“Ye shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree.”
Deuteronomy is part of the Pentateuch, also known as the Torah, which consists of the first five books of the Bible and is traditionally attributed to Moses. In this particular verse, Moses addresses the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land and establish their own nation.
In Deuteronomy 12, Moses provides instructions regarding the centralization of worship and the destruction of idolatrous practices. The verse emphasizes the importance of complete devotion to God and the elimination of pagan worship. Let’s break down the key elements of this verse:
“Ye shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods”: God commands the Israelites to eliminate all the places associated with the worship of foreign gods. This includes the places of worship and the religious practices of the Canaanite nations inhabiting the land they were about to possess.
“Upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree”: These locations symbolize the widespread nature of pagan worship among the Canaanites. They conducted their religious rituals in various places of natural beauty, which were often seen as sacred sites in their culture.
The purpose behind this command was to prevent the Israelites from being influenced by the idolatrous practices of the Canaanites. God wanted His people to worship Him alone and not be enticed into worshipping false gods or adopting pagan customs. By eradicating the remnants of pagan worship, the Israelites would be less likely to stray from their covenant with God and remain faithful to Him.
It’s important to note that this verse pertains to a specific historical context and was given to the ancient Israelites in their unique circumstances. While the underlying principle of exclusive devotion to God is still relevant today, the specific command to destroy places of worship does not apply to contemporary believers. The New Testament teaches Christians to spread the message of God’s love and salvation rather than resorting to physical destruction.
In summary, Deuteronomy 12:2 emphasizes the Israelites’ responsibility to eliminate the traces of pagan worship from the Promised Land and highlights the importance of wholehearted devotion to God.
