We have had examples, and the people remember examples of those who worshiped their way

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1 How to Worship January 9, 2014 Learning How God s Way Deuteronomy 12 Page 1 So far in the second sermon of Moses we have had: The Ten Commandments A detailed description of the results of A detailed description of the results of What commitment truly How God s should be treated Moses now starts the second half of his second sermon where he starts to explain what it means to live together with. Since we are following a God who loves us, and we love Him We are naturally drawn into worship what is God s way of worship Psalm 77:11 13 I shall remember the deeds of the LORD; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. I will meditate on all Your work And muse on Your deeds. Your way, O God, is holy; What god is great like our God? We have had examples, and the people remember examples of those who worshiped their way Leviticus 10:1 2 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them. And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. Numbers 16:16 21 Moses said to Korah, You and all your company be present before the LORD tomorrow, both you and they along with Aaron. Each of you take his firepan and put incense on it, and each of you bring his censer before the LORD, two hundred and fifty firepans; also you and Aaron shall each bring his firepan. So they each took his own censer and put fire on it, and laid incense on it; and they stood at the doorway of the tent of meeting, with Moses and Aaron. Thus Korah assembled all the congregation against them at the doorway of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the LORD appeared to all the congregation. Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them instantly.

2 Page 2 We shall see in chapter 12 that not only does God have a specific way He is to be worshiped it is Not to be To be in only one location To be To be What about us, only one location? John 4:21 24 Jesus said to her, Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. Today we meet around the person of Jesus Christ. Let s take a deeper look at how to worship God s way. What kind of a place is the nation going into? Let s contrast some images of what we know so far. To do list: Carefully Utterly All of the places of gods of another name Mountains Hills Groves Tear down their Smash their phallic symbols Burn their phallic symbols Chop down their their gods names from everything Simple easy instructions to follow right?

3 Page 3 Judges 2:1 5 Now the angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, I will never break My covenant with you, and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars. But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done? Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out before you; but they will become as thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you. When the angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept. So they named that place Bochim; and there they sacrificed to the LORD. Judges 2:17 Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they played the harlot after other gods and bowed themselves down to them. They turned aside quickly from the way in which their fathers had walked in obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not do as their fathers. The nation is given clear instruction on how to handle aspects of their old life in Egypt Why? They would be tempted to How should we then live as believers in the 21 st Century? Some questions to ponder: What are some of the things of the old BC life that are to you? Is there anything you would rather be? Is there anything in my life that is? Is there anything the Holy Spirit has clearly said that you say maybe to? How important is? Deuteronomy 6:5 7 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. Luke 10:27 29 And he answered, YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. And He said to him, You have answered correctly; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE. But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, And who is my neighbor?

4 Page 4 In addition to the destruction of those things which will pull them away from the Lord, which seemed to be everywhere Something new they are not to worship as the This is identified for them as a the Tabernacle eventually the Temple. For the nation only one place to worship wherever the was Worship was to be centered around the one place that the Holy Spirit would be residing the Mercy Seat For us where does the Holy Spirit reside? Where are we called to worship? Hebrews 10:23 25 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. So where was the place to worship? Gilgal, Josh. 4:19; 10:6, 15 Shechem, Josh 8:33 Shiloh, Josh 18:1; Bethel, (possible) Jdgs. 20:18 Kiriath-jearim, ark, 1 Sam. 6:21; 7:1 2 Jerusalem David captures the citadel of Jebus (cf. 2 Sam. 5:1 10) David brings the ark to Jerusalem (cf. 2 Samuel 6) David purchases the site of the temple (2 Sam. 24:15 25; 2 Chr. 3:1) Bob Utley, Deuteronomy, Study Guide Commentary Series (Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International, 2008), 151. Notice that there were multiple locations for worship until the people finally matured under David A specific place to there In order to establish the name of someone, it implies relationship It implies an intimacy of knowledge about what that person would want established about them The nation was to be about the business of establishing a place for His name When we think of Jerusalem today, what person do we think of? Who is tied to Jerusalem?

5 Page 5 Jeremiah 3:17 At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne of the LORD, and all the nations will be gathered to it, to Jerusalem, for the name of the LORD; nor will they walk anymore after the stubbornness of their evil heart. Zechariah 8:3 Thus says the LORD, I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts will be called the Holy Mountain. We too are to establish in the place of His presence As believers who lives inside us? Who was the presence over the Mercy Seat? How do we establish His name? The nation is destroy the name of the false gods and establish the name of the one true God, YHWH. Micah 4:1 5 And it will come about in the last days that the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains. It will be raised above the hills, and the peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD and to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us about His ways and that we may walk in His paths. For from Zion will go forth the law, even the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And He will judge between many peoples and render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift up sword against nation, and never again will they train for war. Each of them will sit under his vine and under his fig tree, with no one to make them afraid, for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken. Though all the peoples walk each in the name of his god, as for us, we will walk In the name of the LORD our God forever and ever. As the people enter the Promised Land and walk with the Lord, He brings to their lives No more wandering around but a is anticipated. As He blesses, the natural and expected outcome is a What happens: Short accounts are kept and sin is confessed quickly As a result relationship is There are more times of fellowship with the Lord and just simply being with Him There are more opportunities due to blessing to give to Him and His work An is experienced

6 Page 6 John 10:10 11 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. The abundant life is further exhibited by: Rejoicing with Rejoicing with Ensuring the work of the Lord is Ensuring that those who serve the Lord and teach His word are as well All priests were Levites, not all Levites were priests Psalm 19:7 11 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Ephesians 5:15 21 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. Worship only in the approved locations, not in one that had previously been used by the enemy Same for us, the only difference is we have the Holy Spirit in us. For us, where do we take Him? If we could physically see Him, would we be ok with where we are or what we are reading or looking at? Unlike before, where all animals had to be brought to the Tabernacle, once in the land, it is okay to.

7 Page 7 God approves of here and even goes as far as discussing game versus beef versus goat Even if ceremonially unclean But if the animal is to be a sacrifice, only one place to go Again, the natural outcome of a blessed life is a life shared before the Lord with all who are around. Family, friends and business associates We are to rejoice before Him in all undertakings not just those that are in the church Those who teach like. That is the now that once blessing occurs, the nation is being reminded to tithe How important is it for us to remember God and why we are blessed? Since this is new information for the nation regarding meat, Moses repeats himself God gets the first, the rest is up to you, but remember, God gave it all to you Don t be Destroy the false gods As a believer with other believers You do not need to their religion You do not need to be of their religion You do not need what they have while waiting on the Lord Do not from God s word Genesis 3:1 5 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, Indeed, has God said, You shall not eat from any tree of the garden? The woman said to the serpent, From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die. The serpent said to the woman, You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

8 Page 8 Proverbs 30:5 6 Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar. 2 John If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds. Past teachings, study notes and slides of Through the Bible with Pastor Ken Brown are available at: