EXODUS 34
10 And he said, “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.11 “Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 12 Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst. 13 You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim 14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), 15 lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they whore after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and you are invited, you eat of his sacrifice, 16 and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods.17 “You shall not make for yourself any gods of cast metal.– Exodus 34:10-17
EXODUS 34 COVENANT RENEWED & COMMAND TO DESTROY IDOLS
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
The Lord gave his people requirements for the renewed covenant
He will bless them and give them favor so all nations will know he is God
He promised to drive out all those living in Canaan so that they can occupy it
They were to destroy all the altars and pillars and cut down their Asherim
He is a Jealous God and wouldn’t want them idolizing other gods
They were not to yoke with pagans or make images to make idols.
In this account, we see God’s mercy for his people. Because they repented of their idolatry of the golden calf, they were given another chance to prove their faithfulness to the Lord. So, God renewed his covenant with them but reiterated his command to destroy the poles, altars and images that were created of other gods. God was clearly teaching his people how important it is to do this so that they can stay faithful to him. In turn, the Lord will bless them and grow them into a prosperous nation that other nations will know that it was God who gave them all these favors. God was very clear about his character about being jealous and so the Israelites were prohibited from participating in their paganism.
REFLECTION
- Why were they prohibited from participating in worship of other gods?
