The opening paragraph of this chapter suggests a deeply interesting
and practical line of truth.
"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. Therefore shall they have no
inheritance among their brethren: the Lord is their inheritance, as He
hath said unto them. 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. The first-fruits also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of
thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep shalt thou give
him. 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 forever.
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_; 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. They shall have like portions to eat, beside
that which cometh out of the sale of his patrimony." (Ver. 1-8.)
Here, as in every part of the book of Deuteronomy, the priests are
classed with the Levites in a very marked way. We have called the
reader's attention to this as a special characteristic feature of our
book, and shall not dwell upon it now, but merely, in passing, remind
the reader of it, as something claiming his attention. Let him weigh
the opening words of our chapter, "The priests the Levites," and
compare them with the way in which the priests the sons of Aaron are
spoken of in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers; and if he should be
disposed to ask the reason of this distinction, we believe it to be
this, that in Deuteronomy the divine object is, to bring the whole
assembly of Israel more into prominence, and hence it is that the
priests in their official capacity come rarely before us. The grand
Deuteronomic idea is, _Israel in immediate relationship with Jehovah_.
Now, in the passage just quoted, we have the priests and the Levites
linked together, and presented as the Lord's servants, wholly
dependent upon Him, and intimately identified with His altar and His
service. This is full of interest, and opens up a very important field
of practical truth, to which the Church of God would do well to
attend.
In looking through the history of Israel, we observe that when things
were in any thing like a healthful condition, the altar of God was
well attended to, and, as a consequence, the priests and the Levites
were well supplied. If Jehovah had His portion, His servants were sure
to have theirs; if He was neglected, so were they. They were bound up
together. The people were to bring their offerings to God, and He
shared them with His servants. The priests the Levites were not to
exact or demand of the people, but the people were privileged to bring
their gifts to the altar of God, and He permitted His servants to feed
upon the fruit of His people's devotedness to Him.
Such was the true--the divine idea as to the Lord's servants of old.
They were to live upon the voluntary offerings presented to God by the
whole congregation. True it is that in the dark and evil days of the
sons of Eli we find something sadly different from this lovely moral
order. Then, "the priest's custom with the people was, that when any
one offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was
in seething, with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand; and he
struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the
flesh-hook brought up, the priest took for himself. So they did in
Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither. Also before they
burnt the fat [God's special portion], the priest's servant came, and
said to the man that sacrificed, 'Give flesh to roast for the priest;
for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.' And if any man
said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then
take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, 'Nay;
but thou shalt give it me now; and if not, _I will take it by force_.'
Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord; for
men abhorred the offering of the Lord." (1 Sam. ii. 13-17.)
All this was truly deplorable, and ended in the solemn judgment of God
upon the house of Eli. It could not be otherwise. If those who
ministered at the altar could be guilty of such terrible iniquity and
impiety, judgment must take its course.
But the normal condition of things, as presented in our chapter, was
in vivid contrast with all this frightful iniquity. Jehovah would
surround Himself with the willing offerings of His people, and from
these offerings He would feed His servants who ministered at His
altar. Hence, therefore, when the altar of God was diligently,
fervently, and devotedly attended to, the priests the Levites had a
rich portion--an abundant supply; and on the other hand, when Jehovah
and His altar were treated with cold neglect, or merely waited upon in
a barren routine or heartless formalism, the Lord's servants were
correspondingly neglected. In a word, they stood intimately identified
with the worship and service of the God of Israel.
Thus, for example, in the bright days of the good king Hezekiah, when
things were fresh and hearts happy and true, we read, "And Hezekiah
appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their
courses, every man according to his service, the priests and Levites
for burnt-offerings and for peace-offerings, to minister, and to give
thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the Lord. He
appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the
burnt-offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt-offerings,
and the burnt-offerings for the Sabbaths, and for the new moons, and
for the set feasts, _as it is written in the law of the Lord_.
