Revcort's Ramblings

Scripture Focus

“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.” — Deuteronomy 18:18–19 (ESV)

Devotional Thought

Deuteronomy 18 contains instructions concerning the Levitical priesthood and the prophets God would raise up among His people. Moses had served as the great example of this kind of prophet. He went before God on behalf of the people, received God’s instructions, and then returned to tell the people what God had said. In fact, the Israelites had specifically asked for this arrangement. They were terrified when they heard God speak at Mount Horeb, so they asked Moses to hear from God for them and promised that they would listen and obey.

That placed an enormous responsibility on the person speaking for God.

We see just how serious that responsibility was in Moses’ own life. In Numbers 20, the people complained because they had no water. God instructed Moses to speak to the rock, but Moses became angry. He said to the people, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” Then, instead of speaking to the rock as God commanded, Moses struck it with his staff.

To us, that difference might seem relatively minor. Water still came from the rock. The people still received what they needed. But God saw something much deeper. Moses had failed to represent Him faithfully before the people. Because of that act of disobedience, God told Moses that he would not be the one to lead Israel into the Promised Land.

Speaking for God is serious business.

God still calls people to proclaim His truth today. We don’t need prophets bringing new revelation from God because God has given us His revealed Word. Pastors and teachers are called to faithfully proclaim what God has already said. That means anyone who stands before others and says, in effect, “This is what God says,” should do so with tremendous humility and care. The goal should never be to make God’s Word say what we want it to say, but to faithfully communicate what He has actually said.

But there is another side to these verses that applies to every one of us.

God not only held the prophet responsible for speaking faithfully; He held the people responsible for listening. God said, “Whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.”

That means we have a responsibility concerning the messages we hear as well. We shouldn’t automatically believe something simply because a preacher says it. Human teachers are fallible. Even faithful pastors can misunderstand a passage, make mistakes, or allow their own opinions to creep into what they teach. We should prayerfully examine what we hear against Scripture and make certain that what is being proclaimed really agrees with God’s Word.

But there is a danger on the other side too. Sometimes we can become so focused on evaluating the messenger that we forget to listen to the message. If Scripture clearly says something, we cannot dismiss it simply because we don’t like the preacher, don’t like the message, or don’t like what obedience will require of us. Once we recognize that God has spoken through His Word, our responsibility is to listen and obey.

Ultimately, however, Deuteronomy 18 points beyond Moses and every other human prophet to Jesus Christ. Moses promised that God would raise up “a prophet like you from among their brothers.” In Acts 3:22–23, Peter specifically applies this passage to Jesus.

Jesus is the Prophet Moses could never fully be. Moses faithfully spoke for God, but Moses was still a sinner who sometimes failed. Jesus never did. He didn’t merely bring us information about God; He perfectly revealed God to us. He could say, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). And through His death and resurrection, He did far more than deliver God’s instructions—He opened the way for sinners to be reconciled to God.

So perhaps the greatest question from Deuteronomy 18 isn’t simply, “Who is speaking for God?”

It is also, “Am I listening when God speaks?”

We should test the voices we hear against Scripture. We should pray for those entrusted with teaching God’s Word. But above all, when Christ speaks and when His Word clearly confronts, corrects, encourages, or commands us, we should listen.

God has spoken.

The question is whether we are willing to hear Him.

Reflection Questions

1. When I hear someone teaching Scripture, do I prayerfully compare what they say with God’s Word?
2. Have I ever rejected a biblical message because I didn’t like the messenger or because the message made me uncomfortable?
3. Is there something God has clearly shown me in His Word that I have been reluctant to obey?
4. How does knowing that Jesus perfectly reveals God change the way I listen to His words?

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for speaking to us and for giving us Your Word. Give wisdom, humility, and faithfulness to those You have called to teach and proclaim Your truth. Help me to test what I hear against Scripture rather than simply accepting every voice that claims to speak for You. But when Your Word is clear, give me a humble and obedient heart that is willing to listen. Thank You most of all for Jesus, who perfectly reveals You and has made the way for me to know You. Help me to hear His voice, trust His words, and follow Him faithfully. In Jesus’ name, amen.