Central Location for Worship

In Deuteronomy 12:5 God says, "You are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go . . ." Why one central location? For one thing it would be a distinction from the pagan Canaanite practice of worshiping at any location throughout the land--"on the high mountains and on the hills and under every spreading tree" (12:2). The People's Bible also points out that a central location would be a way to unite the people of Israel, bringing them together for the annual festivals, to offer sacrifices, to keep them focused on God's purpose for them as his covenant people. Believers today enjoy this same kind of unity under God when we weekly come together at church to worship our God.