{"id":7260,"date":"2016-04-10T14:25:52","date_gmt":"2016-04-10T19:25:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jimerwin\/?p=7260"},"modified":"2016-04-10T14:25:52","modified_gmt":"2016-04-10T19:25:52","slug":"deuteronomy-415-20-worship-one-true-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jimerwin\/2016\/04\/10\/deuteronomy-415-20-worship-one-true-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Deuteronomy 4:15-20 Worship the One True God"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><head><meta http-equiv=\"content-type\" content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\"><meta http-equiv=\"content-type\" content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\"><\/head><body><h2 align=\"center\">Deuteronomy 4:15-20 Worship the One True God<\/h2>\n<p>We live in a world that is obsessed with form. We lose weight to have the right body form. We take selfies because we like our face to be noticed. We wear makeup and cut our hair to make sure that people can see our correct form. On the other hand, God doesn\u2019t go through this trouble. Why is that?<\/p>\n<p><strong>The one true God is formless. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">For your own good, be extremely careful\u2014because you did not see any form on the day the <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">Lord<\/span> <span lang=\"en-US\">spoke to you out of the fire at Horeb\u2014<\/span>\u201d (<span lang=\"en-US\">Deuteronomy 4:15<\/span>, HCSB)<\/p>\n<p>That is why we are told not to worship anything or anyone God created. We are not to worship any figure \u2013 whether human or animal. We are not to worship objects of creation \u2013 the sun, moon, or even the Earth.<a href=\"#sdfootnote1sym\" name=\"sdfootnote1anc\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">1<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>I am expected to worship God. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">At that time the <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">Lord<\/span> <span lang=\"en-US\">commanded me to teach you statutes and ordinances for you to follow in the land you are about to cross into and possess.<\/span>\u201d (<span lang=\"en-US\">Deuteronomy 4:14<\/span>, HCSB)<\/p>\n<p>So God taught us, so why is it good that we don\u2019t see God\u2019s form? God says it is for our own good that we don\u2019t see Him? Why does He say it that way? Because God has a plan for us to worship Him by watching His Son. We are called to trust the true formless God. Why is He formless? He is formless so that He cannot be copied. If God were to show His true form to people in the Old Testament, they would make the mistake of copying the real for a fictional form.<\/p>\n<p>Does God have a form? Does He have a shape? Is He a Person we can recognize? Not as the Father, but as the Son. Jesus is the perfection mirror reflection of God\u2019s nature.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.<\/span>\u201d (<span lang=\"en-US\">Colossians 1:15<\/span>, HCSB)<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">The Son is the radiance of God\u2019s glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.<\/span>\u201d (<span lang=\"en-US\">Hebrews 1:3<\/span>, HCSB)<\/p>\n<p>As <a class=\"zem_slink decorated-link\" title=\"Dawson McAllister\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dawson_McAllister\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Dawson McAllister<\/a> once said: \u201cJesus is God in a Bod.\u201d Jesus is God in Human form. We are called to worship Jesus, just as we are called to worship God the Father. They share the desire and right to be worshiped. The only difference is that God the Father\u2019s form is known to Jesus.<a href=\"#sdfootnote2sym\" name=\"sdfootnote2anc\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">2<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">For your own good, be extremely careful\u2014because you did not see any form on the day the <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">Lord<\/span> <span lang=\"en-US\">spoke to you out of the fire at Horeb\u2014<\/span>\u201d (<span lang=\"en-US\">Deuteronomy 4:15<\/span>, HCSB)<\/p>\n<p>The reason it is for our own good that we be extremely careful to not worship another form is because God intended us to follow and worship Jesus. Jesus is the image of the formless God. Yet people engage in false forms of worship. As humans with a sinful nature, we desire to see Who God is. When we can\u2019t see God, then we make idols to worship. God taught us His ways. He taught us how to live.<\/p>\n<p>The problem is that we don\u2019t listen. We are not careful and we try to reach out by worshiping another image. Moses lists the forms that people try to copy.<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><strong>COMPARISON AND CONTRAST BETWEEN CREATION AND WORSHIP<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"en-US\">There is a reason why the list here in Deuteronomy is in reverse order from the list of the creation account in Genesis. <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">For the Israelites to abandon their Lord and to engage in idolatry would be to reverse His will for their lives. It would equal the undoing of God\u2019s creation.<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\"><a href=\"#sdfootnote3sym\" name=\"sdfootnote3anc\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">3<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n<table width=\"100%\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"4\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"85*\">\n<col width=\"85*\">\n<col width=\"85*\"> <\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td width=\"33%\">Form of Worship<\/td>\n<td width=\"33%\">Genesis<\/td>\n<td width=\"33%\">Deuteronomy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td width=\"33%\">Male and Female<\/td>\n<td width=\"33%\">1:26-27<\/td>\n<td width=\"33%\">4:16<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td width=\"33%\">Beast and animal<\/td>\n<td width=\"33%\">1:24-25<\/td>\n<td width=\"33%\">4:17<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td width=\"33%\">Bird<\/td>\n<td width=\"33%\">1:20-21<\/td>\n<td width=\"33%\">4:17<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td width=\"33%\">Creature<\/td>\n<td width=\"33%\">1:20-21<\/td>\n<td width=\"33%\">4:18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td width=\"33%\">Fish<\/td>\n<td width=\"33%\">1:20-21<\/td>\n<td width=\"33%\">4:18<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr valign=\"top\">\n<td width=\"33%\">Heavens<\/td>\n<td width=\"33%\">1:15-16<\/td>\n<td width=\"33%\">4:19<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span lang=\"en-US\">Three times in this chapter Moses admonished Israel to guard against the temptation of idolatry.<a href=\"#sdfootnote4sym\" name=\"sdfootnote4anc\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">4<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"en-US\">Jonathan Edwards has stated <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span lang=\"en-US\">\u201c<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">If man does not give his highest respect to the God that made him, there will be something else that has the possession of it. Men will either worship the true God, or some idol. It is impossible it should be otherwise; something will have the heart of man. And that which a man gives his heart to may be called his god.\u201d<a href=\"#sdfootnote5sym\" name=\"sdfootnote5anc\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">5<\/a> <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Here God lists a series of ways in which people choose false forms for worship.<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><strong>FALSE FORMS OF WORSHIP<\/strong><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\"><strong><span lang=\"en-US\">1. Hero worship <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">(Deuteronomy 4:16)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">not to act corruptly and make an idol for yourselves in the shape of any figure: a male or female form,<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">\u201d (Deuteronomy 4:16, HCSB) <\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">The greatest temptation of false worship is hero worship. We have the temptation to lift up a person above God. Whether it is a musician, actor, or even a teacher or family member, we have the temptation to go from listening to a mentor to worshiping them. The reason is because no matter how great a person may be, they are not God.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Man cannot be a complete representation of God since He is transcendent. Any attempt to represent God in an idol would be an attempt to undermine His transcendence. There is no way man can limit God!<a href=\"#sdfootnote6sym\" name=\"sdfootnote6anc\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">6<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\"><strong><span lang=\"en-US\">2. Animal worship <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">(Deuteronomy 4:17-18)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">or the form of any beast on the earth, any winged creature that flies in the sky, any creature that crawls on the ground, or any fish in the waters under the earth.<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">\u201d (Deuteronomy 4:17\u201318, HCSB) <\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\"><span lang=\"en-US\">You may say that we don\u2019t worship animals. <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">Yet I just recently heard of p<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">eople <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">who <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">are making <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">\u201cDolfie<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">s<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">\u201d \u2013 dog selfies. <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">One advertisement was for a company called \u201cPooch Selfie.