Deuteronomy is a fascinating book. Moses’ (or should I say Yahweh’s?) sermon(s) speak to the heart of the matter – as a child of Yahweh you should fear, serve, and love Yahweh, and should keep his commands. Moses is not a legalist, but is passing along Yahweh’s value system to his people.

In this collection of Mosaic sermons are startling commands: “that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death” (13.5) or “You shall stone him to death with stones” (13.10) or “You shall put the inhabitants of that city to the sword, devoting it to destruction” (13.15). Any student of the Torah knows that these commands are common, but that the contemporary church has run from them like a viral infection. 

Why is this? Because it does not translate into our culture very well. Religious tolerance is seen as a virtue among Americans. To stone someone for trying to convert you to another religion, which is the subject matter of Deut. 13, seems barbaric and frankly, ridiculous.

So, how should we view this Deuteronomic material in today’s culture? The same as the author intended. Now, I do not believe that we should be stoning people, but I do think that the principle in Deuteronomy 13 is timeless. Idolatry is a real danger for the Christian and should be taken very seriously. Part of the reason, if not the only reason, this command seems so outrageous to us today is because idolatry is not seen as outrageous. Our affections and values are passed from thing to thing without ever seeing a need for giving Yahweh our all. We are an increasingly less serious culture and tend not to think anything about “spiritual” issues outside of “spiritual” activities like worship services, small groups, and so on. Because of our oversight, we have placed created things in the place of worship that belongs to the Creator.

In keeping with the message of Deuteronomy 13, I would like to give a handful of applications:

1. Listen to word more than experience. The prophets and dreamers were performing the miraculous, but their speech negated their works. Just because someone may open a copy of the Bible does not mean that they love Yahweh; in fact, many times the opposite is true. Prosperity preachers abound, asking you to make finances and “stuff” your treasure instead of Yahweh. They have made God a spiritual ATM and will be judged accordingly. In the time of Deuteronomy we would stone these preachers, but now God’s judgment is eschatological, so we wait, uttering warnings to them that the day of the Lord is coming. Their message tickles ears, but soon their ears will groan to hear the praises of the saints instead of weeping, wailing, and the gnashing of teeth.
2. Practice church discipline. All of these matters are brought into the NT by Paul. The command, “Purge the evil from your midst” (v. 5) is echoed in Paul in his argument for discipline in the Corinthian church (1 Cor. 5.13). Therefore, we as the expression of the NT church in our context should see sin as a serious issue, serious enough to engage it and remove it. The reason, as Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 5, is so that the church would be pure, like unleavened dough used for Passover. (For more on church discipline, see my sermon on the Media page.)
3. Dwell on the gospel. We were once idolators like the false prophet, or the lost family member or friend. In fact, we dwelt in a pagan city, but now are a part of the city of God. Yahweh has done this through his son, Jesus. He has been made sin, though he knew no sin. Now we have been made righteous in him. Only in viewing this commands through the gospel do they not seem ridiculous. Once you see Yahweh for who he really is and see Christ for who he is and what he has done can you really see that you should be the one who is put to death by sword or stone. These commands should bring us to repentance.
4. Lastly, be missional. This is the message we proclaim from Deuteronomy: because of your idolatry you should be killed, but God in his love for you has killed his son in your place and has raised him from the dead so that you might have unbroken relationship with him. Live out this message; proclaim this message until the end comes.