This small group Deuteronomy 12 Bible study guide contains commentary, discussion questions, cross-references, and application to encourage life change. Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.
Deuteronomy 12 Bible Study And Discussion Questions – A Place To Worship God
Outline
I. A place to worship God (1-14)
II. Rules for burnt offerings and eating meat (15-28)
III. Worship God in the right way (29-32)
I. A place to worship God (1-14)
Discussion Questions
• What is the theme of this chapter?
• What is the main point in verses 2-4?
• Why did God tell them to destroy the Canaanite places of worship?
• What was the danger in ignoring them or simply repurposing them?
• Did these become problematic for Israel in the future? If so, how?
• What is the universal principle behind the instruction to destroy the high places?
• How can we apply this principle today?
• What are some ways that the world influences Christians and the church today?
• What are some ways that modern churches might be influenced subtly by worldly ideas and become syncretic?
• Why was it important to have a set place for the people to worship God corporately?
• Without a set place and uniform standards, what mindset might the people drift toward (see verse 8)?
• What place did the Lord choose for corporate worship?
Cross-References
James 4:4 – You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 – For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.
2 Timothy 2:22 – So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
The high places – Here is a list of some of the verses that mention how the high places would later ensnare Israel: 1 Kings 3:2-3, 12:31-32, 14:23, 15:14, 22:43, 2 Kings 12:3, 14:4, 15:4, 15:35, 16:4, 17:9, 11, 29, 17:29, 32.
Judges 21:25 – In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. The Canaanite places of worship – The Canaanites worshiped many gods. They did this in certain locations that were dedicated to those gods. Because they worshiped gods of the mountains, hilltops and mountaintops were deemed sacred. It was believed that they were closer to the gods. Superstition was attached to these physical locations. Some trees were also believed to be sacred and symbols of fertility. Special significance was therefore placed on trees. Presumably, large or ancient trees might become locations for this superstitious worship.
2. Israel was commanded to destroy these places of worship – Israel was not to adopt or repurpose these locations. God did not want His people to be enticed and ensnared by the evil Canaanite religion. These places of worship would have been in naturally beautiful or awe-inspiring locations. It would be easy for the people to be tempted to simply move in and worship Yahweh in those places.
Reflect – Why would this be dangerous?
Using those places could be a door to further temptation. Here are some reasons.
• Those places would have superstitions connected with them. It would be easy for Israel to fall prey to those same superstitions.
• Those places were a reflection of a misunderstanding of God. God is not limited to a place. He is not more present on a mountaintop or under a tree. By using those places of worship, Israel would be building on the same false assumptions. Such thinking would cause people to think that God was not omnipresent. They might think that he might see them on the high place, but not in their own tent. This could encourage them to sin, thinking that God would not see them.
• There were many evil practices associated with these locations. It would be extremely difficult to separate those practices from those places.
• Using the high places was like accommodating one aspect of the Canaanite religion. It was taking one step down a slippery slope. Once they started down that path, it would be difficult to stop.
Syncretism was a very dangerous thing. It reared its head when the Israelites created a golden calf and called it Yahweh and worshiped it.
God did not want His people to be influenced by the world around them. He did not want them to take things from the world and mix them in their worship of Him. He wants to be worshiped the right way. Throughout the Torah, we see that He set very clear rules for everything. Even the tabernacle was to be built a specific way with specific materials to a specific size.
Our faith is not bottom-up. That means that we do not try to find ways to God on our own. He has revealed Himself and His ways to us. It is top-down. He tells us what He expects and it is our job to follow Him.
John 4:24 – God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
In order to avoid syncretism, Israel was to wipe out any vestiges of the Canaanite religion by destroying their altars, pillars, and idols. These were even to be burned to leave no trace of them.
Application – We should be careful not to flirt with the world. If something is a source of temptation to us, we need to deal with it. Jesus made this clear in the Gospel of Matthew.
Matthew 5:29-30 – If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.
Consider if there is anything in your home that could be a source of temptation. Share what you can do to deal with it so that it will never ensnare you or your family.
Application #2 – Churches should be careful of syncretism.
We live in the world and it is difficult to be totally separate from it. Here are just a few examples of how a church might move toward syncretism.
• Looking for pastors who function like a CEO. Focusing on their charisma and eloquence instead of their character.
• Running churches like a business. Focusing on finances, numbers, or other worldly metrics of success instead of fulfilling the Great Commission.
• Getting involved with ecumenicalism by promoting or accepting non-Biblical beliefs in the name of unity.
• Allowing the changing beliefs and values of the culture at large to infiltrate and influence the church (examples include attitudes toward homosexuality or transgenderism.)
• Adopting things from the world, like concert-style worship without thinking through the issues biblically.
God calls us to be discerning. We should be in the world, but not of the world.
Romans 12:2 – Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
3. Worship God at the place He will choose – The key instruction in this passage is for God’s people to worship Him at the chosen place. They were to go there, take their sacrifices there, and bring their tithes there.
A central place of worship would help protect pure teaching and proper practice of God’s law. The priests there would know the law and faithfully teach it. Having a clear standard would keep everybody on the same page, the right page.
Without a clear and uniform standard, people could easily drift away into false religions. Religious rituals could be forgotten, corrupted, changed, or added. Each tribe, village, or family might end up with their own religion. Eventually, this happened to the Northern kingdom after the split with Judah when they set up their own corrupted place of worship (1 Kings 12:26-30).
Reflect – How do the teachings of the Protestant Reformation and the ideals that every person can worship God individually wherever they are fit in with this?
We should note that our situation today is vastly different than the Jews in Deuteronomy. At that time, there was very limited access to Scripture and that Scripture was not complete. Most people could not read. They were unable to study Scripture for themselves to learn God’s will for them. As a result, they had to rely on a “professional” to teach them.
Also, Israel was a theocracy. God was their king. He sent prophets and leaders to directly tell His people what they should do. It was at these corporate gatherings that these instructions were often passed to the people.
Today, most people in the modern church have full access to the whole of Scripture in their own language. It is possible for them to study it and understand it themselves, directly hearing from God.
The priesthood has been fulfilled in Christ