DEUTERONOMY LESSON 20
We will begin this lesson in Deuteronomy 18:1 "The priests the
Levites, [and] all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor
inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made
by fire, and his inheritance."
The Levitical tribe belongs to God, in place of the firstborn of
each family. They do not inherit land with the other tribes, because
they live of things offered in the temple. They are to share with the
altar. The Levites were not all priests, but were in the service of
God in some manner. The meal offering, the sin offering, and the
trespass offering are what is meant by the offerings above. The things
appropriated to the LORD are, also, to be used by the Levites. This
included the tithes and offerings.
Deuteronomy 18:2 "Therefore shall they have no inheritance among
their brethren: the LORD [is] their inheritance, as he hath said unto
them."
They do not live by raising crops, or animals. Their livelihood
comes from God. The things offered to the Lord, in turn, are used to
support the Levites.
Deuteronomy 18:3 "And this shall be the priest's due from the
people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether [it be] ox or sheep;
and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks,
and the maw."
These parts, mentioned here, are the shoulder, the two jaw bones
{two cheeks} and the paunch, or first stomach {maw}. They bring the
animal to sacrifice, and this is the portion of the priest.
Deuteronomy 18:4 "The firstfruit [also] of thy corn, of thy wine,
and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou
give him."
In the 18th chapter of Numbers, we read of the first of the
fruit, corn, wine, and oil. In this, we see the first of the fleece of
the sheep added.
Deuteronomy 18:5 "For the LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all
thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his
sons for ever."
The Levitical tribe was trained in spiritual things. The priest
represented the people to God, and God to the people. When he had on
the priestly garment, he was speaking in the power and authority of
God. He was God's representative on the earth. They were a separate
people, because the oil of anointing was upon them.
Deuteronomy 18:6 "And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out
of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his
mind unto the place which the LORD shall choose;" Deuteronomy 18:7
"Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his
brethren the Levites [do], which stand there before the LORD."
All of the Levites were a separate people to the service of God.
They could all minister, when they came to the sanctuary. They all
lived of the gifts given in the temple.
Deuteronomy 18:8 "They shall have like portions to eat, beside
that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony."
There would have been far too much meat for just the priest's and
the high priest's families from the offerings. The foodstuff was to be
shared with the entire Levitical tribe. "Patrimony" means his price
upon the house of his fathers. This means they were to live of the
things of the temple.
Deuteronomy 18:9 "When thou art come into the land which the
LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the
abominations of those nations."
One reason God had them to kill, or drive out the people, was so
they would not follow the ways of the people of the land. They were to
remain a holy people. These people worshipped false gods, which were
abominations to God.
Deuteronomy 18:10 "There shall not be found among you [any one]
that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [or]
that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or
a witch,"
The worship of Molech involved causing the children to walk
through fire. This was strictly forbidden. "Divination" is the same as
witchcraft. "Observers of times" are people who read their horoscopes.
"Enchanters" are people who cast spells, such as a hypnotist. All of
these, including a witch, are things or people who the person puts
his trust in, rather than in God. Their power comes from the devil,
and not God.
Deuteronomy 18:11 "Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar
spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer."
Persons, such as palm readers, all sorts of mind control, and
even the martial arts fall into this category. A "necromancer" is
someone who has sex with a dead body, or someone who is mind
conscious. The sad thing is that much of this is a part of our society
today.
Deuteronomy 18:12 "For all that do these things [are] an
abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD
thy God doth drive them out from before thee."
An "abomination" is not just a sin, but a revolting sin. These
are totally unpermissable. God wants your total loyalty. He does not
want anyone, or anything else, in control of your will.
Deuteronomy 18:13 "Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God."
To be perfect with the LORD thy God, does not mean that you will
be perfect as far as the world is concerned. In fact, if you try to
live perfect before the Lord, you will be an outcast of the world.
Deuteronomy 18:14 "For these nations, which thou shalt possess,
hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee,
the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so [to do]."
The nations being driven out, had placed their faith in these
abominable things. You can see what happened to them. God has
forbidden this. He requires our total loyalty to Him.
