Based on Deuteronomy 12:29-32 (New King James Version)
“When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.’”
There are many people who think that the God of the Old Testament (so to speak) was cruel, harsh, or severe, and they believe this to be the case because He ordered the destruction of entire nations, including children and even animals. And they judge Him in the following way: “How can a God of love command such things to be done?” But when you understand His reasons and what the situation was really like, you would understand and even agree. Back then, and what we are getting to today as well, unfortunately, evil was so deeply rooted in people that even their generations and their possessions were completely saturated with the same evil (because spiritual evil also affects the physical). One might say: What fault could a child have in the iniquities of their parents? The point is that God is all-knowing and therefore knows everything, and He knew that even if He gave them the opportunity of living, He knew that even what seemed innocent would also be of great evil, just like their parents, and this was God's way of bringing judgment and controlling the evil in the world. Unfortunately, we are headed toward that same evil, where the dispensation of God's grace will be limited by the excess of evil, both in man who exists today and in their descendants. The Word says: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:36-37. And how were people before the flood? “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” Genesis 6:5-6. This world is heading to that end, and quite quickly.
There are also those who would say, "Is the world really that evil?" God doesn't weigh evil by what man thinks is evil, nor is He swayed by society's opinions. Sin is defined by God. The standard belongs to God. That's why we should not allow ourselves to be swayed by our own opinions or be swayed by things and people who are here today and gone tomorrow, who will have no part in deciding where we will spend eternity; nor are they anything before God. If a person has any kind of reasoning—not even a high intellect or special senses are necessary—they would reason that it is in their best interest to be guided by the One who is more powerful than all, and who will judge everything we do, whether good or evil, and who will judge not according to what we think, but according to what He Himself has established. This is what the Word says about the knowledge of God: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:20. Every human being can know that God exists through everything He Himself created, beginning with their own existence. None of this is the product of a cosmic accident, as those who refuse to accept the reality of God's existence would have everyone believe. God is God, and He exists, and He reigns, and He will judge every human being, and nothing and no one can change that reality.
And this brings us back to what we read at the beginning. What was God doing with what He simply commanded not to be done, the matter of seeking the gods of the people He Himself commanded to be destroyed? Was God seeking the destruction of His people and that's why He commanded that? Was God keeping them from something that was good? Was God just dealing with a personal jealousy? To begin to see this point, it's necessary to use some logic and common sense. Even a child can understand this. If God Himself destroyed these pagan people, along with all their beliefs and supposed gods, through the hand of His people, what does that tell us? That God is more powerful than these so-called foreign gods, who couldn't even free their followers from Israel. So, if those pagan people didn't gain anything, and their gods couldn't free them, what good were they? What good did it even serve these people to burn their own children to find favor with their gods? And even worse, where are those people today? If their gods couldn't deliver them from God's hand, do you think they could have given them eternal life? Impossible. Those people lost here, and even worse, they lost in eternity, and now they are being tormented forever for their rebellion and hatred of God.
Now, some may say: “I don't believe there is such a thing today, of people following such gods.” And I would have to tell them that many follow just as many, if not worse gods and idols, and they will end up even worse than the people God himself commanded to be destroyed. What is the god of this century? The one that society teaches most today, that you are a god. You are your own god. How is this? From the moment a person desires to fulfill their own will and not God's, it is because they feel like a god. And many so-called Christians fall for this same false god because they attempt to use God and that's the only reason why they seek Him. They think God exists to serve them, for Him to do as they please, and they even label this idolatry as "faith." Do you think it was horrible for these people in the past to have sacrificed their own children to idols? Yes, it was horrible! But what does a woman do who aborts her own son or daughter to fulfill her will? According to an article published by Brookings before the 2024 US presidential election, approximately 95% of abortions were performed solely because they were unwanted children, because these pregnancies interfered with their plans, in one way or another. Do people sacrifice to idols today, even sacrificing their children? Yes. Today's idols and gods are other people, or materialism, or even their own selves, and they even sacrifice to please them. And this was not forgiven before, nor will it be forgiven today.
So then, why does God ultimately give His instruction? This is God’s desire: “Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:4. What He teaches is for our good, both for the present, but even more so for the future, so that we may have eternal life. As the Apostle Peter declared to the Lord: “…‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’” John 6:67-68. And the Word says this also: “But he who sins against me [God] wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death.” Proverbs 8:36. So, what good is there in death, in eternal damnation? So, is it of any use to trust in idols and gods that are far less than the Almighty God who will one day judge every human being by His standard for our deeds? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!