Deuteronomy 18:20-22 A Prophet

 20But if any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of other gods, that prophet must be put to death.”

21You may ask in your heart, “How can we recognize a message that the LORD has not spoken?” 22When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.

“The difference was that, whereas the true prophet spoke for God, the false prophet spoke presumptuously, i.e. he blurted out personal opinions for which there was no backing from Yahweh.” (Thompson)

“Obviously, those who presumed to “prophecy” in the name of Baal or Ashtoreth, or any number of the other false gods of the Canaanites were false prophets.” (Guzik)

“We must always guard against letting an emphasis on the “prophetic” overshadow a simple emphasis on God’s Word: The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:28)”

A Prophet 

Years ago after pouring my heart out to the Lord I had gone to church and brother whom I never met before, came up to me after the service and said the Lord told him to give me a message, he gave me the message and departed. I first thought, is he crazy? But then thought, how did he know because it was between me and the Lord! Everything he told me came true! He was a prophet according to the Bible!

If someone claims to be speaking for the Lord ask yourself, is it biblical and did it come true?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 18:15-19 Jesus is our Prophet!

 15The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him. 16This is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God or see this great fire anymore, so that we will not die!”

17Then the LORD said to me, “They have spoken well. 18I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19And I will hold accountable anyone who does not listen to My words that the prophet speaks in My name.

“Like Moses, this Prophet would be from the midst of Israel. This not only meant that He would be an Israelite, but that He would be a “man of the people” - He would be one of them.” (Guzik)

Jesus is our prophet!

Acts 3: 19Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away, 20that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus, the Christ, who has been appointed for you.

21Heaven must take Him in until the time comes for the restoration of all things, which God announced long ago through His holy prophets. 22For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to Him in everything He tells you. 23Everyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among his people.

24Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have proclaimed these days. 25And you are sons of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers when He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.’ 26When God raised up His Servant, He sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

Have you turned from your wicked ways?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 18:13-14 Forbids You

 13But you must be blameless before the LORD your God. 14The nations you are about to displace consult sorcerers and fortune-tellers, but the LORD your God forbids you to do such things.”

Acts 19: 19And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone. When the value of the books was calculated, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.d 20So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail.

Don’t dabble in it because the Lord forbids you to do such things!

That’s good enough for me.

What about you?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 18:9-12 Forbidden!

9When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. 10Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire,a practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery, 11casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead. 12For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.

“A variety of devices were in use in various lands, but all were designed to discern the will of the gods. The same word in Ezekiel 21:21 refers to the practice of whirling arrows in a quiver and deciding the answer to the question by the first arrow thrown out.” (Thompson)

Forbidden!

Witchcraft, satanic power, Wicca, soothsayer, astrology, omens, horoscope, tarot cards, Ouija board, sorcerer, spells, medium, spiritist, necromancy…..

“Therefore, the Bible clearly forbids us to participate in astrology, which includes reading your horoscope, studying your sign, and computing a natal chart. It is an occult art, meaning that it involves “knowledge of hidden things”, seeking spiritual knowledge apart from God’s revelation. It is a foundational art, which means it is the building block for all occultists. It is studied by witches and magicians alike. Every Christian should renounce any involvement they have ever had with astrology!” (Guzik)

Have you ever dabbled in these forbidden things? I long ago use to read my horoscope. It’s all nonsense and all leads back to Satan! 

If you are dabbling in forbidden things, stop it! Repent and come to Christ! He’s waiting for you to come to your senses.

Blessings 

https://www.gotquestions.org/occult.html

Deuteronomy 18:6-8 The Place the Lord Will Choose

 6Now if a Levite moves from any town of residence throughout Israel and comes in all earnestness to the place the LORD will choose, 7then he shall serve in the name of the LORD his God like all his fellow Levites who stand there before the LORD. 8They shall eat equal portions, even though he has received money from the sale of his father’s estate.

The place the Lord will choose

Have you ever been called to serve or to go on a mission trip?

