquire after their gods, saying, how do these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise. You shall not do so to the LORD your God. Israel was not to worship you by copying the ways the surrounding nations worshiped their gods; they were to worship you as you directed. You are not to be served the world's way, but your own. Show me the warning: do not worship God by copying the ways of the surrounding nations. Israel might have been tempted to adopt those practices in worshiping you; but you forbid it. You are not to be worshiped by importing the world's ways, but as you direct. The manner of worshiping you was to come from you, not from the surrounding culture. Take that warning to my heart, for I too can be tempted to approach you by the world's ways rather than yours. I can look at how the surrounding culture pursues its aims, its methods, its spirit, and import them into how I approach and serve you; but you call me to serve you as you direct. Keep me from approaching and serving you by importing the ways of the surrounding culture; help me serve you as you direct, not by copying the world around me, Lord. Help me worship and follow you on your own terms.