THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Deuteronomy: Moses' Great Appeal For Israel To Obey God For Blessing

Part V: Specific Treaty Stipulations Of The Great King, Deuteronomy 12-26

G. Heeding God's Ways Regarding Effective Human Leadership, Deuteronomy 16:1-18:22

5. Heeding God's Prophets Over All Other Foretellers

(Deuteronomy 18:9-22)

Introduction: (To show the need . . .)

As this sermon went to press, many people sensed a need to know the future so they could plan and be settled:

(1) The government shutdown was menacing "economic growth, business confidence and corporate earnings" (E. S. Browning, "Investors See Plays In Political Knot," The Wall Street Journal, October 7, 2013, p. C1), and "some analysts" had said that "pushing the matter close to the Treasury Department's Oct. 17 deadline for raising the U. S. borrowing limit" risked "sparking a fierce stock-market slide . . ." (Sudeep Reddy and Brenda Cronin, "Prospect of Long Shutdown Stokes Concern," Ibid., p. A6) Even China had called for the U. S. "to avoid defaulting" as it is "a major holder of U. S. Treasuries." (October 8, 2013, Josh Chin, "China Urges U. S. to Avoid Default," Ibid., p. A4)

The journal's October 11, 2013 lead editorial (Ibid., "A Debt-Ceiling Breakout," p. A14) blamed our nation's leaders for it all, stating: "The Ted Cruz Republicans who think they can repeal the Affordable Care Act from one branch of Congress have found a twin in President Obama, who has refused to negotiate much less attempt to lead."

(2) In addition, we Christians face uncertain future challenges in educating our children: Answers magazine recently ran articles reporting we face (a) indoctrination of our children with theistic evolution in even some home school materials (Ken Ham, "Beware the Roaring Lion," Answers, July-Sept., 2013, p. 33-35) and (b) the promotion of homosexuality as morally upright in public schools. (R. Albert Mohler, Jr., "Is Public School an Option?", Ibid., Oct.-Dec. 2013, p. 65-67) (c) I have heard believers I know recently voicing personal concern over such matters.

Need: "With our need to know about the future to plan well and be settled in mind, but with the reality that we simply do not in ourselves have such insight, how does GOD want us to function RIGHT NOW?!"

I. Deuteronomy 18:9-22 taught Israel to HEED GOD'S TRUE PROPHETS, NOT FALSE and DEMONIC sources for insight on FUTURE matters in order to COUNTER the sinful IDOLATRY of DEMONISM:

A. Deuteronomy 18:9-22 is part of the Deuteronomy chapters 12-26 specific treaty stipulations (Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 260) that were not an exhaustive list of God's laws, but instructed Israel on specific spiritual challenges she would face upon entering the land of Canaan (Ibid., p. 283; Deuteronomy 4:10).

B. As such, Deuteronomy 18:9-22 addressed the lure for Israel to heed pagan Canaanite practices of foretelling and magical manipulation for future success, practices that would lead to the false idolatry of demonism, and God directed Israel to supplant such evil with His true prophets who gave His directive insight for blessing:

1. All of the practices condemned in Deuteronomy 18:9-11 were performed either to foretell the future so one might adjust for future success or to manipulate entities by magic for future success, Ibid., p. 296.

2. These practices included child sacrifice (to foretell the future or to manipulate entities), divination (qasam, false prophecy or seeking the will of the gods by interpreting omens), sorcery ('anan, casting spells to control by demonic power), interpreting omens (foretelling by alleged "signs" in the movements of birds, fire, rain), witchcraft (kashap, magical incantations), casting spells (habar, binding others by magical sayings), spiritualism (allegedly communicating with the dead though really communicating with demons who mimic the dead) and consulting the dead (trying to contact the dead for advice, information or help to manipulate entities), Deuteronomy 18:9-11 NIV; Ibid. (Kittel, Bib. Heb., p. 292; B. D. B., A Heb.-Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 890, 778, 638, 506, 287-288, 981-982, 15 and 396 respectively)

3. All of these practices were abominable to God since they either led to or dabbled in demonism, the ultimate form of idolatry, and were a reason why God was judging the Canaanites, Deuteronomy 18:12-14.

4. However, knowing man's need to know enough of the future to adjust in the present for future success, God in GRACE had Israel heed HIS TRUE prophet with His future insight and related instructions:

a. In sharp contrast to pagan foretelling and efforts to manipulate entities for success, God directed Israel's people to SUBMIT to heed the Prophet that God would raise up from among them, a move that aligned with Israel's request to Moses to have a human speak for God in their midst lest they die from hearing God speak directly to them with His fearful displays at Sinai, Deut. 18:15-17 with Ex. 20:18-19.

b. The Lord agreed to this request from the people, and promised to raise up a Prophet from among Israel's people themselves Who would have God's words put into his mouth, and the nation Israel be held accountable by the Lord to obey every Word from God that this Prophet spoke, Deuteronomy 18:18-19.

c. This prediction initiated the ministries of God's prophets in Israel's history, but the "ultimate Prophet like Moses (Deut. 18:15, 18)" would be "Jesus Christ," John F. Walvoord, Jesus Christ Our Lord, 1974, p. 209.

