Deuteronomy 7:4 "For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly."
"For they will turn away thy son." God is giving warnings to His
children and in turn, they are to give warning to their children. He tells
them, concerning the people in the land of Canaan, that they will have gods
that are contrary to Him. He tells the people to "utterly destroy
them." There was a reason for this instruction concerning the people. The
influence of their gods would cause the people of Israel to turn away if they
were not destroyed.
The sad commentary about the Israelites is found a generation later. They did
not follow God's instruction to destroy all the nations that had inhabited
Canaan before the land was given to them. They allowed some, or portions, of
the nations to remain. It did not happen overnight, but the influence of
those people and their worship of false gods would indeed gain influence over
many of the people of God. That influence and the ensuing battles remain
to this very day.
In the New Testament, we read the words of Jesus, "Take heed, beware of
the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod." (Mark 8:15)
The explanation for this statement is found in the words of Paul, "A
little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." (Galatians 5:9) God
continues to warn us today concerning the influence of worldly devices and
philosophy. Just as leaven slowly infiltrates the entire lump of flour as
its influence grows, so does the philosophy and influences of the world.
It is of the utmost importance to each of us today that we remain on guard
concerning what we allow to enter our lives. Satan is indeed subtle in
his ways. He is patient, but always has one ultimate goal, that is to
destroy our daily relationship with our precious Lord. The things that
are happening in our nation are not overnight changes. The leaven of today's
destruction of life as we have known it began several decades ago. It all seemed
fun and freedom, but underneath Satan was following his plan to lead our nation
away from its very foundation of being, "One nation under God,
indivisible."
We must be diligent in standing for that which is the way of the Lord rather
than the way of the world. "For they will turn away thy son from following
me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled
against you, and destroy thee suddenly."