By Douglas K. Wilson, Ph.D.
Dean of Christian Studies, University of Mobile
GOD IS REVEALED
Deuteronomy 18:15–22
In order to understand the context of this passage, Bible students need to read its prelude in Deuteronomy 18:9–14.
The Israelites seemed to be susceptible to idolatry. They sojourned among polytheistic Egyptians for generations. Recorded for us in Numbers, they also witnessed firsthand how Israelite men succumbed to seduction and worshipped false gods with the Moabites at Baal-peor.
Previously in Deuteronomy, God warned Israel in the commandments that idolatry was a demonstration of disdain, even hatred, for God (Deut. 5:8–9). He had warned them about the temptation of forgetting God and worshipping idols in the same chapter that contains the greatest commandment (Deut. 6:10–16).
Now in chapter 18, the Lord reminds this new generation of Israelites that they must decide ahead of time not to follow the practices of the Canaanites who seek spiritual knowledge and power apart from Him.
The Need (15–17)
Israel needed a human messenger who would speak for God. For nearly 40 years, Moses had served in that capacity. The cultures surrounding them in the ancient Near East discerned the will of their deities through various forms of divination (see Ezek. 21:21, for example). By contrast, God’s prophet was to convey God’s words to His people.
Beyond the immediate scope of the Mosaic period, the prophet of whom Moses wrote was the promised Messiah.
The Provision (18–19)
John the Baptist denied being this prophet when asked by religious leaders (John 1:21). By contrast, Jesus stated Moses wrote of Him, though the religious leaders would not believe Him (John 5:46–47).
Later, Peter was preaching at Solomon’s Colonnade in the Court of the Gentiles to interested temple visitors. There he quoted from this passage in Deuteronomy and indicated that Jesus was the fulfillment of the promise from God through Moses (Acts 3:22–23).
This promised Prophet would speak everything that God told Him to speak, and those who did not heed His words would be called to account.
Jesus spoke of such accountability in Matthew 7, when He delineated between those who hear and obey His words and those who hear but ignore His words. The doer is compared to a man who builds his house on a stone foundation, while the hearer–only is like the one who builds on the sand (Matt. 7:24–27).
James writes further about this theme, saying that the person who only hears the words of Jesus but does not do them is self–deceived (James 1:22–25). God has provided the Messiah, who spoke His words and called us to repent, believe and follow Him.
The Test (20–22)
Regarding God’s prophets, their one test was accuracy. Since the primary role of a prophet was to speak forth the words of God, his words must be true because God always speaks truth. After all, God is not a man that He should lie (Num. 23:19).
God remains faithful to His own character (Ex. 34:6–7). If a people hear of God’s judgment and repent, God will turn away His judgment (Jer. 18:7–8). This consistent character of God leads Jonah to rebel (Jonah 4:1–3). He wants judgment!
In addition to forth-telling words of God, the prophet must accurately foretell the work of God. If he speaks words he claims to be from God but are not, he is a false prophet and stands under the judgment of death.
The kings of Israel and Judah would later ignore this Torah instruction. During the final years of the nation of Judah, false prophets quoted each other and contradicted the words of Jeremiah, claiming that peace would come without Jerusalem’s repentance or God’s judgment.
These men had not heard from God (Jer. 14:13–15). Jeremiah prophesied that Judah would be exiled for 70 years and then they would return.
The authenticity of Jeremiah’s prophecy was confirmed because God’s words were fulfilled.
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