Contemplative Bible Reading

Deuteronomy 13:6-11 (New Living Translation)

⁶ “Suppose someone secretly entices you—even your brother, your son or daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend—and says, ‘Let us go worship other gods’—gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known. ⁷ They might suggest that you worship the gods of peoples who live nearby or who come from the ends of the earth. ⁸ But do not give in or listen. Have no pity, and do not spare or protect them. ⁹ You must put them to death! Strike the first blow yourself, and then all the people must join in. ¹⁰ Stone the guilty ones to death because they have tried to draw you away from the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of slavery. ¹¹ Then all Israel will hear about it and be afraid, and no one will act so wickedly again.

I guess one falls under what we used to call “tough love.” Maybe it falls under “make an example of someone.”

The instruction is simple: if anyone – no matter how close they are to me – asks me to go worship other gods with them, I kill them. And everyone in town joins me in killing them.

Harsh? Absolutely yes.

Reason? Everyone will know what happened and why and will be afraid (understatement there). Their fear will mean that no one will act so wickedly again.

Old Testament law. I thank God for New Testament grace (among other things).

This is also part of the responsibility God placed on the community. When you know that you have to bash the skull of anyone who strays, you keep an eye on your neighbor. If you see him taking a step that may lead in the wrong direction, you grab him by the shirt and scream at him. “Don’t you dare go there. I don’t want to bash your skull with a rock. I will do it, and I will hate you for making me do it, but I will do it.” Yes, I thank God for grace.