Right now we have a friend that traveled to Poland on a missions trip serving Ukrainian refugees due to the war. We try to pray for her daily that the Lord uses her mightily and for her safety.

You can too, her name is Joy.

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 18:3-5 Sacrifice for Sin!

 3This shall be the priests’ share from the people who offer a sacrifice, whether a bull or a sheep: the priests are to be given the shoulder, the jowls, and the stomach. 4You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine, and oil, and the first wool sheared from your flock. 5For the LORD your God has chosen Levi and his sons out of all your tribes to stand and minister in His name for all time.

“From a typical sacrifice, the priests received the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach. The rest of the animal would either be burnt before the LORD or returned to the one bringing the sacrifice, so he could enjoy his own fellowship meal with the LORD.” (Guzik)

Jesus Christ completed the sacrifices once and for all.

Romans 3:25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past,

Is He your sacrifice for your sins?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 18:1-2 Inheritance

 1The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the offerings made by fire to the LORD; that is their inheritance. 2Although they have no inheritance among their brothers, the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them.

Levitical priests were the paid ministers of the Israelites so they had no inheritance in the land. They were supported by gifts and offerings to the Lord.

Don’t miss this: “the LORD is their inheritance”.

What is our inheritance in Christ? Heaven!

1 Peter 1:4 ESV to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,

I can’t wait for my inheritance, can you?

Blessings 

https://www.gotquestions.org/inheritance-in-Christ.html

Deuteronomy 17:18-20 Sin will keep you from the Bible!

 18When he is seated on his royal throne, he must write for himself a copy of this instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by carefully observing all the words of this instruction and these statutes. 20Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, and he will not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or to the left, in order that he and his sons may reign many years over his kingdom in Israel.

“It is striking to think of the king of Israel, laboring over parchment with a pen, making a personal copy of the law of Israel. This shows how greatly God wanted the word of God to be on the hearts of His rulers; God wanted every king to also be a scribe.” (Guzik)

“It is striking to consider that reading a book – the Great Book, the Bible – can keep a person from sin. We may not understand all the spiritual work behind the word of God, but staying in the word will keep one from sin. It has been well written in many Bibles: “This book will keep you from sin. Sin will keep you from this book.”” (Guzik)

“The Scriptures, diligently read and studied, are a powerful and probable means to keep him humble, because they show him that, though a king, he is subject to a higher Monarch, to whom he must give an account... sufficient to abate the pride of the haughtiest person in the world, if he duly consider it.” (Poole)

These verses are rich in wisdom. This morning they convicted me on two counts.

1. I was considering stopping my devotional because of time constraints and because few read, enjoy and comment about them. But I know and was reminded by these verses that if I do I will fall back into sin, not that I’m sinless, that I’ll sin more. Reading and studying the Bible helps keep me from sin.
2. Our king or as in our country we call the president is godless. It’s evident from the laws he doesn’t enforce, from the actions he takes, from the inactions he doesn’t and from the institutions and freedoms he’s trying to destroy. I am fully aware the Lord allowed him to be the president and it should scare the hell out of us because we are in a period of judgement from the Lord for our country’s godless and sinful ways. 

Are you contributing to our country’s godless and sinful ways?

Search your heart, mind and soul and ask yourself, who or what are your gods?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 17:16-17 Guard our hearts ♥️

 16But the king must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire more horses, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’ 17He must not take many wives for himself, lest his heart go astray. He must not accumulate for himself large amounts of silver and gold.

Future kings must not put undue trust or emphasis in military might, physical indulgence and personal status or personal wealth.

“Each of these three areas reflects the places where many modern Christian leaders fall: In regard to power, pleasure, or money. God’s commands for leaders have not changed; and neither has the need to be on guard against the self-deception in these things which felled Solomon.” (Guzik)

We need to guard our hearts in these areas that can affect us also. It can be difficult but we need to be content with what the Lord has given us and entrusted us with.

