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The Pulpit Commentary
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:6-8
Love to the sanctuary. God loves those who love the sanctuary. I. LOVE TO THE SANCTUARY SEEN. 1. In desire for it (Deuteronomy 18:6). 2. In pain at being deprived of its ordinances (Psalms 42:1-7; Psalms 63:1-11.; 84.).…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:6-8
Only a portion of the Levites were engaged in the service of the sanctuary; the rest lived in their towns throughout the country. It might happen, however, that a Levite, moved by pious feeling, would come to the place…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:9-14
Spiritualism condemned. In the verses forming this paragraph, there are nine terms or phrases, each with its own special meaning, £ pointing to some pagan superstition, against which Moses is warning the people. The var…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:9-14
Magic. I. A STERN PROHIBITION OF CANAANITISH PRACTICES. The practice of magic is known to have been extensively developed in ancient Egypt and Chaldea. Numerous indications occur of its existence among the Canaanites (e…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:9-14
Divination forbidden. The process of divination, in its different forms here referred to—"divination," "observing the heavenly bodies," "enchantment," "witchcraft," "charming," "consultation of spirits," "sorcery," and…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:9-22
Moses was not only the leader and ruler of the people, he was also the medium through which God communicated with the people, gave them his laws, and conveyed to them his word and will. In this respect his place could b…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:9
The abominations of these nations; i.e. certain forms of superstitious usage by which the heathen sought to procure the favor of their deities, to obtain from them direction and counsel, and to penetrate into the hidden…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:9-14
Gross superstition the alternative of true religion. The popular superstitions of every age are very seductive. Our only safeguard against them is complete loyalty to the living God. The indwelling Spirit is a Guide and…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:12
All who practiced such arts were an abomination unto the Lord, and his people are forbidden to have anything to do with them. They are connected here with the Moloch-worship, because of the intimate relation between ido…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:13
Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. The word translated "per-feet" properly means entire, whole, answering to the Latin integer; it is used only in a moral sense, and is best rendered by "upright;" the Israelit…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:14
Though the heathen whose land they were to possess sought to diviners and enchanters, Israel was not to do so; as for them (the אַתָּה at the beginning of the clause is an emphatic nominative), Jehovah their God had not…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:15-22
Presages of the true Prophet. Captious men of the present day complain that they cannot see God—cannot hear his voice. In their heart they do not wish to see him. He will not reveal himself, as an object of curiosity, t…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:15-22
There should be no need for Israel to turn to heathen soothsayers, or diviners, or such like, because from amongst themselves, of their own brethren, would God raise up prophets like unto Moses, who, as occasion require…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:15
A Prophet. The Hebrew word so rendered ( נָבִיא) is a derivative from a verb ( נָבָא), which signifies to tell, to announce; hence the primary concept of the word is that of announcer, or forth-speaker; and to this the…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:15-22
God speaking to man through man. The Exposition, as well as the Commentaries of Jameson and Keil, may, with great advantage, be consulted on this passage, and also Hengstenberg's 'Christology,' vol. 1. pp. 96-107. Our b…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:15-22
The promised Prophet. From speaking of the paltry expectations about divination, Moses goes on to speak of the general plan of Divine revelation. The people had had the splendid chance of direct communion with God, with…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:15-20
Prophecy. The term "Prophet" covers the whole series of Old Testament prophets, culminating in Christ, the Prophet like unto Moses par excellence (see infra). I. PROPHECY IN GENERAL. The prophet—what? Etymologically, on…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:15-19
The Prophet like unto Moses. These chapters bring before us prophet. priest, and king—offices pointing forward to and culminating in Christ. Christ is distinctively, and in the complete sense, the Prophet like unto Mose…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:16
In the day of the assembly (cf. Deuteronomy 9:14; Deuteronomy 10:4).
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:18
And will put my words in his mouth; will so reveal to him my mind, and so inspire him to utter it, that the words he speaks shall be really my words. The question has been raised whether, by the Prophet like unto Moses,…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:19-22
To the Prophet who should thus speak to the people all that God should command him, they were to pay the utmost deference, and to his words they were to render implicit obedience.
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:19
I will require it of him; I will judge him and punish his disobedience (cf. Genesis 42:22; 2 Samuel 4:11; Psalms 10:13, etc.).
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:20
If, however, a prophet should presume to speak in the Name of the Lord what the Lord had not commanded him to speak, or if he should speak in the name of other gods, not only was no regard to be paid to his words, but h…
The Pulpit Commentary on Deuteronomy 18:20-22
The false prophet. The failure of the word of a prophet was decisive proof that he had not spoken by Divine inspiration. Had his word not failed, it would not have followed that he was a true prophet, but it showed conc…