Nothing devoted to destruction shall cling to your hands, so that the LORD will turn from His fierce anger, grant you mercy, show you compassion, and multiply you as He swore to your fathers, Nothing devoted to destruction shall cling to your hands,Israel was forbidden to take any spoil from a city placed under God’s judgment for corporate apostasy. The city, its property, and its idols were to be destroyed completely, demonstrating that covenant faithfulness could not coexist with the worship of other gods. Keeping even a small portion would make the participants complicit in the sin God had condemned. The command guarded Israel from greed as well as idolatry, since material gain could tempt them to profit from rebellion against the Lord. God’s people were called to holiness and undivided devotion to Him. Jos 6:18 But keep away from the things devoted to destruction,… so that the LORD will turn from His fierce anger, The destruction of the apostate city upheld God’s righteous judgment and removed the evil from among His covenant people. Idolatry was not a private preference; it was treachery against the God who redeemed Israel from Egypt and bound Himself to them by covenant. Obedience showed that Israel agreed with God’s verdict against sin and desired His favor rather than the practices of the nations. Jon 3:9 Who knows? God may turn and relent; He may turn…… grant you mercy, God’s judgment did not cancel His mercy toward the nation that obeyed Him. Israel’s preservation depended on the Lord’s compassion, not merely on the severity with which evil was punished. The God who judges rebellion also receives those who turn to Him in humble obedience. His mercy restores those who live under His covenant rule. 2Sa 24:14 David answered Gad, “I am deeply distressed.… show you compassion, The Lord’s compassion reveals His fatherly care for His people. He did not command Israel to remove idolatry merely to inflict punishment, but to preserve them from the ruin that follows abandoning Him. God’s holiness and compassion belong together: He opposes what destroys His people and blesses those who remain faithful to Him. Psa 103:13 As a father has compassion on his children… and multiply you as He swore to your fathers, The promised increase reaches back to God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Israel’s future as a great people rested on the faithfulness of the Lord who had sworn to bless their descendants. Obedience did not earn the covenant promise, but it marked the proper response of those living within it. God’s purpose was to establish a holy people through whom His blessing would extend to the nations, a purpose ultimately fulfilled through Jesus Christ, the promised offspring of Abraham. Gen 22:17 I will surely bless you, and I will multiply… Persons / Places / Events 1. MosesThe author of Deuteronomy, delivering God's laws and instructions to the Israelites. 2. Israelites The chosen people of God, receiving the laws and commandments as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. 3. Promised Land The land of Canaan, which God promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 4. Devoted to Destruction Refers to items or people that are to be completely destroyed as an act of devotion to God, often related to idolatry or pagan practices. 5. The LORD The covenant name of God, Yahweh, who is delivering these commands through Moses. Teaching Points Complete ObedienceGod requires complete obedience to His commands, especially regarding idolatry and sin. Partial obedience is disobedience. Holiness and Separation Believers are called to be holy and separate from sin, just as the Israelites were to be separate from the pagan practices around them. God's Mercy and Compassion Obedience leads to experiencing God's mercy and compassion, as He desires to bless and multiply His people. Consequences of Disobedience Disobedience can lead to God's anger and the loss of His blessings, as seen in the history of Israel. Devotion to God Our lives should be wholly devoted to God, removing anything that hinders our relationship with Him. Bible Study Questions 1. What does it mean for something to be "devoted to destruction," and how does this concept apply to our lives today?2. How can we ensure that nothing "clings to our hand" that would hinder our relationship with God? 3. In what ways does complete obedience to God lead to experiencing His mercy and compassion? 4. How can the account of Achan in Joshua 6 serve as a warning for us in our spiritual walk? 5. How does the call to holiness in Deuteronomy 13:17 relate to the New Testament teachings on living a life devoted to God? Connections to Other Scriptures Joshua 6The account of Jericho, where items were devoted to destruction, and Achan's sin of taking some of these items led to Israel's defeat at Ai. 1 Samuel 15 King Saul's failure to completely destroy the Amalekites and their possessions, leading to God's rejection of him as king. Leviticus 27 Discusses things devoted to the Lord, emphasizing the seriousness of vows and dedications. Romans 12 Encourages believers to offer themselves as living sacrifices, drawing a parallel to being wholly devoted to God. Hebrews 12 Warns against allowing sin to cling to us, similar to the command to not let anything devoted to destruction cling to the Israelites.
People MosesPlaces Beth-baal-peor, EgyptTopics Anger, Anything, Ban, Burning, Cleave, Cling, Compassion, Condemned, Cursed, Devoted, Fathers, Fierce, Fierceness, Forefathers, Hands, Heat, Increase, Loved, Mercies, Mercy, Multiplied, Multiply, Naught, None, Nothing, Nought, Numbers, Oath, Order, Promised, Shew, Swore, Sworn, Turn, Wrath, YourselvesDictionary of Bible Themes Deuteronomy 13:17 1030 God, compassion 6667 grace, in OT Library Fifthly, as this Revelation, to the Judgment of Right and Sober Reason,appears of itself highly credible and probable, and abundantly recommends itself in its native simplicity, merely by its own intrinsic goodness and excellency, to the practice of the most rational and considering men, who are desirous in all their actions to have satisfaction and comfort and good hope within themselves, from the conscience of what they do: So it is moreover positively and directly proved to be actually and immediately sent to us from God, by the many infallible signs and miracles … Samuel Clarke—A Discourse Concerning the Being and Attributes of God Knox's Writings from Abroad: Beginning of the Scottish Revolution, 1556-1558 With, Before, After The Feeding of the Four Thousand - to Dalmanutha - the Sign from Heaven' - Journey to Cæsarea Philippi - what is the Leaven of The Fifth Sunday after Epiphany Concerning the Power of the Civil Magistrate in Matters Purely Religious, and Pertaining to the Conscience. The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire Jewish Homes Deuteronomy Links Deuteronomy 13:17 NIVDeuteronomy 13:17 NLT Deuteronomy 13:17 ESV Deuteronomy 13:17 NASB Deuteronomy 13:17 KJV Deuteronomy 13:17 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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