Introduction
‘The Levitical priests—indeed, the whole tribe of Levi—are to have no allotment or inheritance with Israel. They shall live on the food offerings presented to the LORD, for that is their inheritance. They shall have no inheritance among their fellow Israelites; the LORD is their inheritance, as he promised them. This is the share due the priests from the people who sacrifice a bull or a sheep: the shoulder, the internal organs and the meat from the head. You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the first wool from the shearing of your sheep, for the LORD your God has chosen them and their descendants out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the LORD’s name always. If a Levite moves from one of your towns anywhere in Israel where he is living and comes in all earnestness to the place the LORD will choose, he may minister in the name of the LORD his God like all his fellow Levites who serve there in the presence of the LORD. He is to share equally in their benefits, even though he has received money from the sale of family possessions.’ Deuteronomy 18:1-8
Offerings For Priests And Levites
Moses begins by informing us that the entire tribe of Levi were to have no land portion as the other tribes of Israel, though they were given 48 cities throughout Canaan.
They were appointed and set apart by God to work as the spiritual servants for the nation of Israel. They were given no portion of land because God Himself was to be their inheritance, Numbers 18:20.
Because the Levites had no land to cultivate for their food, their food was to come from the sacrifices that the people brought to God throughout the year. The people of the other tribes were to pay ‘dues’ to the Levites in the form of parts of their sacrifices unto God.
The people were to sacrifice the unblemished firstborns of their flocks and give the Levites the shoulder the internal organs and meat from the head.
The first fruits of their grain, oil, and wine were to be delivered to the Levites as well. The Levites were also to receive the first fleece of the people’s sheep that they may cloth and warm themselves.
We must note that there is a difference here from the portions that were allotted in Leviticus 7:30-34. The reason for this is that in view of Moses’ departure from Israel as the mediator between God and Israel, the original covenant mandates that were given at Mount Sinai are here updated for the people as they settle in the land.
A similar portion was assigned to any Levite who chose to come and serve at the Lord’s altar. What was provided for him was beside what he might profit from the sale of his personal property.
He was thus not to support himself in his service at the Lord’s altar but was to partake of the offerings of the people, 1 Corinthians 9:8-18.
The Levite priest who had been on a journey and returns to the temple to serve God is to be cared for like all other priests and Levites. The reason for the journey seems to be that the priests have taken care of a death in the family and have received some form of inheritance, Leviticus 25:33-34.
Just because the priest received the inheritance didn’t mean that the people were to stop supporting him through their contributions. As the priest did his work he was worthy of his hire.
Occult Practices
‘When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices 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; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the LORD your God. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so.’ Deuteronomy 18:9-14
Israel is reminded that they weren’t permitted to follow the Canaanite culture, which included the Canaanite religious practice of offering their children as a burnt offering, Leviticus 20:2 / Deuteronomy 12:29-31.
They were forbidden from conjuring up fictitious spirits through divination, Numbers 23:23, sorcery, interpreting omens, Leviticus 19:26, engaging in witchcraft, Exodus 7:11, or casting spells, Psalm 58:4-5, or mediums or spiritists, 2 Chronicles 33:6, or consulting the dead.
We must remember that anyone who practices these things, even today, will not inherit eternal life, Galatians 5:19-21 / Revelation 22:15.
Notice the Lord says these things are ‘detestable to Him’, that is, He hates them, Deuteronomy 17:1-7. These things are against the sovereign will of God and challenge His Oneness. God alone has power and all else is of the evil one. It was because the Canaanites were involved in this kind of evilness, that He drove them out of Canaan, Deuteronomy 9:5.
Israel were to be blameless, or perfect as some translations render that word, Genesis 17:1 / Job 1:1 / Matthew 5:48. In other words, Israel were to worship God alone and stay away from everything connected with idolatry.
The Prophet
‘The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. For this is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.” The LORD said to me: “What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name. But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death.” You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.’ Deuteronomy 18:15-22
Instead of listening to those who practice, divination, sorcery, etc, Israel werewere’nt o listen to a prophet which God was going raise up from among themselves.
Moses speaks first of a succession of prophets who would be God’s spokesmen to His people. God did this throughout Israel’s history when they forsook the commandments of God, 1 Samuel 11:14-12:25 / 1 Kings 18:19-39.
They are commanded to listen to this prophet as they do Moses, however, those who refuse to hear the words of this prophet will be judged by the Lord.
In this context, however, we know that Moses also referred to the Prophet who would be God’s final prophet to His people, Deuteronomy 34:10. This Prophet would be the Messiah of which Moses was a type.
It’s because of these very verses that Israel looked for this unique Prophet throughout their history, John 1:19-24 / John 7:40. This Prophet was Jesus, the final prophet through whom God revealed His will to man, John 5:45-47 / Acts 3:22-23 / Hebrews 1:3.
The proof that someone was a false prophet was seen in the fact in what they prophesied didn’t come to pass. If we remember what Moses said earlier, if a prophet didn’t speak the truth, but tried to lead the people after false gods, then that prophet was truly false, Deuteronomy 13:1-5.
Israel weren’t to follow these false prophets, they were to be put to death, Deuteronomy 17:12.
