Regulations for Divine worship: specific rules embodying permanent principles.
With this twelfth chapter an entirely new set of instructions begins. Up to this point the exhortations have been for the most part moral: now they are positive. Hitherto the precepts have been, speaking generally, concerning duties which God commanded because they were right; but from this point they concern duties which became right because God had commanded them. Of all specific directions which Moses gave to Israel, none could possibly be more important than those which had to do with the Divine worship. A true, wise, spiritual worship, established and maintained, would do very much to ensure Israel's weal in every other respect; while if corruption was admitted and tolerated here, its ill effects would soon be seen through the length and breadth of their land. In dealing homiletically with this chapter, we must take it as a whole. To sever it into paragraphs would be to conceal its unity; taking it, however, as one, we shall see how very far more than is generally supposed, the observance of God's worship among the Hebrews was based on everlasting principles both as to its matter and its manner; and that while there was much ritual in external forms, yet Judaism was not ritualistic in any sense which would imply the efficacy of ritual by itself to bring about spiritual results. Let us enumerate the principles which here are embodied in the directions for the worship of God. The forms in which the principles are expressed may change; the principles themselves, never!
I. HEBREW WORSHIP WAS TO BE IN ALL RESPECTS A PROTEST AGAINST SURROUNDING IDOLATRY. (Deuteronomy 12:2, Deuteronomy 12:3, Deuteronomy 12:29-31.) They were not only to carry out a policy of destruction, in sweeping from the land every vestige of ancient heathen worship (see Homily on Deuteronomy 7:1-11), but were to avoid everything like imitation of it. Theirs was a new nationality, a new deliverance, a new faith, and it must be a new kind of worship, corresponding in its purity to the holiness of Jehovah, and in its intelligence to that knowledge of him which they were expected to cultivate in themselves and hand down to others. And so now, if there are corrupt forms of worship, such as Rome's pagan ceremonies baptized with the Christian name, the worship of God's true Church must needs be a protest against it, and a contention for "the simplicity which is in Christ."
II. IT WAS TO BE ACCORDING TO DIVINE DIRECTION. They might not consult their own religious sentiments, as the heathen did, in choosing e.g. the tops of the hills for worship, because they thought so to get nearer God. Israel must consult revelation, and follow it. So with the Church of God now. True, we have not such minute rites enjoined as Israel had, for we need them not now. But in our New Testament writings all needful instructions are given for those who would worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
III. THE DINIE RULES WERE TO BE PRECISELY ADHERED TO. They might not be swerved from, either by addition or diminution (Deuteronomy 12:32). This is indeed but an extension of principle No. 2; but it requires in oar day to be noticed separately; since many will admit, generally, that worship must be according to Scripture, who nevertheless also maintain that the Church may direct as to forms of worship. But we cannot forget two facts: one, that at the close of the New Testament there is a like caution and prohibition to that given here; another, that the entire course of Church history shows us that men know not where to stop when they once diverge from "the Book," and that departures therefrom little by little, even under Church authority, do ultimately land men in the complicated and superstitious ceremonial of the Church of Rome.
IV. THERE WAS TO BE (after they were settled in Palestine) ONE PLACE WHICH GOD CHOOSE TO PUT HIS NAME THERE. And this place where God would meet with his people is called, in the beautiful Hebrew phrase, God's rest (Deuteronomy 12:5), "his habitation" (of. Psalms 132:13, Psalms 132:14). Thus would God, in his condescending love, launch a new thought into the world, in a form in which the people could understand it; viz. that God's home is with his believing worshippers. It was necessary, for a while, to associate that truth with one special place, until "the fullness of times" should come, when One should say—John 4:20-24; Matthew 18:20; and when Christians should learn that they are the home of God (1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 2:22).
