18:1-8The priests and Levites served much the same function as our ministers today. Their duties included (1) teaching the people about God, (2) setting an example of godly living, (3) caring for the sanctuary and its workers, and (4) distributing the offerings. Because priests and Levites could not own property or pursue outside business interests, God made special arrangements so that people would not take advantage of them. Often churches take advantage of the men and women God has brought to lead them. For example, ministers may not be paid in accordance with their skills or the time they put in. Or pastors may be expected to attend every evening meeting, even if this continual absence is harmful to their families. As you look at your own church in light of God’s Word, what ways do you see to honor the leaders God has given you?
Life Application Study BibleDeuteronomyChapter 18
Deuteronomy 18
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original page: 288
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
Gifts for the Priests and Levites
1“Remember that the Levitical priests—that is, the whole of the tribe of Levi—will re- 1 8 ceive no allotment of land among the other tribes in Israel. Instead, the priests and Levites will eat from the special gifts given to the Lor, for that is their share. 2They will have no land of their own among the Israelites. The LORD himself is their special possession, just as he promised them. 3"These are the parts the priests may claim as their share from the cattle, sheep, and goats that the people bring as offerings: the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach. #You must also give to the priests the first share of the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, and the woolat shearing time. 5For the LORD your God chose the tribe of Levi out of all your tribes to minister in the LORD’s name forever. 6"Suppose a Levite chooses to move from his town in Israel, wherever he is living, to the place the LORD chooses for worship. 7He may minister there in the name of the LORD his God, just like all his fellow Levites who are serving the LORD there. 8He may eat his share of the sacrifices and offerings, even if he also receives support from his family.
A Call to Holy Living
99“When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, be very careful not to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there. 10For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering.* And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, '‘or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. *?Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD. It is because the other nations have done these detestable things that the LORD your God will drive them out ahead of 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.”
True and False Prophets
1515Moses continued, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. ‘For this is what you yourselves requested of the LORD your God when you were assembled at Mount Sinai.* You said, ‘Don’t let us hear the voice of the LORD our God anymore or see this blazing fire, for we will die.’ 17“Then the LORD said to me, ‘What they have said is right. 18I will raise up a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell the people everything { command him. 19I will personally deal with anyone who will not listen to the messages the prophet proclaims on my behalf. 20But any prophet who falsely claims to spéak in my name or who speaks in the name of another god must die.’ 2”But you may wonder, ‘How will we know whether or not a prophecy is from the LORD?’ 22If the prophet speaks in the LORD’s name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the LORD did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared.
Textual footnotes
- 18:10 Or never make your son or daughter pass through the fire.
- 18:16 Hebrew Horeb, another name for Sinai.
Life Application Notes 5 notes
18:10Child sacrifice and occult practices were strictly forbidden by God. These practices were common among pagan religions. \srael’s own neighbors actually sacrificed their children to the god Molech (Leviticus 20:2-5). Other neighboring religions used supernatural means, such as contacting the spirit world, to foretell the future and gain guidance. Because of these wicked practices, God would drive out the pagan nations (Deuteronomy 18:12). The Israelites were to replace their evil practices with the worship of the one true God.
18:10-13The Israelites were naturally curious about the occult practices of the Canaanite religions. But Satan is behind the occult, and God flatly forbade Israel to have anything to do with it. Today people are still fascinated by horoscopes, fortune-telling, witchcraft, and bizarre cults. Often their interest comes from a desire to know and contro! the future. But Satan is no less dangerous today than he was in Moses’ time. In the Bible, God tells us all we need to know about what is going to happen. The information Satan offers is likely to be distorted or completely false. With the trustworthy guidance of the Holy Spirit through the Bible and the church, we don’t need to turn to occult sources for faulty information.
18:15Who is this prophet? Stephen used this verse to support his claim that Jesus Christ is God's Son, the Messiah (Acts 7:37). The coming of Jesus Christ to earth was not an afterthought, but part of God’s original plan.
18:21,22As in the days of ancient Israel, some people today claim to have messages from God. God still speaks to his people, but we must be cautious before saying that someone is God’s spokesman. How can we tell when people are speaking for the LORD? (1} We can see whether or not their prophecies come true—the ancient test for judging prophets. (2) We can check their words against the Bible. God never contradicts himself, so if someone says something contrary to the Bible, we can know that this is not God's word. (See 13:1-11.)