Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD. — Deuteronomy 12:11

A central theme of this chapter of Deuteronomy is that God wants His people to worship in a place of His choosing. And when individuals listen to God and do what He commands regarding where and how they worship, He promises that it will “go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever” (Deuteronomy 12:28). My own family history is proof of this truth.

As a young family man living in Eastern Washington, my grandfather had attended church all his life but had never experienced salvation and had no knowledge that it was possible to live without sinning. In 1924, the Lord showed him that the experience described in 2 Corinthians 5:17, which says that old things pass away and all things become new, had never happened to him. Grandpa prayed and God saved him.

He continued going to the church where he had been brought up for a couple more years, but no longer felt at home there. Finally, he quit attending and began visiting various churches in a search for a people who preached the whole Word of God and lived it.

In the summer of 1929, Grandpa heard from some former neighbors that they were bringing a group of people from the Apostolic Faith Church to hold services in the area, but they did not have a place to meet. My grandpa offered them a little clearing on his property where benches could be set up for open-air meetings, and they accepted.

After sitting in just a few of those outdoor meetings, my grandfather realized that God was calling him to worship with the people of the Apostolic Faith. Just a few weeks later, he put their farm on the market, auctioned off their livestock and most of their household goods, and moved his family across the state to Port Angeles where they could serve God in the church there. My mother was just seven years old at the time, and she was saved shortly after the family moved. Her brother and sister were saved as well, and the whole family served God in this organization for the remainder of their lives. 

Today, I am so grateful my grandparents obeyed God’s guidance to worship in “the place which the LORD thy God shall choose” (verse 18). That act of obedience meant that I had the opportunity of hearing the Gospel from my infancy and I, too, gave my heart to God. Today, several more generations of my grandparents’ descendants have proved that “when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God” (verse 28), He blesses in amazing and wonderful ways!

BACKGROUND

In this chapter, Moses explained God’s requirements for proper worship and the necessity for worship to occur at God’s appointed place. Reference is made to “the place which the LORD your God shall choose” six times in this chapter (verses 5, 11, 14, 18, 21, and 26) as well as fifteen other places in the Book of Deuteronomy. This chosen place was to be set apart for pure worship by the removal of every heathen altar and idol. It was there they were to bring their offerings, make sacrifices of thanksgiving, bring their tithes, and rejoice before the Lord.

In the cuneiform literature of the ancient Middle East, the concept of “putting one’s name” (verse 5) was used in several ways. It was used to signify ownership or take possession of something; to describe conquests in which monuments to victory were erected; and was inscribed on foundation stones of places of worship.

Verses 15-28 detail several things the Israelites were to do and not do when they were too far distant from God’s central place of worship to go there. Instructions were given regarding the slaying of animals and the treatment of the blood of these animals, as the blood represented life, which is sacred to God. Obedience to God’s commands is shown to be necessary to receive His blessings.

AMPLIFIED OUTLINE

(Hannah’s Bible Outlines - Used by permission per WORDsearch)

II.   The second discourse: exposition of the Law
     C.   The exposition of the principle laws of Israel
           1.   Religious legislation
                 a.   Law of a central sanctuary (12:1-32)
                      (1)   The destruction of false worship (12:1-4)
                      (2)   The centralization of true worship (12:5-14)
                      (3)   The character of true worship (12:15-32)
                             (a)   The avoidance of blood (12:15-28)
                             (b)   The avoidance of ensnarement (12:29-32)

A CLOSER LOOK

1. Based on verses 2-3, how were the Israelites to prepare the place that God had chosen for a place of worship?
   
   
2. Why do you think God told the people in verse 30 to “inquire not” about the gods of their heathen neighbors?
   
   
3. Verses 7 and 12 mention rejoicing before the Lord during times of worship. What are some ways we can promote a spirit of joy in our worship services today?

CONCLUSION

God’s blessing will rest upon those who obey and honor Him by worshipping in accordance with His instructions.