In this week's chapter, Moses tells the people to "clean house"!  That the first thing they need to do when they enter their new residence is to tell the old tenants to leave! Now don't forget that the promised land is not uninhabited land.  This was the home of the Canaanites, amongst other people groups that lived in the land of milk and honey before the people of God did. Also remember that God was working in many ways through the Israelites entering this land of blessings.  God was blessing His people but also punishing others for their worship of false gods (Deut 9:4-6).  God was blessing some, while punishing others through the same event in history.

The people who currently resided in the promised land of God were people that did not worship Him.  These are people that worshipped false gods and bowed to false religions. These idols and false doctrines corrupted the land's people and would corrupt the people of God too if they don't clean house day one! Moses knew that the people would fall quickly if they were surrounded by such sin.  Moses also knows that such sin will prevent the people from worshipping and giving God the glory in the way He desires His people to do.  Such sin would take what was meant to be a blessing and quickly turn it into a curse for the people.

"To start new, the old had to go!"

Take notice; most of the chapter is about how to worship once the people establish their new home.  Moses even gives the people fine print details on the when and where God desires their gathering and worship service to take place and how it should look. Recognize though that the call to worship takes place after the people clean house of the sin that inhabits their land.

God knows that a house of sin cannot be a house of worship.

This is a wonderful reminder to us today.  I believe many of us desire to live with God and receive His blessings, but also do so in the same environment we lived without Him in.  Or we desire God to follow us into environments that are obviously void of His presence.  So, we continue walking with fools and spending time with idols and sit confused why blessing aren't being poured out. We live in sinful environments, surrounded by false truths, and are weighed down by unrepentant hearts.

Moses tells the people that before they enter this new land, that new life comes with new death.  So go in and destroy all that will prevent, hinder, and be a stumbling block to the new life that God has given you. This call is often times a scary call to change or loneliness. A call to true life change is a new call for most people.  It was for these people. This is why God tells the people that He walks before them!  

To not fear.
 
To trust Him.

That He is a good God and is faithful to all those who place their faith in Him.


Stay faithful church,
Pastor Hunter

Read Romans 6 as Paul speaks about being dead to sin.