Journal 4-8-2009

Scripture

Deuteronomy 18:15-22 (NIV)

¹⁵The 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."

²¹ You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?" ²² If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.

Observation

I am surprised by the Israelites. I mean…….. This was a period when God was with the Israelites literally. He spoke to them literally they didn’t want it. They even can say in v16, "Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die." Millenniums later, we are asking God to draw near and asking Jesus to come back during worship. The minute I step out of church, I can honestly say that I want God to be as far from me as possible because I don’t want him to see me when I sin.

It is also surprising that God is graceful enough to say in v17 “What they say is good”. “Is GOOD?”…God, they just told you that they don’t want to see you or hear you directly and you say that it is good. He is also gracious enough to provide an alternative where God will use prophets to speak and eventually prepares a method statement on how to detect false prophets. God is indeed a God of MIS (Management Information Systems) and ISO (International Standard Organization). He always makes sure that his directions are clear so that everyone can follow.

Finally, in v22, I learn that whether you are a false prophet or just a human being, only time will uncover whether it didn’t take place or was the truth.

Application

1. I must always have a Kingdom Mindset, which is to see Him and hear His voice at all times.

2. I must always be thankful for His grace and never take it for granted.

3 I must speak the truth.

Response

Lord, thank you for revealing to me that you are always sovereign. Never allow me to take your grace for granted. Teach me to always have a kingdom mindset. Teach me also to always tell the truth at all times. I know you will guide me when times are tough. Amen.