God’s Prophet

1. God’s Prophet Deuteronomy 18:15-22

2. Chinese proverb: “Prediction is hard, especially when it concerns the future.”

3. In 1773, King George III said that the American colonies had little stomach for revolution.

4. In 1773, King George III said that the American colonies had little stomach for revolution. • The Titanic was “unsinkable.”

5. In 1773, King George III said that the American colonies had little stomach for revolution. • The Titanic was “unsinkable.”

6. In 1773, King George III said that the American colonies had little stomach for revolution. • The Titanic was “unsinkable.”

7. In 1773, King George III said that the American colonies had little stomach for revolution. • The Titanic was “unsinkable.” • In 1939, The New York Times said that people would never sit & watch TV.

8. In 1773, King George III said that the American colonies had little stomach for revolution. • The Titanic was “unsinkable.” • In 1939, The New York Times said that people would never sit & watch TV. • In the 19th century, an English astronomy professor said that air travel would cause people to suffocate.

9. When we think of prophets, we typically think of predicting the future.

10. When we think of prophets, we typically think of predicting the future. • At times, the biblical prophets did predict the future. • “Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed” (Is 45:1, ESV).

11. When we think of prophets, we typically think of predicting the future. • At times, the biblical prophets did predict the future. • “Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed” (Is 45:1, ESV). Cyrus had not even been born, but Isaiah says that he is the one who would allow the Israelites to leave Babylon.

12. When we think of prophets, we typically think of predicting the future. • At times, the biblical prophets did predict the future. • “Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed” (Is 45:1, ESV). Cyrus had not even been born, but Isaiah says that he is the one who would allow the Israelites to leave Babylon. • “When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken” (v 22, ESV).

13. But, the basic meaning of the word “prophet” is spokesman.

14. But, the basic meaning of the word “prophet” is spokesman. • “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you” (Jon 3:2, ESV).

15. But, the basic meaning of the word “prophet” is spokesman. • “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you” (Jon 3:2, ESV). • Over & over in the Old Testament, you find the prophets saying: “Thus says the Lord.”

16. As God’s spokesman, Moses was God’s prophet & he here tells the Israelites about a new prophet God would raise for them.

17. As God’s spokesman, Moses was God’s prophet & he here tells the Israelites about a new prophet God would raise for them. • In context, Moses is speaking about the manner in which other nations tried to foretell the future.

18. As God’s spokesman, Moses was God’s prophet & he here tells the Israelites about a new prophet God would raise for them. • In context, Moses is speaking about the manner in which other nations tried to foretell the future. • “There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering,  anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you” (vv 10-12, ESV).

19. As God’s spokesman, Moses was God’s prophet & he here tells the Israelites about a new prophet God would raise for them. • In context, Moses is speaking about the manner in which other nations tried to foretell the future. • God wanted his people to listen to him, not sorcery.

20. As God’s spokesman, Moses was God’s prophet & he here tells the Israelites about a new prophet God would raise for them. • In context, Moses is speaking about the manner in which other nations tried to foretell the future. • God wanted his people to listen to him, not sorcery. • Thus, God here promises another prophet.

21. As God’s spokesman, Moses was God’s prophet & he here tells the Israelites about a new prophet God would raise for them. • In context, Moses is speaking about the manner in which other nations tried to foretell the future. • God wanted his people to listen to him, not sorcery. • Thus, God here promises another prophet. • That new prophet is: • A DOMESTIC PROPHET. • A DESIRED PROPHET. • A DIVINE PROPHET. • A DEMANDING PROPHET. • A DEAD PROPHET. • A DEMONSTRATED PROPHET.

22. There is no doubt that this passage ultimately refers to Jesus.

23. There is no doubt that this passage ultimately refers to Jesus. • “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” (Jn 6:14, ESV).

24. There is no doubt that this passage ultimately refers to Jesus. • “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” (Jn 6:14, ESV). • “Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people’” (Acts 3:22-23, ESV).

25. There is no doubt that this passage ultimately refers to Jesus. • “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” (Jn 6:14, ESV). • “Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people’” (Acts 3:22-23, ESV). • But, this passage refers to other prophets.

26. There is no doubt that this passage ultimately refers to Jesus. • “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” (Jn 6:14, ESV). • “Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people’” (Acts 3:22-23, ESV). • But, this passage refers to other prophets. • Jesus is the Prophet whom God would raise up.

27. There is no doubt that this passage ultimately refers to Jesus. • “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” (Jn 6:14, ESV). • “Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people’” (Acts 3:22-23, ESV). • But, this passage refers to other prophets. • Jesus is the Prophet whom God would raise up. • But, the text speaks of false prophets, too.

28. vv 15, 18 A domestic prophet

29. Twice in this passage, God says that the coming prophet would be an Israelite.

30. Twice in this passage, God says that the coming prophet would be an Israelite. • “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers” (v 15, ESV).

31. Twice in this passage, God says that the coming prophet would be an Israelite. • “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers” (v 15, ESV). • “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers” (v 18, ESV).

32. Why would god raise up a prophet from their brothers?

33. We can’t forget the context.

34. We can’t forget the context. • God has just condemned the way foreign nations attempt to get revelation from him (vv 10-12).

35. We can’t forget the context. • God has just condemned the way foreign nations attempt to get revelation from him (vv 10-12). • God desired that his people be different from the pagans around them.

36. We can’t forget the context. • God has just condemned the way foreign nations attempt to get revelation from him (vv 10-12). • God desired that his people be different from the pagans around them. • “You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods” (Deut 7:3-4, ESV).

37. We can’t forget the context. • God has just condemned the way foreign nations attempt to get revelation from him (vv 10-12). • God desired that his people be different from the pagans around them. • “You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods” (Deut 7:3-4, ESV). • Solomon: “When Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father” (1 Ki 11:4, ESV).

38. What should we learn?

39. We must be careful to whom we listen! What should we learn?

40. v 16 A desired prophet

41. “As you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die’” (v 16, ESV).

42. “As you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die’” (v 16, ESV). • The reference is to the time God gave the Law from Horeb (aka Sinai).

43. “As you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die’” (v 16, ESV). • The reference is to the time God gave the Law from Horeb (aka Sinai). • “Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, ‘You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die’” (Ex 20:18-19, ESV).

44. “As you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die’” (v 16, ESV). • The reference is to the time God gave the Law from Horeb (aka Sinai). • Ex 20:18-19, ESV. • Because the people were afraid of God, the people wanted Moses to be their intercessor.

45. What would it be like to see God?

46. What would it be like to see God? • No man has ever seen God (Jn 1:18).

47. What would it be like to see God? • No man has ever seen God (Jn 1:18). • However, people were afraid when they saw representations of God.

48. What would it be like to see God? • No man has ever seen God (Jn 1:18). • However, people were afraid when they saw representations of God. • The Israelites at Sinai were terribly afraid.

49. What would it be like to see God? • No man has ever seen God (Jn 1:18). • However, people were afraid when they saw representations of God. • The Israelites at Sinai were terribly afraid. • Isaiah: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Is 6:5, ESV).

50. What would it be like to see God? • No man has ever seen God (Jn 1:18). • However, people were afraid when they saw representations of God. • The Israelites at Sinai were terribly afraid. • Isaiah: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Is 6:5, ESV). • “An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear” (Lk 2:9, ESV).