Deuteronomy 18

CHAPTER 18

Offerings for Priests and Levites (18:1–8)

1–5 The entire tribe of Levites was dedicated to the Lord’s service; the priests were those Levites who were directly descended from Aaron (see Numbers 3:1–13; 18:1–7 and comments). Since the Levites had been allotted no tribal land of their own, they depended for their support on the tithes and offerings that the people presented to the Lord; the Lord then designated them for the support of the Levites. This is the meaning of Moses’ words: the LORD is their (the Levites’) inheritance (verse 2).

For a full discussion of the offerings that were given to the priests and Levites for their support, see Leviticus 7:28–36; Numbers 18:8–32 and comments.

6–8 Though the Levites were given no tribal land, they were given towns to live in, surrounded by some pastureland (Numbers 35:1–8). If a Levite was led by God to move to another place of God’s choice, then that Levite was to be allowed to minister there and to share in the tithes and offerings brought to that place.

Detestable Practices (18:9–13)

9–13 See Leviticus 19:26–31 and comment.

The Prophet (18:14–22)

14–18 By this time, Moses had transmitted to the Israelites most of God’s commands—God’s law, God’s word—and he had probably already written it down (Deuteronomy 17:18). In addition to providing His law, God (through Moses) had appointed priests and Levites to take care of religious affairs; He had appointed judges and established courts to take care of civil affairs. But there was still something needed: How would the people and their leaders be able to discern God’s will in matters not specifically mentioned in the written word and which were beyond the authority of the priests and judges? For example, how would they know when to go to war and whom to attack? The pagan nations surrounding Israel practiced sorcery and divination to “discern” the will of their gods, but this was forbidden to Israel⁴⁹ (verse 14). So how would the Israelites be able to know God’s will? The answer: God would raise up a prophet for them (verse 15).

A PROPHET’S role was, above all, to be God’s spokesperson—to understand God’s will and then transmit it to the people. Up to this time, Moses had been acting as God’s spokesperson—God’s prophet—and this had been at the Israelites’ request when they were at Horeb (verse 16)—that is, Mount Sinai (see Exodus 20:18–19). God had agreed to speak through Moses and had put His words in Moses’ mouth; He had revealed His will to Moses in all matters. Now that Moses was about to die, a successor was needed—someone who would be like Moses (verse 18).

Was Moses speaking of only one successor here? No, he was speaking of a number of successors—a prophetic ministry that would help guide Israel in future years. In verses 20–22, the question is raised concerning how to distinguish true prophets from false prophets, so clearly more than one prophet is in Moses’ mind here.

However, the prophetic ministry would not continue forever; it would culminate in one final Prophet, Jesus Christ, after which an Old Testament type of prophetic ministry would no longer be necessary.⁵⁰ It is clear from certain New Testament verses (John 1:21; 6:14; 7:40) that the Jewish people were expecting some kind of special Prophet, and they thought it must be Jesus. And Jesus Himself said that Moses had written about Him (John 5:46)—surely referring to this passage in Deuteronomy. Jesus fulfilled the requirement for being a “prophet like Moses,” because He spoke whatever the Father told Him to speak (John 12:49–50). The Apostle Peter quoted verses 15 and 19 when he announced that a “prophet like Moses” had indeed come in the person of Jesus Christ (Acts 3:22–23).

So in conclusion, though Moses was talking about a succession of prophets who would be raised up to continue his own work, he was also pointing to the final Prophet, Jesus, who would supremely reveal the nature and mind of God—because He had been sent from God, and indeed was God Himself (John 6:38; 7:16; 10:30; 14:9).

19–22 The people were required to listen to God’s words spoken through His prophets (verse 19); but how were they to know for sure if a particular prophet was speaking God’s words or just his own words?

Moses here gives a number of tests. First, a true prophet speaks only in God’s name, under God’s authority; in everything he says he acknowledges that God is the source of what he speaks. Second, a true prophet speaks only what God has commanded; the prophet never contradicts what God has already said and he never adds to what God has said.⁵¹ In Israel, any so-called prophet who failed these two tests was to be put to death (verse 20).

The third test of the true prophet was this: his predictions had to come true (verse 22). This test could sometimes be misleading because even false prophets could occasionally appear to predict future events accurately, either by deception or by chance (see Deuteronomy 13:1–5 and comment). Furthermore, sometimes a true prophet’s predictions did not come to pass quickly, and people stopped believing him; the prophet Jeremiah had this problem. But over a period of time, a true prophet’s words would always be fulfilled, and so this test would give additional proof that the prophet in question was indeed a true prophet of God.

For further discussion of prophets and prophecy, see General Article: Prophecy and Predictive Words.