Prayer: Father, I thank you for Your Word, counsel, guidance, and wisdom. I am ready to receive from You today. Lead me and guide me I pray. Amen.
Reading: Deuteronomy 19 key: vs. 17-22 of chapter 18
17 “Adonai said to me, ‘They have done well in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up a prophet like you for them from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will speak to them all that I command him. 19 Now whoever does not listen to My words that this prophet speaks in My Name, I Myself will call him to account. 20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My Name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods—that prophet will die.’
21 “Now should you say in your heart, ‘How would we recognize the word that Adonai has not spoken?’ 22 When a prophet speaks in Adonai’s Name and the word does not happen or come true, that is a word that Adonai has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously—do not be afraid of him.
Attention: I am taking liberty today and resourcing back to information in chapter 18 which we did not discuss. We have talked about God’s establishment of sanctuary cities in Numbers 35, and we will see it applied in Joshua 20 as the Hebrew nation apportions the land they are now to inhabit, so I will save discussion on sanctuary cities till then.
For now, I would like to share about Adonai’s declaration to Moses, about raising up a prophet among them—-“from your brothers. To him you must listen.” During this era, God spoke directly to one man whom He selected and anointed. We see this in the life of Abram/Abraham, Isaac, Jacob/Israel, Moses, and soon to be, anointed Joshua. This form of governing is called a Theocracy, God ruling directly through one man to His covenant nation. It began in the giving of the Mosaic Law which called the Pentateuch (the first five books of the bible) which contain the Torah (Law) of God (Adonai).
Most of us look at the Torah or Law of God as being the Ten Words or Commandments. If you have participated in the study of the Pentateuch since January, you know that the Law is more than the Ten Commandments, as the Pentateuch contains civil and criminal laws, social laws, relationships among His people and Levitical requirements for sacrifice and worship.
The Hebrew nation took a huge diversion from Theocratic governing when then asked Samuel for a king like the other nations. God allowed their wish and gave them a king. I ask you; how did that turn out for them? In a way, if we put our trust in a king or a president, we have followed the same path.
One other point. God gave definition to the identity of a prophet in this passage. He says, “I will put My words in his mouth, and he will speak all that I command him.” A true prophet is first and foremost, obedient. He speaks that which God puts in his mouth. If he speaks something other that what God gives him, there are consequences. If what he speaks does not come true, then it was not something which God gave him. May we adhere to the instruction which God gave Moses.
If we claim to be born again and a citizen of His kingdom, we have entered a relationship which installs Jesus as King of our hearts and lives. We have chosen to enter a Theocratic relationship with Him. So, let us consider our days and our ways if we choose His kingdom over being only citizens of our nation.
Action: I choose to declare Jesus as the King of Kings of my life.
Yield: I choose to yield ownership to the Supreme King Jesus.
Engage: I choose to engage with the Spirit in Kingdom work.
Relationship: I choose to get back to a Theocratic relationship with Adonai.
Prayer: Father, I have strayed from the Theocratic form of governing which You initiated and have installed in every believer/follower of Yeshua. You are the one I listen to and follow. You are the One I obey. Amen.
Memory Verse: Philippians 3:20-21
20 For our citizenship is in heaven,
and from there we eagerly wait for the Savior,
the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
21 He will transform this humble body of ours
into the likeness of His glorious body,
through the power that enables Him
even to put all things in subjection to Himself.
Music Video: Chris McClarney—I’m Listening https://youtu.be/Ef52AmdVwYI
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”