Moreover, he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem _to give the
portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be encouraged
in the law of the Lord_. And as soon as the commandment came abroad,
the children of Israel brought _in abundance_the first-fruits of corn,
wine, and oil, and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and
the tithe of _all things_ brought they in _abundantly_. And concerning
the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in the cities of Judah,
they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of
holy things which were consecrated unto the Lord their God, _and laid
them by heaps_. In the third month they began to lay the foundation of
the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. And when Hezekiah
and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and His
people Israel. Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the
Levites concerning the heaps. And Azariah the chief priest of the
house of Zadok answered him, and said, '_Since the people began to
bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to
eat, and have left plenty; for the Lord hath blessed His people;_
_and that which is left is this great store_." (2 Chron. xxxi. 2-10.)
How truly refreshing is all this! and how encouraging! The deep, full,
silvery tide of devotedness flowed around the altar of God, bearing
upon its bosom an ample supply to meet all the need of the Lord's
servants, and "heaps" beside. This, we may feel assured, was grateful
to the heart of the God of Israel, as it was to the hearts of those
who had given themselves, at His call and by His appointment, to the
service of His altar and His sanctuary.
And let the reader specially note those precious words, "_As it is
written in the law of the Lord_." Here was Hezekiah's authority, the
solid basis of his whole line of conduct from first to last. True, the
nation's visible unity was gone; the condition of things when he began
his blessed work was most discouraging; but the word of the Lord was
as true, as real, and as direct in its application in Hezekiah's day
as it was in the days of David or Joshua. Hezekiah rightly felt that
Deuteronomy xviii. 1-8 applied to his day and to his conscience, and
that he and the people were responsible to act upon it, according to
their ability. Were the priests and the Levites to starve because
Israel's national unity was gone? Surely not. They were to stand or
fall with the Word, the worship, and the work of God. Circumstances
might vary, and the Israelite might find himself in a position in
which it would be impossible to carry out in detail all the ordinances
of the Levitical ceremonial, but he never could find himself in
circumstances in which it was not his high privilege to give full
expression to his heart's devotedness to the service, the altar, and
the law of Jehovah.
Thus, then, we see, throughout the entire history of Israel, that when
things were at all bright and healthy, the Lord's worship, His work,
and His workmen were blessedly attended to; but on the other hand,
when things were low, when hearts were cold, when self and its
interests had the uppermost place, then all these great objects were
treated with heartless neglect. Look, for example, at Nehemiah xiii.
When that beloved and faithful servant returned to Jerusalem, after an
absence of certain days, he found, to his deep sorrow, that, even in
that short time, various things had gone sadly astray; amongst the
rest, the poor Levites had been left without any thing to eat. "And I
perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them;
for the Levites and the singers that did the work were fled every one
to his field." There were no "heaps" of first-fruits in those dismal
days, and surely it was hard for men to work and sing when they had
nothing to eat. This was not according to the law of Jehovah, nor
according to His loving heart. It was a sad reproach upon the people
that the Lord's servants were obliged, through their gross neglect, to
abandon His worship and His work in order to keep themselves from
starving.
This, truly, was a deplorable condition of things. Nehemiah felt it
keenly, as we read, "Then contended I with the rulers, and said, '_Why
is the house_ _of God forsaken?_' And I gathered them together, and
set them in their place. Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn,
and the new wine, and the oil, unto the treasuries. And I made
treasurers over the treasuries, ... for they were counted
faithful;"--they were entitled to the confidence of their
brethren--"and their office was to distribute unto their brethren." It
needed a number of tried and faithful men to occupy the high position
of distributing to their brethren the precious fruit of the people's
devotedness; they could take counsel together, and see that the Lord's
treasury was faithfully managed, according to His Word, and the need
of His true and _bona-fide_ workmen fully met, without prejudice or
partiality.
Such was the lovely order of the God of Israel--an order to which
every true Israelite such as Nehemiah and Hezekiah would delight to
attend. The rich tide of blessing flowed forth from Jehovah to His
people, and back from His people to Him, and from that flowing tide
His servants were to draw a full supply for all their need. It was a
dishonor to Him to have the Levites obliged to return to their fields;
it proved that His house was forsaken, and that there was no
sustenance for His servants.
Now, the question may here be asked, What has all this to say to us?
what has the Church of God to learn from Deuteronomy xviii. 1-8? In
order to answer this question, we must turn to 1 Corinthians ix, where
the inspired apostle deals with the very important subject of the
support of the Christian ministry--a subject so little understood by
the great mass of professing Christians. As to _the law of the case_,
it is as distinct as possible. "Who goeth a warfare at any time at his
own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit
thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the
flock? Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same
also? For it is written in the law of Moses, 'Thou shalt not muzzle
the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for
oxen? or saith He it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no
doubt, this is written; that he that ploweth should plow in hope, and
that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we
have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall
reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of this power over
you, are not we rather? Nevertheless"--here grace shines out, in all
its heavenly lustre--"we have not used this power; but suffer all
things lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that
they which minister about holy things live of the things of the
temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel
should live of the gospel. But"--here again grace asserts its holy
dignity--"I have used none of these things; neither have I written
these things that it should be so done unto me; for it were better for
me to die than that any man should make my glorying void. For though
I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of; for necessity is laid
upon me; yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel! For if I do
this thing willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, a
dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward,
then? Verily that when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of
Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel." (Ver.
7-18.)
Here we have this interesting and weighty subject presented in all its
bearings. The inspired apostle lays down, with all possible decision
and clearness, the divine law on the point. There is no mistaking it.
"The Lord hath ordained that they that preach the gospel should live
of the gospel;" that just as the priests and the Levites of old lived
on the offerings presented by the people, so now, those who are really
called of God, gifted by Christ, and fitted by the Holy Ghost to
preach the gospel, and who are giving themselves constantly and
diligently to that glorious work, are morally entitled to temporal
support. It is not that they should look to those to whom they preach
for a certain stipulated sum. There is no such idea as this in the New
Testament. The workman must look to his Master, and to Him alone, for
support. Woe be to him if he looks to the church, or to men in any
way. The priests and Levites had their portion in and from Jehovah. He
was the lot of their inheritance. True, He expected the people to
minister to Him in the persons of His servants. He told them what to
give, and blessed them in giving: it was their high privilege, as
well as their bounden duty, to give; had they refused or neglected, it
would have brought drought and barrenness upon their fields and
vineyards. (Hag. i. 5-11.)
But the priests the Levites had to look _only_ to Jehovah. If the
people failed in their offerings, the Levites had to fly to their
fields and work for their living. They could not go to law with any
one for tithes and offerings; their only appeal was to the God of
Israel, who had ordained them to the work and given them the work to
do.
So also with the Lord's workmen now--they must look _only_ to Him.
They must be well assured that He has fitted them for the work, and
called them to it, ere they attempt to push out (if we may so express
it) from the shore of circumstances, and give themselves wholly to the
work of preaching. They must take their eyes completely off from
men--from all creature-streams and human props, and lean exclusively
upon the living God. We have seen the most disastrous consequences
resulting from acting under a mistaken impulse in this most solemn
matter; men not called of God, or fitted for the work, giving up their
occupations, and coming forth, as they said, to live by faith and give
themselves to the work. Deplorable shipwreck was the result in every
instance. Some, when they began to look the stern realities of the
path straight in the face, became so alarmed that they actually lost
their mental balance, lost their reason for a time; some lost their
peace, and some went right back into the world again.
In short, it is our deep and thorough conviction, after forty years'
observation, that the cases are few and far between in which it is
morally safe and good for one to abandon his bread-winning calling in
order to preach the gospel. It must be so distinct and unquestionable
to the man himself, that he has only to say, with Luther, at the Diet
of Worms, "Here I am; I can do no otherwise: God help me! Amen." Then
he may be perfectly sure that God will sustain him in the work to
which He has called him, and meet all his need "according to His
riches in glory by Christ Jesus." And as to men and their thoughts
respecting him and his course, he has simply to refer them to his
Master. He is not responsible to them, nor has he ever asked them for
any thing. If they were compelled to support him, reason would that
they might complain or raise questions; but as they are not, they must
just leave him, remembering that to his own Master he standeth or
falleth.
But when we look at the splendid passage just quoted from 1
Corinthians ix, we find that the blessed apostle, after having
established, beyond all question, his right to be supported,
relinquishes it completely.--"Nevertheless, I have used none of these
things." He worked with his hands; he wrought with labor and travail
night and day, in order not to be chargeable or burdensome to any.
"These hands," he says, "have ministered to my necessities, and those
that were with me." He coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel. He
traveled, he preached, he visited from house to house, he was the
laborious apostle, the earnest evangelist, the diligent pastor, he had
the care of all the churches. Was not he entitled to support?
Assuredly he was. It ought to have been the joy of the Church of God
to minister to his every need. But he never enforced his claim--nay,
he surrendered it. He supported himself and his companions by the
labor of his hands; and all this as an example, as he says to the
elders of Ephesus, "I have showed you all things, how that so laboring
ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord
Jesus, how He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
Now, it is perfectly wonderful to think of this beloved and revered
servant of Christ, with his extensive travels from Jerusalem and round
about to Illyricum, his gigantic labors as an evangelist, a pastor,
and a teacher, and yet finding time to support himself and others by
the work of his hands. Truly he occupied high moral ground. His case
is a standing testimony against hirelingism, in every shape and form.
The infidel's sneering references to well-paid ministers could have no
application whatever to him. He certainly did not preach for hire.
And yet he thankfully received help from those who knew how to give
it. Again and again the beloved assembly at Philippi ministered to the
necessities of their revered and beloved father in Christ. How well
for them that they did so! It will never be forgotten. Millions have
read the sweet record of their devotedness, and been refreshed by the
odor of their sacrifice; it is recorded in heaven, where nothing of
the kind is ever forgotten--yea, it is engraved on the very tablets of
the heart of Christ. Hear how the blessed apostle pours out his
grateful heart to his much-loved children.--"I rejoiced in the Lord
greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again;
wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I
speak in respect of want;"--blessed, self-denying servant!--"for I
have learned, in whatsoever state I am, to be content. I know both how
to be abased, and I know how to abound; every where and in all things
I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and
to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ, which
strengtheneth me. Notwithstanding, ye have well done that ye did
communicate with my affliction. Now ye Philippians know also, that in
the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church
communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.
For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not
because I desire a gift; but I desire fruit that may abound to your
account. But I have all, and abound; I am full, having received from
Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet
smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. But my God shall
supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ
Jesus." (Phil. iv. 10-19.)
What a rare privilege to be allowed to comfort the heart of such an
honored servant of Christ, at the close of his career, and in the
solitude of his prison at Rome! How seasonable, how right, how lovely,
was their ministry! What joy to receive the apostle's grateful
acknowledgments! and then how precious the assurance that their
service had gone up, as an odor of sweet smell, to the very throne and
heart of God! Who would not rather be a Philippian ministering to the
apostle's need, than a Corinthian calling his ministry in question, or
a Galatian breaking his heart? How vast the difference! The apostle
could not take any thing from the assembly at Corinth; their state did
not admit of it. Individuals in that assembly did minister to him, and
their service is recorded on the page of inspiration, remembered
above, and it will be abundantly rewarded in the kingdom by and by. "I
am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus; for
_that which was lacking on your part they have supplied_. For they
have refreshed my spirit and yours, therefore acknowledge ye them that
are such." (1 Cor. xvi. 17, 18.)