5. For Israel to discern false from true prophets, God supplied the following test: ONLY God's TRUE prophets would have ALL of their predictions be perfectly fulfilled while false prophets would fail in at LEAST SOME of their predictions, Deuteronomy 18:20-22.

II. Though we NO LONGER have God's true prophets with us as seen in the failure of all alleged prophets today to pass the Deuteronomy 18:20-22 test, we do NOT LACK God's PROPHETIC WORD for OUR time, for BIBLE PROPHECY provides ALL the information we NEED for such insight (as follows):

A. The canon of Scripture is so complete, it directs us into every good work that every believer is to do up to the rapture of the Church, and that regardless what any believer faces in any era of history, 2 Timothy 3:16-4:2.

B. In addition, as we have revealed in past lessons recorded on our lessons on "Christ's Prophetic Message To Contemporary Evangelicals," the URL for them being on our Church home web page at nepaugchurch.org, Revelation 2-3 has predicted seven eras of Church History that were to occur, and we learned then that we are in the seventh era, the "Laodicean Church" era, Revelation 3:14-22. [In our conclusion, we will apply part of that message to address specific concerns raised in this sermon's introduction!]

C. Besides, Revelation 4-22 predicts what will occur between the rapture of the Church and the new universe!

D. Also, other passages direct us on living amid life's uncertainties, passages like Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 on investing in view of our unknowns relative to the financial future (our lessons either on investing or on Ecclesiastes)!

Lesson: In light of Israel's need to know how to plan and live for the unknown future, GOD directed her NOT to look to PAGAN OCCULTISM that led to the IDOLATRY of DEMONISM, but to heed GOD'S PROPHETS, ESPECIALLY the SUPREME PROPHET, JESUS CHRIST, and that Israel could DISCERN God's TRUE prophets from the FALSE in that ONLY the TRUE prophets FULLY ACCURATELY PREDICTED the FUTURE!

Application: (1) May we heed the words of God's Ultimate Prophet, Jesus Christ, and trust in Him for eternal life, John 14:6; 3:16. (2) Then, to handle the need to know the future for proper planning and peace of mind, may we HEED GOD'S BIBLE PROPHECIES applicable to us (3) VERSUS turning to the occult and demonic practices.

Conclusion: (To illustrate the message . . .)

(1) We noted in our sermon notes that Christ's Revelation 3:14-22 message to the Laodicean Church gives us insight today applicable to concerns mentioned in our sermon introduction, so we offer that insight (as follows):

Revelation 3:21 claims that pastors today (the "messenger" of the Laodicean Church) who overcome the world as Christ did (John 16:33) by not heeding its lusts of the flesh, of the eyes and of pride, and this by sticking to Bible exposition versus becoming worldly in ministry so prevalent in evangelical circles and the world, will be used of God as Christ will one day help afflicted people who come though the Great Tribulation with its evil, oppressive antichrist. Like Jesus, the Lamb "in" (en) the Father's throne (U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966, p. 848) Who will nurture such folk by teaching (Rev. 5:6; 7:17; Ibid., p. 855), so pastors today "in" (en) Christ's throne will also nurture by Bible exposition!

In other words, God KNOWS we face evil, oppressive oversight in our world, for His WORD in Revelation 3:21 in the A. D. 90s predicted as much! His WILL, then, for US is that PASTORS SHUN worldly lusts that dilute their thinking from edifying Bible truths, that they then EXPOUND SCRIPTURE to God's people who NEED it for NURTURE and DIRECTION to OFFSET the confusion and fear they face from evil, oppressive rulers in the world! Thus, our CHILDREN will be able to RESIST believing errant theistic evolution and the errant push to make homosexuality appear right by their EXPOSURE to BIBLE EXPOSITION! Also, heeding Bible exposition on passages on finances throughout Scripture directs us on preparing for any financial situation we might face!

(2) Evidence that Bible exposition really works for our era has recently come to us in the article, "Bible in Public Schools," in the Oct.-Dec. 2013 issue of Answers, Ibid., p. 17-18. Bryan Osborne, a Christian who teaches Bible history at Hixson High School in Hamilton County, Tennessee, teaching such a class without the right to evangelize in the process, has seen many teens in his classes come to faith in Christ by the Bible's power alone. He testifies, "I don't have to help the Scripture. I just live it. You don't defend a lion. You just unleash it." (Ibid., p. 18)

May we pastors avoid worldliness to be used of God to expound His Word, and may we hearers heed that exposition to offset the fear and confusion we face due to evil, oppressive rulers in the world!