Hear, Israel

Deuteronomy 8:20-9:4 – Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God. Hear, Israel: You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. The people are strong and tall—Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?” But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you. After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you.

Ezekiel 5:5 – “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: This is Jerusalem, which I have set in the center of the nations, with countries all around her.

Deuteronomy 4:1 – Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you.

Leviticus 18:21 – “‘Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molek, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.

Deuteronomy 18:9 – When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.

Application:

• ·         God had chosen for His people Israel and for His earthly temple a place at the crossroads of the continents of Africa, Asia and Europe so that Israel and what He does for them might be a strong witness to the nations that He is the one and only God with whom all peoples have to do and from whom alone come life and blessing.
• ·         God’s call to His people to hear and obey is a frequent theme in Deuteronomy and elsewhere in the Old Testament.
• ·         Whatever blatantly violates God’s revealed will desecrates His name because it fails to honor His holiness.
• ·         The people were not to resort to the detestable ways of other nations. Rather, they were to listen to the Lord’s true prophets.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV