Today's text for contemplation is Deuteronomy 18:15-19. Here it is in The Message version:
15 God, your God, is going to raise up a prophet for you. God will raise him up from among your kinsmen, a prophet like me. Listen obediently to him. 16 This is what you asked God, your God, for at Horeb on the day you were all gathered at the mountain and said, "We can't hear any more from God, our God; we can't stand seeing any more fire. We'll die!" 17 And God said to me, "They're right; they've spoken the truth. 18 I'll raise up for them a prophet like you from their kinsmen. I'll tell him what to say and he will pass on to them everything I command him. 19 And anyone who won't listen to my words spoken by him, I will personally hold responsible.
Here, Moses is passing along to the people this message from God. This passage is in a chapter where God is prescribing the duties of the Levitical priests, and warning the people to avoid the heathen religious practices of the people groups surrounding them. In this passage, God the Father is speaking on two levels: one is in reference to all prophets who He will send in His name to His people, Israel; two, He is speaking of He who is greater than all prophets who came before or after Him, Jesus. In fact, this is the only place in the Old Testament books of law where God the Father Himself speaks so directly to the coming of Messiah.
God gives this prophecy to His people in response to their complaint that they have had more of Him than they can tolerate. See vs. 18 - - - "we can't hear any more from God ... we can't stand seeing any more fire." In His attempts to relate to His people, God has "blown their circuits".
God agrees with their assessment. Therefore, He promises (as He promised in Eden) that, after a succession of prophets, the Messiah will come.
1. Messiah will be come from their own people group.
2. Messiah will pass on God's words.
3. Messiah will do everything God commands.
4. Messiah will be a point of judgment to all people; those who do not heed His words will be held personally responsible by God the Father.
Do you know the story of Balaam? He was a deeply flawed prophet of God, but one whom God used nevertheless. A heathen king, Balak, hired Balaam to come and speak doom over Balak's enemies. Such an interesting story! Balaam warned Balak in advance that he would only speak over Jacob the words that the Lord God gave him. (Balaam fulfilled the requirements of 1 and 2 listed above.) Lo and behold! Balaam prophesies over the people of Jacob that Messiah would come! Look at Numbers 24:15-17 - - - -
“The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
16the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,
who has knowledge from the Most High,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
17“I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel....
"There shall a star from Jacob rise up, and a scepter from Israel come forth...."
Overcome by the Spirit of God, Balaam saw Messiah in a vision:
"I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near." As Christians celebrating Advent, we can say the same. As Christians walking resplendent, we have this promise that we will see Him, dwell with Him, for eternity! How precious the promises of God!
Felix Mendelssohn wrote a beautiful oratorio called Elijah, in the 1800s. One of the pieces from this great masterwork has lyrics from this Scripture passage. Celebrate Advent today by listening to this adaptation by the Indianapolis Men's Chorus and thanking God the Father for the coming gift of His Son, whose birth we await during this Advent season!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZwuI0swkqA
Dear Father, thank you for Your Son, the Bright and Morning Star, who rose out of Jacob so that we could be restored to relationship with You. He was "very God of very God", and certainly not "more God than we can stand". He was "of us" and "for us", Your very presence revealed in and veiled in flesh. Thank You, Father, for giving us Your incomparable Gift at Christmas! In Jesus' name, amen.
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