Deuteronomy 18:9-22

(4) PROPHETS (Deuteronomy 18:9-22)

9 When thou art come into the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found with thee any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one that useth divination, one that practiseth augury, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, 11 or a charmer, of a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 For whosoever doeth these things is an abomination unto Jehovah: and because of these abominations Jehovah thy God doth drive them out from before thee. 13 Thou shalt be perfect with Jehovah thy God. 14 For these nations, that thou shalt dispossess, hearken unto them that practise augury, and unto diviners; but as for thee, Jehovah thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.
15 Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16 according to all that thou desiredst of Jehovah thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying Let me not hear again the voice of Jehovah my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17 And Jehovah said unto me, They have well said that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
20 But the prophet, that shall speak a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. 21 And if thou say in thy heart, How shall we know the word which Jehovah hath not spoken? 22 when a prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which Jehovah hath not spoken: the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 18:9-22

302.

What is meant by the expression to pass through the fire? Cf. Deuteronomy 12:31.

303.

Please define separately the following terms: (1) divination, (2) augury, (3) enchanter (4) sorcerer, (5) charmer, (6) consulter with familiar spirits, (7) wizard, (8) necromancer.

304.

Abomination is a strong word. How is it used here.

305.

Besides the immoral and idolatrous practices accompanying the use of these various fortune tellers there was a basic sin more fundamental than these external practices. What was it?

306.

Deuteronomy 18:13 is a key verse. Read it carefully.

307.

Give three qualities of the prophet God was to raise up.

308.

Read Acts 3:19-23; Acts 7:37 and re-read these verses to understand just how this prophecy is fulfilled.

309.

A prophet could speak presumptuously. If so, what would be involved?

310.

Some prophets were to be put to death. What test was to be exercised?

AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION 18:9-22

9 When you come into the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of these nations.
10 There shall not be found among you any one who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, or who uses divination, or is a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer,
11 Or a charmer, or a medium, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord; and it is because of these abominable practices that the Lord your God is driving them out from before you.
13 You shall be blameless (and absolutely true) to the Lord your God.
14 For these nations, whom you shall dispossess, listen to soothsayers and diviners, but as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so.
15 The Lord your God will raise up for you [37]a prophet from the midst of your brethren, like me [Moses]; to him you shall listen.

[37] The insertion of this promise in connection with the preceding prohibition, might warrant the application which some make of it, to that order of true prophets whom God commissioned in unbroken succession to instruct, to direct, and warn His people; and in this view the gist of it is, there is no need to consult with diviners and soothsayers, for I shall afford you the benefit of divinely appointed prophets for judging of whose identity a sure clue is given (Deuteronomy 18:20; Deuteronomy 18:22). But the prophet here promised was pre-eminently the Messiah, for He alone was -like unto Moses in His mediatorial character; in the peculiar excellence of His ministry; in the number, variety and magnitude of His miracles; in His close and familiar communion with God; and in His being the author of a new dispensation of religion. This prediction was fulfilled 1500 years afterwards, and was expressly applied to Christ by Peter (Acts 3:22-23), and by Stephen (Acts 7:37)Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary.

16 This is what you desired (and asked) of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, or see this great fire any more, lest I die.
17 And the Lord said to me, They have well said all that they have spoken.
18 I will raise up for them a prophet from among their brethren, like you, and will put My words in his mouth; and he shall speak to them all that I command him.
19 And whoever will not hearken to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.
20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.
21 And if you say in your [mind and] heart, How shall we know which words the Lord has not spoken?
22 When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or prove true, that is a word which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

COMMENT 18:9-22

We have included these three paragraphs together because the spokesman of God, his true mouthpiece, is contrasted to the diviner, wizard, and false prophet best by taking this entire section together.

Included here, of course, is one of the most wonderful prophecies of Christ in the Old Testament.

In Deuteronomy 18:9-13 sorcery and divination are forbidden.

PASS THROUGH THE FIRE (Deuteronomy 18:10)See Deuteronomy 12:31 and notes.

DIVINATION. AUGURY. ENCHANTER, etc. (Deuteronomy 18:10-14)These terms would cover all types of the magical or secret arts. How could one claim total trust and faith in the leading Jehovah, and also claim guidance by these means? They were destructive of such trust. God would have us come ye out from among them, and be ye separate. God'S people do not need to consult the stars, fortune tellers, gypsies, or other of the black arts for their guidance.

