The Way of the Word

Read Deuteronomy 18
 
Deuteronomy 18:15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. 16 For this 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 nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.” 17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I 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. 19 If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account. 20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.”
 
THIS scripture is why the ruling Jews asked John the Baptist, “Are you the Prophet?” (John 1:21) God’s promise of a prophet like Moses to be raised up pointed to the prophets to come. As Moses did, they would hear directly from God and convey God’s Word truly to the Jews. They revealed God’s will – his commands, prophecies, judgments and salvation to the Jews. The question, “Are you the Prophet?” could have been asked of many whom God had appointed to know and do the King’s work in the world.
    This prophecy was also seen as a promise of a particular prophet – a Messiah – who would have the same intimacy with God as Moses. When John then appeared, 400 years had passed since a prophet had spoken. The ruling Jews would certainly want to know who this new voice was! When Herod executed John, the Jews’ wonder shifted to Jesus. Jesus’ teachings and miracles – particularly the feeding of the 5,000 (John 6) – were often compared/contrasted with Moses’ law and miracles. In turn, Jesus repeatedly pointed to the LORD God as the source of all things, even himself. That is one reason Jesus often affirmed, “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” (John 14:10) Jesus affirmed his voice is true through his suffering, resurrection and ascension. Truly he is the perfect and holy Prophet.
    God’s law is specific in this passage to warn of  false teachers. The evidence of a true prophet is that all his prophecies are fulfilled. The Jews were correct to question Jesus’ authority. Their sin was to deny Jesus’ words. We must know the true to dismiss the false.
    Heed Moses’ warnings. Believe Jesus’ teachings. Trust his promises of judgment and salvation to fully come true one day.
 
Rejoice and Know: Jesus is the Living Word delivered to mankind.