Diving into Deuteronomy 18:9-22 in our ‘Devoted’ series, David began with the question: Whose voice are you listening to today?
The people of Israel were about to be faced with this question as they entered the promised land. Moses warns them of all the different voices and practices that will confront them:
“LET NO ONE BE FOUND AMONG YOU WHO SACRIFICES THEIR SON OR DAUGHTER IN THE FIRE, WHO PRACTISES DIVINATION OR SORCERY, INTERPRETS OMENS, ENGAGES IN WITCHCRAFT, OR CASTS SPELLS, OR WHO IS A MEDIUM OR SPIRITIST OR WHO CONSULTS THE DEAD. ANYONE WHO DOES THESE THINGS IS DETESTABLE TO THE LORD.”
The Israelites will find themselves in a culture where people are open to many different sources of understanding and wisdom; a culture in which they must stand firm in God and His Word. In many ways, we are not too different from the Israelites. In a culture of many voices claiming to guide and offer hope, we too must stand strong in God as the true source of wisdom, guidance and hope. Just as Moses warned the Israelites, we too should be aware and avoid these other voices, as the moment we dabble in other directions is the moment we begin to drift. This begs the question: Whose voice is loudest in your life today?
After this warning, Moses states how the Israelites should live, in contrast to the culture around them:
“YOU SHALL BE BLAMELESS BEFORE THE LORD YOUR GOD.”
We are given a similar command in 1 Peter:
“BUT JUST AS HE WHO CALLED YOU IS HOLY, SO BE HOLY IN ALL YOU DO; FOR IT IS WRITTEN: ‘BE HOLY, BECAUSE I AM HOLY’.”
How can we be holy in all we do? Despite being children of God, we all still make mistakes. However, it must be our intention to live a life devoted to God and to love the Lord with all our heart, soul and strength. That is what sets the people of God apart from the culture around them. However, the moment we listen to other voices above God, our devotion becomes diluted. Therefore, we must remember that the strength to follow this command to be holy does not come from within ourselves. We are rescued and redeemed by Jesus, and it’s through Him alone that we can be blameless and holy before God. It’s through Jesus that we can be truly devoted to God.
In verse 18 we learn that God remains faithful to the Israelites in speaking and guiding them by providing a prophet:
I WILL RAISE UP FOR THEM A PROPHET LIKE YOU FROM AMONG THEIR BROTHERS. AND I WILL PUT MY WORDS IN HIS MOUTH, AND HE SHALL SPEAK TO THEM ALL THAT I COMMAND HIM.”
God kept speaking to the Israelites, and He speaks to us today too. We still have the words of God spoken by the prophets. God’s Word is alive and speaking; it teaches, rebukes, trains, guides, shapes and refines us. God will never stop speaking; the question is whether we will continue to listen or not.
We too have a prophet – a greater prophet, whose name is Jesus. Jesus didn’t only speak the Word of God; He is the living Word of God.
“LONG AGO, AT MANY TIMES AND IN MANY WAYS, GOD SPOKE TO OUR FATHERS BY THE PROPHETS, BUT IN THESE LAST DAYS HE HAS SPOKEN TO US BY HIS SON.”
Therefore, for us today, we need to turn our ears to Jesus for our source of life, direction and hope.
- What voices have been prevalent in your life this week?
- How can you practically prioritise listening to God’s Word in your life this week?