These people were not to be imitated by Israelites (Leviticus 19:26), nor be consulted by them (Leviticus 19:31), but both they and those who turned to them were to be put to death, (Leviticus 20:6; Leviticus 20:27, Exodus 22:18).

King Saul, who at first responded wonderfully to this commandment, later degenerated to a point of consulting a witch himself! See 1 Samuel 28:3 ff., 1 Chronicles 10:13-14. King Manasseh fell into a similar sin, 2 Kings 21:6, 2 Chronicles 33:6, but king Josiah put all who dealt with them out of the land, 2 Kings 23:24.

FAMILIAR SPIRIT (Deuteronomy 18:11)Probably so called because it was regarded as the friend and servant of the person possessing it, and might be summoned to do services at his command.

NECROMANCER (Deuteronomy 18:11)One who inquires for, or consults with, the spirits of the dead.

Obviously, some of these names overlap. Keil and Delitsch will remark,

Moses groups together all the words which the language contained for the different modes of exploring the future and discovering the will of God, for the purpose of forbidding every description of soothsaying, and places the prohibition of Moloch-worship at the head [Deuteronomy 18:10], to show the inward connection between soothsaying and idolatry, possibly because februation, or passing children through the fire in the worship of Moloch, was more intimately connected with soothsaying and magic than any other description of idolatry (Commentary on the Pentateuch, III, 393).

A PROPHET FROM THE MIDST OF THEE (Deuteronomy 18:15)Here we have a blessed prophecy of Christ, the great prophet (Nabi, spokesman, mouthpiece, preacher) of God. He would not be a foreigner, but would arise from the midst of thee, His office and work, Moses tells us, will be like unto me, and unto him shall all hearken. Even as Moses was God's divinely appointed delivered and saviour of Israel, so it would be with this Prophet. ., and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).

That this is a divine prophecy of our Lord is made clear by inspiration (Acts 3:19-23; Acts 7:37). Thus John denies that he is the prophet (John 1:19-25). See also Matthew 21:10-11; John 1:45; John 6:14; John 7:40. Compare John 5:45-47.

As in Deuteronomy 13:1-5, we may have here also the requirements for God's true prophetsi.e. the prophet of God as contrasted to the false, lying and deceitful prophets of Baal and other dieties. No doubt the language of Moses had a general fulfillment in the raising up of a prophetical succession, culminating in the appearance and work of Jesus Christ, to Whom therefore it eminently refers (Joseph Angus, The Bible Handbook). Because of his position as successor to Moses as God's chosen leader and spokesman, many have thought the immediate fulfillment of this prophecy was found in Joshua (Heb. savior). But so far as the Bible statements are concerned, Christ represents the fulfillment of this prophecy.

AND I WILL PUT MY WORDS IN HIS MOUTH (Deuteronomy 18:18)Jesus said, For I spoke not from myself; but the Father that sent me, he hath given me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life eternal: the things therefore which I speak, even as the Father hath said unto me, so I speak (John 12:49-50). See also John 7:16-17.

AND WHOSOEVER WILL NOT HEARKEN (Deuteronomy 18:19)See John 12:48, Acts 3:23, Hebrews 12:24-25. The words of our divine Prophet must be heeded. God said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; HEAR YE HIM (Matthew 17:5). Note the application the Holy Spirit makes in Hebrews 10:28-31. O that we might stand in awe of Christ's words!

BUT THE PROPHET THAT SHALL SPEAK A WORD PRESUMPTUOUSLY IN MY NAME (Deuteronomy 18:20)See presumptuously defined under Deuteronomy 1:43. Note that it is done in the name of God! Ff. Matthew 7:21-23. See Deuteronomy 13:1-5 and notes. Also Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:22. False prophets always speak some truthelse no one would believe them!

Whether he spoke in the name of God, or in the name of gods, if it was not that which God had commanded to be spoken, he was to die! Surely we can learn here how imperative it is that God's spokesmen teach his words (James 3:1).

HOW SHALL WE KNOW. ? (Deuteronomy 18:21)By comparing Ch. Deuteronomy 13:1-5 we arrive at three tests of this prophet. 1. Was his teaching in accord with the teachings of God? 2. Did he prophesy in the name of other gods? 3. Did his prophecies come to pass? It might take a while to check him out on the third qualification, but not the first and second. On any of these counts he was to be put to death.