Deuteronomy 13:4
You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.
Application:
Deuteronomy 13:1–18 describes various situations that might lead the people of Israel into idolatry. Here Moses warns against being led astray by false prophets (Deut 13:1–5) or friends and family (vv. 6–11). He also explains how they should proceed if they hear that other Israelites have become idolatrous (vv. 12–18).*
Since prophecy and dreams were associated with divine revelation, Israel must reject any prophet or dreamer whose oracles do not align with God’s Word. Even if the source appears divine, the Israelites must reject the suggestion if the prophet or dreamer suggests violating the commands of God.*
Some might assume that if a self-proclaimed prophet can perform a miraculous sign or wonder (13:1), then he must be the real deal. But Satan and his followers have performed and will perform false miracles in order to lead people astray (see Exod 7:11–12; Matt 24:24; 2 Thess 2:9; Rev 13:11–4). Moses said the test of a true prophet is not his magic but his message. No matter what a prophet, magician, or soothsayer did to dazzle the Israelites, Moses said, in effect, “It’s his theology that matters.” If a person said, “Let’s us follow other gods,” Israel was not to listen to him under any circumstances—no matter what astonishing signs he performed (13:2–3).^
The Lord would permit apparent wonder workers to appear because he was testing the Israelites—to see if they would love God, keep his laws, worship him, and remain faithful to him (13:3–4). The Lord does the same to us today. Though he never tempts us, he permits us to encounter temptation to test our faithfulness and reveal what is in our hearts.^
*Reference: John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Dt 13:1–18.
^Reference: Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 222.
To God be the glory!
Our Lord Jesus Christ created everything! By Him, For Him!
“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26
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Disclaimer
When God inspires me, I write or post articles that glorify God. I invite you to view this post as a Bible study. Like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, I encourage you to search the Scriptures to determine whether what I have posted is true. Always consult your church ministers regarding biblical matters. I am not a professional writer, so there may be grammatical or spelling errors. I strive to write as clearly and efficiently as possible. My prayer is that this message will inspire you to seek the Lord with all your heart and bring glory to His Holy name. Your brother in Christ, Ricardo.
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