Thus, then, from all that has passed before us, we learn most
distinctly that both under the law and under the gospel it is
according to the revealed will, and according to the heart of God,
that those who are really called of Him to the work, and who devote
themselves earnestly, diligently, and faithfully to it, should have
the hearty sympathy and practical help of His people. All who love
Christ will count it their deepest joy to minister to Him in the
persons of His servants. When He Himself was here upon earth, He
graciously accepted help from the hands of those who loved Him, and
had reaped the fruit of His most precious ministry--"certain women,
which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called
Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, and Joanna the wife of
Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered
unto Him of their substance." (Luke viii. 2, 3.)
Happy, highly privileged women! What joy to be allowed to minister to
the Lord of glory, in the days of His human need and humiliation!
There stand their honored names, on the divine page, written down by
God the Holy Ghost, to be read by untold millions, to be borne along
the stream of time right onward into eternity. How well it was for
those women that they did not waste their substance in self-indulgence,
or hoard it up to be rust on their souls, or a positive curse, as
money must ever be if not used for God!
But on the other hand, we learn the urgent need, on the part of all
who take the place of workers, whether in or out of the assembly, of
keeping themselves perfectly free from all human influence, all
looking to men, in any shape or form. They must have to do with God in
the secret of their own souls, or they will assuredly break down,
sooner or later. They must look to Him alone for the supply of their
need. If the church neglect them, the church will be the serious loser
here and hereafter. If they can support themselves by the labor of
their hands, without curtailing their direct service to Christ, so
much the better; it is unquestionably the more excellent way. We are
as persuaded of this as of the truth of any proposition that could be
submitted to us. There is nothing more spiritually and morally noble
than a truly gifted servant of Christ supporting himself and his
family by the sweat of his brow or the sweat of his brain, and, at the
same time, giving himself diligently to the Lord's work, whether as an
evangelist, a pastor, or a teacher. The moral antipodes of this is
presented to our view in the person of a man who, without gift or
grace or spiritual life, enters what is called the ministry, as a mere
profession or means of living. The position of such a man is morally
dangerous and miserable in the extreme. We shall not dwell upon it,
inasmuch as it does not come within the range of the subject which has
been engaging our attention, and we are only too thankful to leave it
and proceed with our chapter.
"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.
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, or a charmer, or a
consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer; 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. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. 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_." (Ver. 9-14.)
Now, it may be that, on reading the foregoing quotation, the reader
feels disposed to ask what possible application it can have to
professing Christians. We ask, in reply, Are there any professing
Christians who are in the habit of going to witness the performances
of wizards, magicians, and necromancers? are there any who take part
in table-turning, spirit-rapping, mesmerism, or _clairvoyance_?[18] If
so, the passage which we have just quoted bears very pointedly and
solemnly upon all such. We most surely believe that all these things
which we have named are of the devil. This may sound harsh and severe,
but we cannot help that. We are thoroughly persuaded that when people
lend themselves to the awful business of bringing up, in any way, the
spirits of the departed, they are simply putting themselves into the
hands of the devil, to be deceived and deluded by his lies. What, we
may ask, do those who hold in their hands a perfect revelation from
God want of table-turning and spirit-rapping? Surely nothing. And if,
not content with that precious Word, they turn to the spirits of
departed friends or others, what can they expect but that God will
judicially give them over to be blinded and deceived by wicked
spirits, who come up and personate the departed, and tell all manner
of lies?
[18] Some of our readers may object to our classing mesmerism with
spirit-rapping and table-turning. It may be they would regard it in
the same light, and use it in the same way, as ether or chloroform, in
medical practice. We do not attempt to dogmatize on the point. We can
only say that we could have nothing whatever to do with it. We
consider it a most solemn thing for any one to allow himself to be
placed by another in a state of utter unconsciousness, for any purpose
whatsoever. And as to the idea of listening to, or being guided by,
the ravings of a person in that state, we can only regard it as
absolutely absurd, if not positively sinful.
