WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

An international Sunday school lesson commentary

For Sunday March 7, 2021

 

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PROPHET OF DELIVERANCE

(True and false prophets)

(Deuteronomy 18:15-22)

 

   The title, “Deuteronomy”, comes from “the Septuagint”, the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, and it means, quite literally, “second giving of the law”. Deuteronomy is the fifth and final biblical book that is attributed to the writings of Moses. It is, in essence, his farewell speech to the people of Israel following their 40-year journey on the desert, after being emancipated from 400 years of slavery in Egypt.

    Here Moses repeats much of the content from his second book of writings, now called Exodus. However, some of the content in Deuteronomy contains a special relevance to those few Israelites who would eventually enter into “the Promised Land” of Canaan and drive out its previous pagan inhabitants.

    In the biblical Greek, the word used for “messenger” is “aggellos” (ang-el-los), and it describes “one who brings news or tidings by divine order from GOD”. Deuteronomy 18 comprises the climax of a series of instructions concerning the various leadership positions that would be provided by GOD to offer guidance to HIS people in future times. And while this passage lays out a foundation for the ministry of many prophets to come in Israel, there is also seen here, a singular form of the prophecy of a coming MESSIAH, CHRIST JESUS, WHOM the people should, most importantly, surely listen to.

    Moses is the prototype prophet that was commissioned by GOD as HIS spokesperson. He communicated a “life-shaping” word from the LORD that would stand as “law” for GOD’s people, for all times. And while HIS “written word” was left through Moses, GOD also provides “supernatural guidance”, in very specific situations, that may not necessarily be covered in the law.

    Taking up at verse 15 of this passage, Moses tells us that the LORD would raise up a prophet from among the people of Israel, similar to himself, who must be heeded. He is not specific, however, in identifying this prophet, but rather, did leave us with certain distinctive characteristics. For instance, the coming one would be a man steeped in the knowledge of GOD’s covenant laws and would speak with unprecedented authority.

    Biblical prophets were called from all walks of life, speaking very unpopular words during times of high apostasy in their own specific eras. Their deep sense of divine appointment often moved them into life-threatening situations, even when their prophecies were forecasted many, many years in advance, with 100% accuracy. In every generation, the people of GOD had evidence that HIS prophets were genuine and did speak with HIS authority.

    The voice of the LORD at Mount Sinai had so frightened the people that they requested that they never have to experience it again, for fear they would die (v.16). GOD granted the Israelites request and since that time, has only used prophets to relay HIS messages to HIS people as a group. However, GOD told them that HE fully expected them to obey HIS “sent word” or HE would deal with them personally as HE had before.

    With this new request granted and in place, any false prophet claiming to have a word from GOD would be killed. And GOD further states how the people could tell the difference between a “true” and a “false” prophet. HE says that if a prophet claims to predict something in HIS name, and it does not happen, HE did not give that prophet the message. That prophet would have spoken on his own, and therefore, should not be feared (v.22).

    To heed the words GOD speaks through HIS prophets implies a reaction of obedience to those words. If those words are not ensued by obedience, then one has not truly listened with his or her heart (mind). The cost of rejecting GOD’s word is great, and HE will always call that disobedient person into account through various judgments that we might rather live without.

 

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

 

 

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