SPECIAL TOPIC: CONSEQUENCES OF IDOLATRY

SPECIAL TOPIC: CONSEQUENCES OF IDOLATRY

"Beware, lest your hearts be deceived" ‒ BDB 834, KB 984, Qal IMPERFECT, cf. Job 31:27
1. "turn away" ‒ BDB 693, KB 747, Qal PERFECT with waw, cf. Exod. 32:8; Deut. 9:12; 17:11,17; Jer. 5:23
2. "serve other gods" ‒ BDB 712, KB 773, Qal PERFECT with waw, cf. Deut. 7:4,16; 8:19; 11:16; 13:6,13; 17:3; 28:14,36,64; 29:26; 30:17; 31:20; Josh. 23:16; 24:2,16; Jer. 11:10; 13:10; 16:11,13; 22:9; 25:6; 35:15
3. "to worship" ‒ BDB 1005, KB 295, Hithpael (Owens, p. 805), Hishtaphel (Parsing Guide, p. 146), PERFECT with waw
  
  Obviously this was a recurrent tendency on Israel's part (notice all the parallels)! The consequences for idolatry were severe.
“the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you" ‒ BDB 354, KB 351, Qal PERFECT with waw, cf. Exod. 4:14; 22:24; 32:10; Num. 11:1,10; 12:9; 32:10; Deut. 6:15; 7:4; 11:17; 29:27; Josh. 23:11
1. "He will shut up the heavens so that there will be no rain." ‒ BDB 783, KB 870, Qal PERFECT with waw. This is part of the curse for disobeying the covenant, cf. Lev. 26:19; Deut. 28:24; 2 Chr. 6:26-28; 7:13
2. "the ground will not yield its fruit" ‒ results of no rain
"you will perish quickly from the good land" ‒ BDB 1, KB 2, Qal PERFECT with waw, cf. Deut. 4:26; 7:4; 8:19,20; 28:20,22; 30:18; Josh. 23:13,16

There is no middle option! God presents His covenant as fully compliant or in default (cf. Deut. 27:26; Gal. 3:10). Fallen humanity cannot obtain this level of consistent or complete obedience (cf. Josh. 24:19). Therefore, there was/is a need for a new covenant based on God's mercy and His performance (cf. Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:22-36; Rom. 3:9-18,23; 5:12-21; Galatians 3)!

The Mosaic Covenant presented mankind with a stark choice—"obey and live," disobey and die." It became known as "the two ways" (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28; 30:15,19; Psalm 1).

SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD (OT)

SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT

SPECIAL TOPIC: KEEP