Are you content or do you want more?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 17:14-15 History

 14When you enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us,” 15you are to appoint over yourselves the king whom the LORD your God shall choose. Appoint a king from among your brothers; you are not to set over yourselves a foreigner who is not one of your brothers.

“It is a debatable issue; but consider that Israel’s history without a king (the time of the book of Judges) was not a period of national glory. Perhaps we can say that God wanted Israel to have a king, but of His choosing, and at His timing. Saul is a perfect example of a king out of God’s will, chosen by the nation and at their timing; David is a perfect example of a king chosen by God and in His timing.” (Guzik)

Any nation that removes God from its institutions is doomed and will be put under His judgement. Don’t believe me? Read the Bible and report back what happened to Israel every time they did. 

History Lesson 

Look at what is said of George Washington in “The Indian Prophecy”:

“At dinner time, a sachem recalled in great detail to Washington what transpired from his point of view on the day of Braddock’s Defeat fifteen years earlier. The records do not state the sachem's nation, but he may have been Shawnee, Mingo, or Delaware.1 Since the sachem and his fellow warriors were allied with the French, they had intended to kill Washington, who took over command of the British army’s attempt to retreat after Braddock was injured. Multiple shots were fired directly at Washington, but none touched him. Washington recalled to his mother Mary Ball Washington a few days after the battle that “I luckily escap'd with't a wound, tho' I had four Bullets through my Coat, and two Horses shot under me.”2 Convinced that the Great Spirit had preserved Washington, the chief prophesized that “he will become the chief of nations, and a people yet unborn, will hail him as the father of a mighty empire!””

Please pray for a revival in our nation before it’s too late. The Lord spared Nineveh and He can spare US too.

Blessings 

 

https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/the-indian-prophecy/

Deuteronomy 17:8-13 Knowledge of Gods Word

 8If a case is too difficult for you to judge, whether the controversy within your gates is regarding bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults, you must go up to the place the LORD your God will choose. 9You are to go to the Levitical priests and to the judge who presides at that time. Inquire of them, and they will give you a verdict in the case.

10You must abide by the verdict they give you at the place the LORD will choose. Be careful to do everything they instruct you, 11according to the terms of law they give and the verdict they proclaim. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left from the decision they declare to you.

12But the man who acts presumptuously, refusing to listen either to the priest who stands there to serve the LORD your God, or to the judge, must be put to death. You must purge the evil from Israel. 13Then all the people will hear and be afraid, and will no longer behave arrogantly.

“God allowed for courts of appeal in Israel. These were higher courts where cases were taken beyond the local judges to the priests, the Levites - who were understood to be wiser judges because of their knowledge of God’s Word”

“The authority of the judges had to be respected, therefore contempt of court was a capital crime. God thought it essential that the courts and the judges be respected by the people of Israel.” (Guzik)

Don’t let this slip by, “knowledge of God’s Word”.

And, “authority of the judges had to be respected”.

Can you pinpoint the problem with our legal system in the United States?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 17:6-7 Silence the Opposition

 6On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but he shall not be executed on the testimony of a lone witness. 7The hands of the witnesses shall be the first in putting him to death, and after that, the hands of all the people. So you must purge the evil from among you.

“God is concerned about the murder of reputation, as well as physical murder, and commands that one should not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses (1 Timothy 5:19) - the same standard as for proving murder.” (Guzik)

Silence the opposition 

Remember the woman caught in adultery? And if caught, where was the man?

John 8: 7When they continued to question Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.”

They were trying to silence the opposition, they were trying to get Jesus to violate the law so they could accuse Him.

Today an accusation or a picture can get you arrested because your political view is different. They want to silence the opposition and it’s the same evilness at work today as it was back then.

As followers of Jesus need to set a higher standard for ourselves.

Set yourself apart from the world.