Deuteronomy 18:15 "The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a
Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto
him ye shall hearken;"
All of the abominations mentioned are pertaining to the spiritual
side of mankind. They are not civil matters. The spiritual side will
be taken care of by a prophet, whom God will raise up to train them.
When Moses dies, we already know that Joshua will be the mouth of God
to these people. He will be the next prophet.
Deuteronomy 18:16 "According to all that thou desiredst of the
LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not
hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great
fire any more, that I die not."
It was by their own choice that God not speak directly to them
any more. They wanted a prophet, who would tell them God's will for
their lives. In Horeb, God had spoken to them the ten commandments
from the fire. They were so frightened, they asked Moses to talk to
God for them. They were afraid of the presence of God in the fire.
Deuteronomy 18:17 "And the LORD said unto me, They have well
[spoken that] which they have spoken."
The LORD was pleased with their decision. He could not look upon
sin, and they were a sinful nation. He, possibly, would have destroyed
them.
Deuteronomy 18:18 "I will raise them up a Prophet from among
their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth;
and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him."
Prophets are like ambassadors. They do not speak their own words,
but the Words God places in their mouth. They are, in a sense, a
mouthpiece for God. Moses had been a mouthpiece for God to them for
over 40 years. Now, God will raise another to take Moses' place.
Deuteronomy 18:19 "And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever
will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will
require [it] of him."
The Words that come from the prophet's mouth are not to be taken
lightly. They are Words of God. To not listen to the prophet, would be
to refuse to hear from God. The people would be guilty, in this case.
Deuteronomy 18:20 "But the prophet, which shall presume to speak
a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that
shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die."
A prophet, who speaks on his own, his own message, and not God's
message, is guilty of sin, and God will kill him. Anyone who is a
false prophet, will be killed of God, as well. A true prophet speaks
the Words God has placed in his, or her, mouth, and nothing else.
Deuteronomy 18:21 "And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we
know the word which the LORD hath not spoken?"
The people are going to say, "How do we know the message is from
God"? This is a legitimate question to ask. There are so many false
prophets today, we must be careful. The best way to tell today, is if
it lines up with the Word of God, or not.
Deuteronomy 18:22 "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the
LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that [is] the thing
which the LORD hath not spoken, [but] the prophet hath spoken it
presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him."
Really, the only way to know if a prophet is a true prophet or
not is to see if his prophecies come true, or not. Those who prophesy
things that never happen, are not to be listened to?
Deuteronomy 20 Questions
1. What Israelites have no part, or inheritance, with Israel?
2. What do they eat of?
3. The Levitical tribe belongs to God, in place of whom?
4. What offerings do the offerings in verse 1 speak of?
5. Their livelihood comes from _______.
6. What parts of the animals sacrificed belong to the priests?
7. In the 18th chapter of Numbers, we read of the firstfruit that was
offered, what did Moses add to that here?
8. What had God chosen the Levites out to do?
9. The priest represented the __________ to _____, and ____ to the
___________.
10. By what authority was the priest speaking, when he was in his
priestly garment?
11. What did the other Levites, besides the priests, live of?
12. What does "patrimony" mean?
13. What are they warned not to learn, when they come into the land?
14. Why had God had them kill, or run out, the people?
15. What were these people doing, that was an abomination to God?
16. The worship of what false god caused children to walk through
fire?
17. "Divination" is the same as ____________.
18. What, in our day, is the same as "observers of times"?
19. Who are meant by "enchanters"?
20. Where does this evil power come from?
21. What are modern versions of those mentioned in verse 11?
22. What is a "necromancer"?
23. People who are involved in these evils are an __________ unto the
LORD.
24. What is an "abomination"?
25. Does being perfect with God mean you are perfect with the world?
26. All of the sins mentioned, in this lesson, are of a _________
nature.
27. What does a prophet do?
28. Who will take Moses' place as prophet?
29. Why did God not speak directly to the people?
30. A prophet is like an _____________.
31. What does a true prophet speak?
32. How long had Moses been a prophet?
33. What happens to false prophets, or prophets who bring their own
message, and not God's?
34. What question will the people ask?
35. How can they know a true prophet from a false prophet?
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