We cannot attempt to go fully into this subject here; we have no time,
nor space, nor inclination, for any thing of the sort. We merely feel
it to be our solemn duty to warn the reader against having any thing
whatever to do with consulting departed spirits. We believe it to be
_most dangerous_ work. We do not enter upon the question as to whether
souls can come back to this world; no doubt God could permit them to
come if He saw fit, but this we leave. The great point for us to keep
ever before our hearts is, the perfect sufficiency of divine
revelation. What do we want of departed spirits? The rich man imagined
that if Lazarus were to go back to earth and speak to his five
brethren, it would have a great effect.--"'I pray thee therefore,
father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house; for I have
five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into
this place of torment.' Abraham saith unto him, '_They have Moses and
the prophets; let them hear them_.' And he said, 'Nay, father Abraham;
but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.' And he
said unto him, 'If they hear not _Moses and the prophets_, neither
will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.'" (Luke xvi.
27-31.)
Here we have a thorough settlement of this question. If people will
not hear the Word of God, if they will not believe its clear and
solemn statements as to themselves, their present condition, and their
future destiny, neither will they be persuaded though a thousand
departed souls were to come back and tell them what they saw and heard
and felt in heaven above or in hell beneath; it would produce no
saving or permanent effect upon them, It might cause great
excitement--great sensation, furnish great material for talk, and fill
the newspapers far and wide; but there it would end. People would go
on all the same with their traffic and gain, their folly and vanity,
their pleasure-hunting and self-indulgence. "If they hear not Moses
and the prophets, [and, we may add, Christ and His holy apostles,]
neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead." The
heart that will not bow to Scripture will not be convinced by any
thing; and as to the true believer, he has in Scripture all he can
possibly want, and therefore he has no need to have recourse to
table-turning, spirit-rapping, or magic. "And when they shall say unto
you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that
peep, and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God? for
the living to the dead? _To the law and to the testimony_; if they
speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in
them." (Is. viii. 19, 20.)
Here is the divine resource of the Lord's people, at all times and in
all places; and to this it is that Moses refers the congregation in
the splendid paragraph which closes our chapter. He shows them very
distinctly that they had no need to apply to familiar spirits,
enchanters, wizards, or witches, which were all an abomination to the
Lord. "The Lord thy God," he says, "will raise up unto thee a Prophet
from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; _unto him ye
shall hearken_; 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.' And the Lord said unto me, 'They have well
spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet
from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put My words into
his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
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. 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. And if thou say in thine
heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? 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." (Ver. 15-22.)
We can be at no loss to know who this Prophet is, namely, our adorable
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In the third chapter of Acts, Peter so
applies the words of Moses.--"He shall send Jesus Christ, which before
was preached unto you; whom the heaven must receive until the times of
restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all
His holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the
fathers, 'A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your
brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he
shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul which
will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people.'"
(Ver. 20-23.)
How precious the privilege of hearing the voice of such a Prophet! It
is the voice of God speaking through the lips of the Man Christ
Jesus--speaking, not in thunder, not with flaming fire, nor the
lightning's flash, but in that still small voice of love and mercy
which falls in soothing power on the broken heart and contrite spirit,
which distills like the gentle dew of heaven upon the thirsty ground.
This voice we have in the holy Scriptures--that precious revelation
which comes so constantly and so powerfully before us in our studies
on this blessed book of Deuteronomy. We must never forget this. The
voice of Scripture is the voice of Christ, and the voice of Christ is
the voice of God.
We want no more. If any one presumes to come with a fresh revelation,
with some new truth not contained in the divine Volume, we must judge
him and his communication by the standard of Scripture and reject them
utterly. "Thou shalt not be afraid of him." False prophets come with
great pretensions, high-sounding words, and sanctimonious bearing.
Moreover, they seek to surround themselves with a sort of dignity,
weight, and impressiveness which are apt to impose on the ignorant.
But they cannot stand the searching power of the Word of God. Some
simple clause of holy Scripture will strip them of all their imposing
surroundings, and cut up by the roots their wonderful revelations.
Those who know the voice of the true Prophet will not listen to any
other: those who have heard the voice of the good Shepherd will not
listen to the voice of a stranger.
Reader, see that you listen _only_ to the voice of Jesus.