V. TO THIS PLACE THE TRIBES WERE TO COME AND WORSHIP TOGETHER. Thus the unity of God's redeemed people in him, would be continually before their eyes. Though the times in the year were not many when the people were thus to meet as one nation and commonwealth, yet they were frequent enough to ensure their thoughts turning thereto, either by retrospection or anticipation, from one year's end to another. Here is the germ seed of the doctrine of the unity of God's Church. Many tribes, one redeemed people. And is it not precisely this principle which is brought out in the New Testament, only in far grander form? (see Revelation 7:1-17.; Ephesians 2:1-22.; John 17:1-26.; Romans 12:1-21.). Is not the Christian unity a union of many tribes and tongues in one deliverance, and one Deliverer?
VI. THE FORMS OF ISRAEL'S WORSHIP WERE TO BE SUFFICIENTLY VARIED TO REFLECT THE CHANGING ASPECTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE. These forms are sevenfold. In each case, however, an offering was brought to God. It might be typical, symbolic, eucharistic, dedicatory, or votive. (For specific treatment of each kind, see Kurtz, and Kalisch, in loc.) There were:
1. Burnt offering.
2. Sacrifices.
3. Tithes (Deuteronomy 26:12).
4. Heave offerings. "Quae sponte dabatur Deo" (Buxtorf).
5. Vows (Psalms 76:11).
6. Free-will offerings (1 Chronicles 29:17; Deuteronomy 16:10).
7. Firstlings of herds and flocks (Exodus 13:12; Nell. 10:35-37; Proverbs 3:9; Psalms 66:13-16).
How varied! There were sacrifices of atonement and of consecration; offerings of consecration and thanksgiving. Each changing scene of life was to call forth its act of devotion to God.
VII. IT WAS TO BE A FAMILY AND HOUSEHOLD WORSHIP. (Matthew 18:18.) Not the head of the house only, but the children, yea, even the little ones had their recognized place in the house of God (Matthew 18:12). And the slaves too! The stranger and the sojourner might also come. The religion of the family was a keystone of Israel's national life; and it will be a very serious thing for any nation, if family religion comes to be slighted or ignored, never let us rob the children of their rightful place in Christian ordinances and in the house of God.
VIII. IT WAS TO BE A JOYFUL WORSHIP. Matthew 18:12, "Ye shall rejoice before the Lord your God." The pagan worship never was or could be a glad one. The heathens feared their gods, dreaded them, sought to propitiate them, but as for being glad in them because of any loving care on the part of their gods towards them, they knew nothing at all about any such blessing. But Israel did. They worshipped Jehovah, a redeeming God, who had manifested his Name to them. Hence such psalms as the twenty-third and the one hundred and third, could be prepared for their gladsome worship and song. Much more may we "Rejoice in the Lord."
IX. ISRAEL'S WORSHIP WAS TO BE SUPPORTED BY THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE PEOPLE. (Matthew 18:19; and see Deuteronomy 18:1-8.) Thus were the people at large from the first to be educated "in giving to God," and in maintaining, at their own cost, the worship and ordinances of God, so as to hand them down intact and untainted to their children and their children's children. How clearly is this principle reproduced in the New Testament! (see 1 Corinthians 9:9-14). Though there is far less detail, yet it is not supposed that less will be done, but rather more; such verses as 2 Corinthians 8:7-9, how much they imply and suppose! Surely it would be well if our Churches everywhere recognized the nine principles of Divine worship which we find laid down by Moses. It may fairly be made a question whether even the purest Church is found recognizing them all; and yet, which one of the nine is repealed or even modified under the gospel? Of necessity, forms have changed. But so long as we need the ordinances of Christian worship at all, so long must we assert and maintain all that we find inculcated here: simplicity versus false ceremonialism; exact loyalty to Divine direction; recognizing the Church as "the rest" of God, where the tribes are many, but the commonwealth one; letting the worship reflect life's varied moods; letting it be a joyous family worship, maintained and supported by our contributions and our prayers.
HOMILIES BY J. ORR