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places we revere

Deuteronomy 12:2 Destroy completely all the places where the nations that you are taking possession of worship their gods — on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every green tree.
Deuteronomy 12:3 Tear down their altars, smash their standing stones, burn their Asherah poles, cut down the carved images of their gods, and destroy their names from every place.
Deuteronomy 12:4 Don’t worship Yahveh your God this way.

places we revere

It was not simply the fact that there were false gods behind the religious trappings of Canaan. No, God’s instructions were to demolish the places where worship happened. He did not want the Israelites worshiping him in the same way the Canaanites worshiped their idols. The Israelites were to care for Yahveh, not manipulate him for their own wealth and advantage over others. So, it was not just the idols, but the whole religious system that had to change.

Christian, is God only your means of getting what you want, or correcting what you don’t like? Is church where you go to meet people you like — to be someone you are not? Do you think of your church building as a magical place that can change the people in your community if they would only visit it once a week? Then God’s command for you is to tear that structure down. The place itself has become an idol, and you have adapted the religion of the Canaanites.

Lord, give us the wisdom to destroy all the trappings of idolatry from our lives — even the places we revere.