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Deuteronomy 13:1-5

A prophet is a spokesperson for God.  A dreamer was given a revelation from God by way of a dream.  The word of a prophet or dreamer was to be tested by the law and commandments God had given them.  If the word of a prophet or dreamer violated anything God previously said, it was an instant indication it didn’t come from Yahweh.  The prophecies or dreams might even be accompanied by signs and wonders.  This doesn’t automatically authenticate them. 

Loyalty to Yahweh was to be consistent.

• Walk after the Lord
• Fear Him only
• Keep His commandments
• Obey His voice
• Serve Him

Our flesh doesn’t always like the way the Lord does things.  The enemy offers substitutes in an attempt to draw us away.  The children of called were to recognize these things. 

The prophet or dreamer who attempted to draw people away was to be put to death.  This was God’s command to put away evil from among them. 

Deuteronomy 13:6-11

Apostasy is apostasy, whether it comes from a stranger or family.  Even if a family member or close friend entice you to go serve other gods, Moses said not to consent, listen, have pity, spare them, or conceal them.  It was the responsibility of the person who discovered this to bring the charge and begin the punishment by casting the first stone.  All the rest of the community would also stone them. 

The punishment for this enticement was death.  All of Israel would hear this and know.  It would bring fear and keep them from such wickedness.

Apostasy isn’t a personal decision.  Godless people bring wickedness and evil on the community.  Their godless actions and attitudes bring the fruit of unrighteousness on their family, neighbors, and people.

Deuteronomy 13:12-18

Moses isn’t done warning about dealing with the apostates that attempt to draw people away from God.  There are a couple if/then statements within this section.

If they hear of someone in one of the cities that has gone about enticing folks to serve other gods, then, they were to inquire, search out, and ask about this atrocity to establish if it is true.  There were to be attentive to this and not look the other way or ignore it.  There was to be no complacency in dealing with apostates among them.

If it was established as truth, then they were to destroy the city and all that was in it.  This destruction began with killing the inhabitants with the sword.  They were marked as “cherem” which is the designation of being sacred property of the Lord.  The plunder of that city was also the Lord’s because it was plunder of a city marked as “Cherem.”  It was to be heaped in the street and burned completely.  The word “heap” is translated from the Hebrew word “tell.”  A tell is a mound with layers of history from destruction.  The archeologists love tells.  

©2007, 2023 Doug Ford, Calvary Chapel Sweetwater