\u201d<a href=\"#sdfootnote7sym\" name=\"sdfootnote7anc\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">7<\/a> Some guy took a tennis ball and a clip which attaches to a smartphone or tablet. The company was rejected by Shark Tank, a show that has investors who help new companies. Still, the company is making money with a ball and a clip. <\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">We treat our animals like pets, even like family. That is not worship. But when we start to put God\u2019s creation above the priorities God has set for us, then we are engaging in animal worship. In the days of Deuteronomy, worshiping animals played a significant role in providing power to people. This is the reason that Aaron led the Israelites to worship the golden calf. They thought that the Egyptian calf worship had more power than the God of Israel. Instead of waiting on God, they submitted to another form of worship.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\"><strong><span lang=\"en-US\">3<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">. Activity worship <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">(Isaiah 5:11-12)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">When does sports as entertainment become sports as idolatry? Consider this banner seen at Lambeau Field in 1996, the season the Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl in New Orleans and their quarterback Brett Favre was named the most valuable player:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Our Favre who art in Lambeau, hallowed be thy arm. The Bowl will come, it will be won, in New Orleans as it is in Lambeau. Give us this Sunday our weekly win. And give us many touchdown passes. But do not let others pass against us. Lead us not into frustration, but deliver us to Bourbon Street. For thine is the MVP, the best of the NFL, and the glory of the cheeseheads, now and forever. Go get \u2019em!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Apparently some fans recognize their team support for what it really is: worship.<a href=\"#sdfootnote8sym\" name=\"sdfootnote8anc\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">8<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">When we engage in other activities to the point that it consumes us more than with God, we are engaged in activity worship. I am not saying we should not have hobbies or enjoy sports. But in today\u2019s society, we engage in these activities more than we do in fellowship with others here in the church. The center of activity in our lives moves from the church and God\u2019s family to any secular form of entertainment. That is activity worship.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\"><strong><span lang=\"en-US\">4<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">. Sensual worship (Romans 1:22-26)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Paul teaches in Romans 1:22\u201323 that men \u201cbecame fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man.\u201d The result of this type of action is a degraded intellect, misplaced affections, and degenerate morals (Rom<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">ans<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\"> 1:24\u201332). The Israelites could not afford to corrupt themselves through idolatry (Deut<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">eronomy<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\"> 4:16)\u2014the consequences would be too severe.<a href=\"#sdfootnote9sym\" name=\"sdfootnote9anc\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">9<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\"><strong><span lang=\"en-US\">5<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">. Nature worship <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">(Deuteronomy 4:19)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">When you look to the heavens and see the sun, moon, and stars\u2014all the array of heaven\u2014do not be led astray to bow down and worship them. The <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">Lord<\/span> <span lang=\"en-US\">your God has provided them for all people everywhere under heaven.<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">\u201d (Deuteronomy 4:19, HCSB) <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"en-US\">M<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">any different religions engage in some form of nature worship. <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">For example, t<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">he Egyptians worshipped the stars as sense images of the gods, the sun as Ra, the moon as Joh, or Isis.<a href=\"#sdfootnote10sym\" name=\"sdfootnote10anc\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">10<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"en-US\">Just as then, <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">today <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">people <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">look to the sky for guidance. The read horoscopes, <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">astrology, and signs of the zodiac<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">. <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">Let me give you a hint: Astronomy is good. Astrology is bad. Astronomy is the science of learning about the heavens. God knows that we will study the heavens and discover Him. