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Moses was God’s man for Israel’s season of deliverance. He was a man of integrity and one who genuinely wanted to see Israel rise to the position which God ordained for them. Moses cared for the people and wanted only the best for them; he also knew that what God said was best!

Because of Moses’ genuine concern for the people, he constantly warned them of impending dangers. One of the perennial dangers high on his list of Thou shalt not’s was the danger of wishing to be like the nations about them. Deuteronomy 12 is one such passage and it establishes the context for today’s focus verses. No less than five times in Deuteronomy 12, Moses warned the people to listen to his words and to do as "…I have commanded you." (see Deuteronomy 12.11,14, 21,28, and 32). In this final passage of chapter 12, Moses said, "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it." (Deuteronomy 12.32). Notice carefully that this statement established (at least for the time being) THE standard for determining how God’s people were to act and what they were to do; they were to hear Moses without addition and without subtraction!

However, the focus verses add another dimension to the equation of discernment; they add the dimension of the false prophet; Moses was a true prophet who warned of false prophets. Here is his warning: "If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’ —which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst." (Deuteronomy 13.1-5).

Read carefully Moses’ instructions. In the case Moses cited, the would-be prophet gave a sign or wonder AND that sign/wonder came to pass. In other words, the prophecy of the person occurred just as he/she predicted. In this instance – in spite of the apparent fulfilled prophecy – the prophet’s words were to be ignored and he was to be put to death. Here is the catch! The prophet involved in this case, spoke words that contradicted that which had been previously revealed and confirmed! This test of a true prophet is one which is often overlooked; it is the test of consistency. God’s speaks consistently and not contradictorily!

Moses, God’s mighty prophet for all seasons, gave the people the tools they needed to survive and thrive; he gave them the means by which they could know God’s voice, distinguishing it from all the competing voices that resound in the universe. We need that same ability today!

Questions:

1. To what extent did Moses claim that God was speaking by or though him?

2. If a person predicts a future event and that event comes to pass just as predicted, why is that person not automatically classed among God’s true prophets?

3. How many failed prophecies must occur before a prophet can be classed as a false prophet?

4. What is the test of consistency? If this is one of God’s tests of a prophet, how should we class someone who denies the validity of the test of consistency?

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

Moralism