What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 29:26? They went and served other gods Israel did not merely flirt with idolatry; they actively “went” after it—an intentional departure from the covenant love of the LORD (Exodus 32:8; Judges 2:12). • The verb “went” implies movement of heart before any physical act; rebellion always begins inwardly (James 1:14–15). • “Served” shows that idolatry always enslaves (Romans 6:16). What promised freedom ultimately bound them. • The same warning had echoed through Moses’ sermons: “You shall not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you” (Deuteronomy 6:14). By chapter 29 they are being told what will happen when that warning is ignored. and they worshiped gods they had not known Worship belongs to relationship. The LORD had revealed Himself in fire, cloud, manna, and covenant love (Deuteronomy 4:35). These idols offered no such self-revelation. • “Had not known” underscores that these deities were strangers; intimacy with the living God was traded for emptiness (Jeremiah 2:5). • Psalm 81:9 voices the same grief: “There shall be no strange god among you.” • In Acts 17:23 Paul points to an altar “To an Unknown God,” proving that worship without revelation is guesswork, not relationship. Israel already possessed revelation—and walked away from it. gods that the LORD had not given to them God alone designates proper worship (Deuteronomy 12:5–7). Anything else is self-made religion. • Deuteronomy 4:19 speaks of heavenly bodies “which the LORD your God has allotted to all the nations,” a reminder that even created wonders are not to be worshiped. • By stating “had not given,” Moses highlights both God’s sovereignty and His generosity. The LORD gives every good gift (James 1:17); idols give nothing. • Deuteronomy 32:17 laments that they “sacrificed to demons, not to God,” showing that what God withholds, He withholds for their protection. summary Deuteronomy 29:26 exposes a tragic exchange: purposeful departure, worship without relationship, and devotion to unauthorized gods. The verse warns that idolatry is never innocent curiosity—it is covenant betrayal that forfeits the blessings God longs to give. Fidelity to the one true God is the only path to life. |
    |