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">When I observe Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You set in place, what is man that You remember him, the son of man that You look after him? You made him little less than God and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him lord over the works of Your hands; You put everything under his feet:<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">\u201d (Psalm 8:3\u20136, HCSB) <\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims the work of His hands.<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">\u201d (Psalm 19:1, HCSB) <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"en-US\">In <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">Psalm 19<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">, God uses the heavens as a way in which people can seek Him. The psalm describes how creation can <\/span>communicate the glory of God. Even though their voice is not heard, they still speak. Their message goes out to those who will be willing to hear . The psalmist accurately describes the rotation of the sun around the Earth.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">Their message has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens He has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a groom coming from the bridal chamber; it rejoices like an athlete running a course.<\/span>\u201d (<span lang=\"en-US\">Psalm 19:4\u20135<\/span>, HCSB)<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">God is enthroned above the circle of the earth; its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like thin cloth and spreads them out like a tent to live in.<\/span>\u201d (<span lang=\"en-US\">Isaiah 40:22<\/span>, HCSB)<\/p>\n<p>The Bible here is precise in its explanation of the creation of the world and the universe in the words in which it can use to describe it. It may not the exact meaning of modern science, but it is just as accurate and precise.<a href=\"#sdfootnote11sym\" name=\"sdfootnote11anc\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">11<\/a><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"en-US\">The Jews have a legend that when Abraham started on his journeys he saw the stars in the heavens and said, <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">\u201cI will worship the stars.\u201d But ere long the stars set. Then Abraham saw the constellations\u2014the Pleiades and the rest of them\u2014and he said, \u201cI will worship the constellations.\u201d But the constellations also set. Then Abraham saw the moon sailing high in the heavens and he said, \u201cI will worship the moon.\u201d But the moon also vanished when her season was over.<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Then Abraham saw the sun in all his majesty, coming out of his chamber like a bridegroom and rejoicing as a strong man to run a race. But when the day was spent, he saw the sun sink on the western horizon. Stars, constellations, moon, and sun\u2014all were unworthy of his worship, for all had set and all had disappeared. Then Abraham said, \u201cI will worship God, for he abides forever.\u201d<a href=\"#sdfootnote12sym\" name=\"sdfootnote12anc\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">12<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">When you look to the heavens and see the sun, moon, and stars\u2014all the array of heaven\u2014do not be led astray to bow down and worship them. The <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">Lord<\/span> <span lang=\"en-US\">your God has provided them for all people everywhere under heaven.<\/span>\u201d (<span lang=\"en-US\">Deuteronomy 4:19<\/span>, HCSB)<\/p>\n<p>So as Christians, we should not be let astray. Why? Because it is a form of ingratitude.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">But the <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">Lord<\/span> <span lang=\"en-US\">selected you and brought you out of Egypt\u2019s iron furnace to be a people for His inheritance, as you are today.<\/span>\u201d (<span lang=\"en-US\">Deuteronomy 4:20<\/span>, HCSB)<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">But you\u2014<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">God<\/span> <span lang=\"en-US\">took you right out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to become the people of his inheritance\u2014and that\u2019s what you are this very day.