Today I read Deuteronomy 12, where God wanted the people to sacrifice at one location chosen by God and to destroy the prior people’s altars and worship locations. Today I considered that God wanted them to have a central worship location but likes for His believers to assemble.
One Location
The Israelites are to destroy the people’s old worship locations and only sacrifice before the location God chooses (Deuteronomy 12:1-32). When the Israelites take the land, they are to destroy all the altars, pillars, idols, groves, etc. where people worshipped their gods. They are not to ask how the prior people served their gods or did things because the prior people sinned. God will choose a place to reside, and the Israelites are to offer their offerings, burnt offerings, sacrifices, and tithes to God at that location. The Israelites, their households, and servants are to rejoice before the Lord. The Israelites can eat non sacrificial animals on their land but not the blood. The tithe and offerings of fruits and animals must be eaten before the Lord thy God’s chosen location. There’s an exception of permission to eat animals that can be sacrificial in your home territory if the Lord’s location is too far away.
Questions and Thoughts for Today
God’s chosen location is Israel, but that does not mean the Lord does not want us to meet together and worship him. Wherever we are God wants us to sometimes gather together and encourage other believers to have faith and to do good works (see Hebrews 10:23-25).
What do you believe God wants believers to do concerning meeting together?