Tag: God's Word

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Week 11: Day 4- Deuteronomy 18:20

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Deu 18:20
(20) But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

Deuteronomy 18:20

Explanation:
Most mornings when I sit down to write in my journal, it takes a little bit of time to study the context, a right interpretation, and an application that is faithful to the text and practical for today. Today’s text is rather straightforward.

There were those in the Old Testament that God called to be prophets. Moses states here that God’s standard for prophecy is that when someone speaks on behalf of God that there message is God’s message. When someone misrepresents their word as the Word of God, God would take that persons life. If the person spoke on behalf of other gods, making their false teaching equivalent with God’s teaching, God would take that persons life. The penalty for claiming to be a prophet was that clear cut.

Application:
This is something that all of us take into account. When we teach others about God, in Word and in example, we must make sure that our message is faithful to God’s message. This is spoken of in the ten commandments.

(7) Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Exo 20:7

When we use God’s name to say something He didn’t say, we are using God’s name for something for which He is not responsible. God says that the person that does this shall not be guiltless. When we teach our kids, share the gospel, or converse about God in any way, we must make sure that what we say is consistent with what God has said.
Also we need to be careful about false teachers and teaching. The Bible says that one of the roles of the church and church leaders is to equip the saints to identify false teaching.

(14) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
(15) But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Eph 4:14-15

We must be careful to identify false teachers, reject their message, and call them to repentance. If they will not conform to the clear teaching of the Word of God they must be rejected.

Response:

  1. What are you saying about God to those around you through your words? by your actions? Is what you are saying consistent with how God has revealed Himself in scripture?
  2. Are you being careful about the teaching you are taking, both religious and non-religious?
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Week 11: Day 3- Deuteronomy 8:18-19

On By Ben JenningsIn AnnouncementLeave a comment

This Weeks Passage: Deuteronomy 8:15-22

18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and 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.

Deuteronomy 18:18-19

Explanation:

Their are two facts that the children of Isreal would have understood from this text.
Fact #1- The prophet would speak God’s Words.
The original readers of this text would have understood that God was raising up a prophet, beyond Moses to act as a revealer and a mediator between them and God. God was telling them through Moses that this coming prophet would say what God wanted Him to say (“…and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”
Fact #2- The people would be responsible to obey God’s Words spoken by the prophet.
There will be times where the Old Testament prophet would speak on his own, and there would be times He would speak God’s Words. The authority wasn’t his own authority, but Gods. When “…he shall speak in my (God’s) name, I will require it of him”. Of course, when the prophet is Jesus Christ, the prophet that would come, He would speak on His own Authority. Why? Because He was God in the flesh. He was the Word. He came to reveal God to us. If people do not believe in Jesus God will hold them responsible for their sin!

Application:

We have the sufficient Word of God written down for us. We are so privileged in that we know what these people don’t know. The prophet that was to come for them was unfulfilled prophecy. For us it is written down and preserved revelation. It is substantiated by History. We have the Holy Spirit that wrote it down indwelling us helping to illuminate what He wrote. We are privileged.
We have a responsibility to obey. We will be held accountable for this revelation that we’ve been given. We must study to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

Response:

  1. How are you showing an understanding of the privilege you have in possessing the Word of God? What should a person with this privilege do?
  2. How is it going in the area of obedience in your life?
  3. What implications are there to knowing that God will hold those who do not “hearken unto His Words” responsible? What does that mean for you? For those around you?