Deuteronomy 17:3, commentary and pictures

The verse forbids serving other gods by worshiping the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven, which God has not commanded, as idolatry. That worship of the heavenly host is a form of idolatry distinct from worshiping carved or fashioned images, and it breaks the first commandment against having other gods while carved images are forbidden separately by the second. Such service is wickedness in the sight of the Lord, transgression of His covenant, and abomination wrought in Israel, to be dealt with only after report, diligent inquiry and certain proof, then by bringing the offender to the gates and stoning to death at the mouth of two or three witnesses, never one. Worship offered without God's instruction is wrong even when offered as worship, and it is especially sinful when it directly violates a plain command, so worship of the sun and consecrating a day to the sun defy His express command, which applies to observing the first day as the Sabbath instead of the seventh. For this reason Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who had been educated in this law and had seen its violation bring ruin and captivity, purposed not to defile themselves with the king's meat or wine lest eating and drinking share in that idolatrous worship.

Meaning and Mosaic Setting

To go after other gods and bow to the sun or the moon or any of the host of heaven is to serve other gods, and it is idolatry forbidden by God because he has not commanded it. Worship of the sun and moon and heavenly host is one form of idolatry, distinct from worship of carved or fashioned images. That worship of heavenly bodies breaks the first commandment against having other gods, while worship of carved images is separately forbidden by the second commandment.

The command stands in Moses' recounting in Deuteronomy 3 to 22 of Israel's experiences and God's guidance. It belongs to his constant appeal for Israel to serve the Lord and turn away from the sins that wrecked the other nations, in which service alone lay Israel's greatness and continuance. It is one of the developments of the precepts of the law joined with God's gracious promises, showing the working and superiority of the laws God gave Israel amid the conditions surrounding them. The prohibition was given to keep Israel from such practices, which later had to be corrected among them.

With that worship is also forbidden the religious feasts and revels rooted in nature-worship, whose root is nature-worship and whose chief is sun-worship. Those are continual weekly and monthly and yearly feasts marked by licentiousness fed by rich unwholesome foods, exciting condiments and sauces, and stimulating intoxicating wine.

Covenant Breach and Penalty

Turning to serve other gods by worshiping the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven which God has not commanded is wickedness in the sight of the Lord, transgression of His covenant, and abomination wrought in Israel. The surrounding law lays down the order for dealing with it by report and hearing and diligent inquiry until the truth is certainly proved, then bringing the man or the woman to the gates and stoning to death. That sentence requires the mouth of two or three witnesses and never one alone, with the hands of the witnesses first upon the offender and afterward the hands of all the people, so that evil is put away. The Bible stands as the rule, with appointed judges and priests to act as judges to decide, and the church and the people to execute the penalty.

The verse belongs to a law prescribing death by stoning by the civil magistrate under Israel's theocratic law as ruler of Israel. It is cited as an example of the severe penalties attached to violating the moral law, with stoning likewise imposed for different crimes including Sabbath-breaking, murder, blasphemy, and disobedience to parents. Because Moses' law in Deuteronomy 17:2-6 prescribes death for certain offenses and mentions the ten commandments, it shows the Decalogue is part of the broader Mosaic law. This procedure is the old covenant's ministration of condemnation and death and formed part of Israel's civil code. Those civil penalties also pointed to the final punishment of the ungodly, while under the ministration of the Spirit human judges no longer execute that penalty, which is held in abeyance until God's judgment.

The death penalty was given in God's wisdom to protect the lives and property of the nation and to restrain evil-doers. Allowing such leading into idolatry to continue would destroy the whole nation and bring eternal destruction on many, and the execution was meant as an example to the younger that they might turn from demoralizing practices. The law does not set aside the individual's duty not to kill, for the individual must not kill while the government must punish to preserve the people. When the command was neglected and became a dead letter the whole people went into idolatry with crimes of every kind, including sacrificing in idolatrous ceremonies to the sun-god and to Molech.

Uncommanded Worship and Application

The phrase which I have not commanded makes uncommanded worship itself wrong and wicked even when it is offered as worship, and it is especially sinful when it also directly violates a plain command. Worship of the sun, moon, or stars as other gods is expressly forbidden, so sun-worship and the consecrating of a day to the sun stand in defiance of God's express command. That warning applies to observing the first day as the Sabbath instead of the seventh. Ignorance may excuse those who honestly believe they are obeying God, but responsibility changes once they receive light.

The prohibition reaches beyond the bare act of bowing to the sun, moon, or host of heaven to the religious feasts and revels rooted in nature-worship, whose root is nature-worship and whose chief is sun-worship. Babylonian eating and drinking was bound up with that religion in great weekly, monthly, and yearly feasts marked by rich unwholesome foods, exciting condiments and sauces, stimulating intoxicating wine, and licentiousness. That same festal eating and drinking in honor of the sun is continued in Easter and Yuletide festivities and in special feasting on Sundays.

The Judean youth had been educated in this law of Jehovah and had seen its violation bring sad results and ruin among their own people and kings. They were themselves reaping its fruit in captivity and exile, with Zion in ruin, as the consequence of breaking this law. Even the wisest king had fallen through wine and idolatrous women despite knowing the law and seeing the results of heathen worship and feasts. Therefore Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah purposed not to defile themselves with the king's meat or wine, lest eating and drinking share in that idolatrous worship. They refused that part of Babylonian education which would have connected them most closely with Babylonian idolatry, holding duty and service to God as controlling principles.