<\/span>\u201d (<span lang=\"en-US\">Deuteronomy 4:20<\/span>, The Message)<\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"en-US\">God saved us from destruction. God made us His people. To be led astray would be in the words of John Calvin: \u201c<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">it would be foul and wicked ingratitude\u201d<a href=\"#sdfootnote13sym\" name=\"sdfootnote13anc\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">13<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span lang=\"en-US\">I<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">f ingratitude is the \u201cwhy\u201d <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">I am<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\"> led astray, then forgetfulness is the \u201chow\u201d.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">But you\u201d\u2026 God makes a clear contrast between the people in the world and God\u2019s people when it comes to worship. <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">As Jack Deere mentions, t<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">he fact that Israel was taken out of Egypt is mentioned about <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">twenty<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\"> times in Deut<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">eronomy.<\/span><span lang=\"en-US\"><a href=\"#sdfootnote14sym\" name=\"sdfootnote14anc\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">14<\/a> <\/span><span lang=\"en-US\">It is as if God is trying to tell His people to not forget how important it is to worship God and follow Him. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span lang=\"en-US\">I worship God because I am His. God saved me and He guides me. I don\u2019t look to other people or things to help me in life. But sometimes I forget. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201c<span lang=\"en-US\">Did I leave the burner on?\u201d \u201cDid I lock the door?\u201d \u201cI feel like I\u2019m forgetting something.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p align=\"justify\"><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><span lang=\"en-US\">Forgetfulness is a syndrome we all experience at one time or another. Many of our forgetful moments end up being minor inconveniences. But there is one thing we should never forget: God and His instructions.<a class=\"sdfootnoteanc decorated-link\" href=\"#sdfootnote15sym\" name=\"sdfootnote15anc\" target=\"_blank\"><sup>15<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"sdfootnote1\">\n<p class=\"sdfootnote\"><a class=\"sdfootnotesym decorated-link\" href=\"#sdfootnote1anc\" name=\"sdfootnote1sym\" target=\"_blank\">1<\/a> <span style=\"font-size: medium\">Jim Erwin, \u201cWorship the True Formless God,\u201d Deuteronomy 4:15-20, 1 September 2015, in <\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><i>Lectionary Reflections Year B (2014-2015)<\/i><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium\">, Logos Bible Software Notes, found at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jimerwin\/2015\/09\/01\/worship-true-formless-god\/\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jimerwin\/2015\/09\/01\/worship-true-formless-god\/<\/a>, accessed on 5 April 2016.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"sdfootnote2\">\n<p class=\"sdfootnote\"><a class=\"sdfootnotesym decorated-link\" href=\"#sdfootnote2anc\" name=\"sdfootnote2sym\" target=\"_blank\">2<\/a> <span style=\"font-size: medium\">Jim Erwin, \u201cWorship the True Formless God,\u201d Deuteronomy 4:15-20, 1 September 2015, in <\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><i>Lectionary Reflections Year B (2014-2015)<\/i><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium\">, Logos Bible Software Notes, found at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jimerwin\/2015\/09\/01\/worship-true-formless-god\/\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jimerwin\/2015\/09\/01\/worship-true-formless-god\/<\/a>, accessed on 5 April 2016.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"sdfootnote3\">\n<p class=\"sdfootnote\"><a class=\"sdfootnotesym decorated-link\" href=\"#sdfootnote3anc\" name=\"sdfootnote3sym\" target=\"_blank\">3<\/a><sup><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><span lang=\"en-US\">4<\/span><\/span><\/sup><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><span lang=\"en-US\"> Victor P. Hamilton. <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><span lang=\"en-US\"><i>Handbook on the Pentateuch <\/i><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: medium\"><span lang=\"en-US\">(Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1982), p. 397.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"sdfootnote4\">\n<p class=\"sdfootnote\"><a class=\"sdfootnotesym decorated-link\" href=\"#sdfootnote4anc\" name=\"sdfootnote4sym\" target=\"_blank\">4<\/a> James E. Smith, <i>The Pentateuch<\/i>, 2nd ed., Old Testament Survey Series (Joplin, MO: College Press Pub. Co., 1993), Dt 4:1\u201324.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"sdfootnote5\">\n<p class=\"sdfootnote\"><a class=\"sdfootnotesym decorated-link\" href=\"#sdfootnote5anc\" name=\"sdfootnote5sym\" target=\"_blank\">5<\/a> Elliot Ritzema and Elizabeth Vince, eds., <i>300 Quotations for Preachers from the Puritans<\/i>, Pastorum Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2013).