Deuteronomy 7.23-26
Actions and Heart conditions
The Lord, who faithfully bought the Israelites out of Egypt, is about to give them the Promised Land. There are other nations, kings and armies living there – but God has promised that land to the Israelites.
25 The images of their gods you are to burn in the fire. Do not covet the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it, for it is detestable to the LORD your God.
26 Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set apart for destruction.
(Deu 7:25-26 NIV)
There is a pattern in these verses that shows actions and heart conditions quite clearly. Moses is clearly concerned about both, because actions and heart conditions are intertwined.
· 25 The images of their gods you are to burn in the fire.
§ Do not covet the silver and gold on them,
· and do not take it for yourselves,
§ or you will be ensnared by it
· 26 Do not bring a detestable thing into your house
§ Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set apart for destruction.
As they enter the Promised Land, there are other nations with other gods, and false idols representing their gods. The true God has demanded they be utterly destroyed.
Action: Burn the idols.
Heart Condition: Temptation to not burn everything.
The first action and heart condition is the Israelites are to burn these false idols in fire. While they are burning, or perhaps as they are carrying these idols to burn them, they will be tempted to sin. They will be tempted to want to take the silver, as well as the shiny gold all over these false idols that are in their hands on the way toward destruction.
Action: Secretly taking gold and silver off the idols
Heart Condition: It will ensnare you
The second major action prohibited is moving past temptation to merely not destroy the idols. The temptation was to not burn everything, but now it has moved toward keeping the extraordinarily expensive silver, gold, etc. The outer action has an inner heart condition that will result – the Israelites will be ensnared by their sin. One necklace, one solid gold ring, and nobody notices. Two, three, a stash, digging a hole to store more and more – this will never be enough, and will be a death-trap of sin for the Israelites.
Action: Do not bring a detestable thing into your house
Heart Condition: Secretive about sin
The action is not to bring anything you have taken (already a sin) into your house (deeper sin). It is bringing sin directly into the household where Israelites live, eat, and secretly keep the silver and gold they were supposed to burn in fire. A divided heart comes when we sin then keep it secret in the closet, holding on to it tightly. They brought it into their house because they need more control over their sin. Having a physical representation in a closet somewhere of the idol God told them to completely burn, means that when they worship the true God they will have a divided heart.
What should believers do with sins they have brought into their household? “Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set apart for destruction” means it might be a good idea to stop controlling rebellion against God, and do what He said in the first place. Actions reflect heart conditions. Heart conditions lead to actions.
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