Putting To the Ban Part 3

# 202 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 15:2,3 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 3 'Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.'" (1 Sam 15:2,3) We have been talking about the concept of “putting to the ban” that is, deeming something for destruction because God in His omniscience, has determined it has been tainted beyond redemption. Sodom and Gomorrah and Jericho are classic examples. God chose to spare righteous Lot and Rahab in these mass destructions of cities, He is God and that is His prerogative. He says in Ro 9:15, "I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion." Idolatry and all it's associated sinful practices were one of the reasons that God “put entire cities to the ban.” De 13:12-17 says, "If you hear someone in one of your cities, which the LORD your God gives you to dwell in, saying, 13 'Corrupt men have gone out from among you and enticed the inhabitants of their city, saying, "Let us go and serve other gods"' -which you have not known- 14 "then you shall inquire, search out, and ask diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain that such an abomination was committed among you, 15 "you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword-utterly destroying it, all that is in it and its livestock, with the edge of the sword. 16 "And you shall gather all its plunder into the middle of the street, and completely burn with fire the city and all its plunder, for the LORD your God. It shall be a heap forever; it shall not be built again. 17 "So none of the accursed things shall remain in your hand, that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of His anger and show you mercy, have compassion on you and multiply you, just as He swore to your fathers,” Note the words “true and certain.” No destruction would be carried out unless the people were certain that the abomination had been committed. On the last Day when God decides who will be “put to the ban,” you can be sure that His judgment will be “true and certain,” for He knows the heart! Again, these mass destructions of cities, people and goods serve us today solely as reminders of the end that awaits all who turn away from God. Thankfully, we no longer have authorization to carry out such punishment. However we do have a responsibility to serve as watchmen, warning others to turn from their wicked ways and believe the Gospel, lest God put them to the ban on the Last Day. And this “putting to the ban” serves as a reminder to you and I to “put to the ban” all forms of idolatry in our own lives. Col 3:5 says, Therefore put to death (put to the ban) your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. May the Holy Spirit ever help us in this regard.