Follow God, Not Others

Deuteronomy 12:29-32
    29 “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, 30 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.’ 31 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.
    32 “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.

Israel was warned about following those whose place they took as God drove them out of the land given them to inherit.  He clearly warned them to beware of the snare of the godless societies and their dead gods which seemingly offered something missing from the only God who set them free and gave them everything already.  They were told specifically not to dwell on how those nations served these false gods because they may find themselves acting out the rituals to understand them, then get taken up in following them.  These abominations were contrary to worshiping the one who is and is over all creation; the LORD had commanded against such idolatrous abomination in the first commandment, and forcibly reminded them of this again.  These cultish aberrations of religion actually demanded the followers burn their children as sacrifices!  We see foundational parallels for us in this, that we can be easily hypnotized by the world’s offerings of serving other so-called gods of other religions, including what is passed as godless atheism or secular pursuits of power.  1 John 2:15-17 gives us guidance on what to avoid in our desires for these pursuits, reminding us to do what God says by command instead.  As this chapter ends with, we are to be careful to observe God’s word without taking away parts we don’t like to conform to our culture or add what we would rather do to His word for our own ends.  We truly are to be in this world but not of its ways opposed to God.  The commands, principles, examples, and warnings are clearly laid out for us to examine and live accordingly.