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"sdfootnote6\">\n<p class=\"sdfootnote\"><a class=\"sdfootnotesym decorated-link\" href=\"#sdfootnote6anc\" name=\"sdfootnote6sym\" target=\"_blank\">6<\/a> John C. Maxwell and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, <i>Deuteronomy<\/i>, vol. 5, The Preacher\u2019s Commentary Series (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1987), 87.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"sdfootnote7\">\n<p class=\"sdfootnote\"><a class=\"sdfootnotesym decorated-link\" href=\"#sdfootnote7anc\" name=\"sdfootnote7sym\" target=\"_blank\">7<\/a> \u201cPooch Selfie,\u201d See <a href=\"http:\/\/poochselfie.com\/\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/poochselfie.com<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"sdfootnote8\">\n<p class=\"sdfootnote\"><a class=\"sdfootnotesym decorated-link\" href=\"#sdfootnote8anc\" name=\"sdfootnote8sym\" target=\"_blank\">8<\/a> Craig Brian Larson, <i>750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers &amp; Writers<\/i> (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2002), 261\u2013262.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"sdfootnote9\">\n<p class=\"sdfootnote\"><a class=\"sdfootnotesym decorated-link\" href=\"#sdfootnote9anc\" name=\"sdfootnote9sym\" target=\"_blank\">9<\/a> John C. Maxwell and Lloyd J. Ogilvie, <i>Deuteronomy<\/i>, vol. 5, The Preacher\u2019s Commentary Series (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1987), 87\u201388.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"sdfootnote10\">\n<p class=\"sdfootnote\"><a class=\"sdfootnotesym decorated-link\" href=\"#sdfootnote10anc\" name=\"sdfootnote10sym\" target=\"_blank\">10<\/a> John Peter Lange, Philip Schaff, and Wilhelm Julius Schr\u00f6eder, <i>A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Deuteronomy<\/i> (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2008), 72.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"sdfootnote11\">\n<p class=\"sdfootnote\"><a class=\"sdfootnotesym decorated-link\" href=\"#sdfootnote11anc\" name=\"sdfootnote11sym\" target=\"_blank\">11<\/a> Jim Erwin, \u201cTwo Witnesses That Confirm the Existence of God,\u201d Psalm 19:1-14, 5 March 2015, Lectionary Reflections Year B (2014-2015), Logos Bible Software Notes, found at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jimerwin\/2015\/03\/05\/two-witnesses-confirm-existence-god\/\" class=\" decorated-link\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jimerwin\/2015\/03\/05\/two-witnesses-confirm-existence-god\/<\/a>, accessed on 8 April 2016.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"sdfootnote12\">\n<p class=\"sdfootnote\"><a class=\"sdfootnotesym decorated-link\" href=\"#sdfootnote12anc\" name=\"sdfootnote12sym\" target=\"_blank\">12<\/a> Paul Lee Tan, <i>Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times<\/i> (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 597.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"sdfootnote13\">\n<p class=\"sdfootnote\"><a class=\"sdfootnotesym decorated-link\" href=\"#sdfootnote13anc\" name=\"sdfootnote13sym\" target=\"_blank\">13<\/a> John Calvin and Charles William Bingham, <i>Commentaries on the Four Last Books of Moses Arranged in the Form of a Harmony<\/i>, vol. 1 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 342.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"sdfootnote14\">\n<p class=\"sdfootnote\"><a class=\"sdfootnotesym decorated-link\" href=\"#sdfootnote14anc\" name=\"sdfootnote14sym\" target=\"_blank\">14<\/a> Jack S. Deere, \u201cDeuteronomy,\u201d in <i>The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures<\/i>, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 270.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"sdfootnote15\">\n<p class=\"sdfootnote\"><a class=\"sdfootnotesym decorated-link\" href=\"#sdfootnote15anc\" name=\"sdfootnote15sym\" target=\"_blank\">15<\/a> John D. Barry and Rebecca Kruyswijk, <i>Connect the Testaments: A One-Year Daily Devotional with Bible Reading Plan<\/i> (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Deuteronomy 4:15-20 Worship the One True God We live in a world that is obsessed with form. We lose weight to have the right body form. We take selfies because we like our face to be noticed. We wear makeup and cut our hair to make sure that people can see our correct form. On [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2886,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,104],"tags":[648,788,903,12,2200],"class_list":["post-7260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deuteronomy","category-sermons","tag-deuteronomy","tag-false-worship","tag-god","tag-sermon","tag-worship"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Deuteronomy 4:15-20 Worship the One True God<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Deuteronomy 4:15-20 Worship the One True God We live in a world that is obsessed with form. We lose weight to have the right body form. 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