Deuteronomy 18:9-22 - God’s Prophet and Not the Occult

<p>     This unit of Scripture is part of a larger section in which Moses addresses four leadership offices God would assign in Israel, namely, judges (Deut 16:18-17:8), priests (Deut 17:9-13; 18:1-8), kings (Deut 17:14-20), and prophets (Deut 18:15-22). These four leadership offices were bound by the Mosaic Law, which legitimized their authority and was the guide for their rulership. In this pericope, Moses warns his people about the spiritual dangers they will face as they enter Canaan and directs them to listen only to God’s voice which He would continue to provide through a prophet of His choosing.</p> <p>     Moses had previously instructed his people to right-living, saying, “Righteousness, and only righteousness, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you” (Deut 16:20). But Satan has his traps to lead God’s people astray, and God warns His people about these dangers that they might avoid them. For this reason, Moses said, “When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations” (Deut 18:9). God owned the land (Lev 25:23), so He had the right to give it to whomever He pleased. God had previously promised the land to Abraham (Gen 12:1-3; 15:18; 17:7-8), Isaac (Gen 26:3-4), and Jacob (Gen 28:10-14), and He was fulfilling His Word to them by bringing their descendants into it. Once in the land of Canaan, Israel was to avoid being negatively influenced by the pagan cultures around them. God had instructed them on how to live holy lives and it was their responsibility to obey (Deut 11:26-28).</p> <p>     Moses continued, saying, “There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead” (Deut 18:10-11). God had previously warned Israel not to practice child sac