Ask yourself, WWJD, what would Jesus do?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 17:2-5 Stone that person to death

 2If a man or woman among you in one of the towns that the LORD your God gives you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God by transgressing His covenant 3and going to worship other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden— 4and if it is reported and you hear about it, you must investigate it thoroughly.

If the report is true and such an abomination has happened in Israel, 5you must bring out to your gates the man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you must stone that person to death.

 “Judges are also commanded to make sure that any who have gone after idolatry are to be investigated, and if found to be guilty, are to be executed.” (Guzik)

The Lord wasn’t messing around, no rehabilitation and re-entry into society. No sitting on death row for 35 years. He wanted swift and immediate justice as a deterrent.

Do you think stoning was a pain free execution?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 17:1 Pure hearts, pure motives!

 1You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep with any defect or serious flaw, for that is detestable to the LORD your God.

Pure hearts, pure motives!

“There are countless jokes illustrating this point. One common one describes a farmer whose cow gave birth to twins, and he swore he would give one of the calves to God. He didn’t decide which one to give to God, until one day one of the calves died. He said to his wife: “Guess what? God’s calf died today!”” (Guzik)

Malachi 1: 8When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present the lame and sick ones, is it not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the LORD of Hosts.

The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.

We need to have the heart ❤️ of Job when it comes to giving. Job lost everything but he still had a heart for the Lord. We need to have this pure heart ❤️ and pure motives when we give.

I openly admit I struggle in the area. 

Do you struggle with giving like me?

Blessings 

https://youtu.be/CccGc233rmI

Deuteronomy 16:21-22 Which the Lord your God hates!

 21Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole next to the altar you will build for the LORD your God, 22and do not set up for yourselves a sacred pillar, which the LORD your God hates.

“Such sacred totems were common among the Canaanites. Israel might have been tempted to be “seeker sensitive” and add such items to their worship of the God of Israel. He wanted none of it. God says of such thing, which the LORD your God hates.” (Guzik)

Which the Lord your God hates

Poles, pillars, false gods, He wanted none of it, which the LORD your God hates. 

Do you understand that anything you put in place of Him will burn His anger and He will hate it?

Think of it this way, you get married and create a child out of love. You raise that child rightly in a Christian home. When the child becomes a teen, they become addicted to meth and become a wreak, stealing to feed their habit. You still love the child but you hate what they become.

The same goes for the Lord, He still loves you but He hates your false gods. Burn down your poles, pillars and alters of the false gods and return to Him today.

He’s waiting for His prodigal to come back home.

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 16:18-20 Righteous Judgement

 18You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.

19Do not deny justice or show partiality. Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.

20Pursue justice, and justice alone, so that you may live, and you may possess the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Righteous Judgement 

“God knew the importance of just judges and officials to a nation. Therefore, God commanded that they shall not pervert justice... nor show partiality... nor take a bribe; instead, they were to follow what is altogether just. A judge has the responsibility to do justice.” (Guzik)

Unfortunately we no longer have righteous judgement in our country. It appears we have a two tier justice system.

But does it surprise you? We removed God from every aspect of our government and our government is forcing different gods upon its citizens.

The righteous judgement that judges are supposed to have when upholding our laws is becoming the righteous judgement of God upon our country because we have become a people consumed with false gods.

All you need to do is a Bible study on the Israelites when they worshiped false gods to understand what our outcome will be!

What is your god?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 16:16-17 Feasts

16Three times a year all your men are to appear before the LORD your God in the place He will choose: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the LORD empty-handed. 17Everyone must appear with a gift as he is able, according to the blessing the LORD your God has given you.

“Jesus was obedient to this command; He made the trip from Galilee to Jerusalem to be at these feasts (Luke 2:41, John 7:2, 10).” (Guzik)

As Christians, our family celebrated three feasts of faith a year, Christmas (birth of Jesus), Easter (resurrection of Jesus) and thanksgiving, (celebration of provision and harvest).

Do you celebrate them as part of your faith or have you adopted the secular world meaning of these holidays?

Blessings