The opening to Chapter 18 seems odd at first. We are given eight instructive verses about caring for the spiritual elders before a seemingly abrupt transition into the teachings against abominations and the occult, but the two are intricately connected.

Divinely inspired, the author contrasts two opposing types of teachers. The priests and Levites, whose role was to teach the law of God to the people, and both discern and pronounce the will of God into tough or confusing situations [Deuteronomy 17.8-9], and the teachers of the world, who rely on mystic, “spiritual” and other abominate practices to provide understanding and discernment.

The author also urges action and I believe the order in which he delivers them is intentional and should not be overlooked. First, to care, love, provide for, and be known by your spiritual leaders who “minister in the name of the Lord” [18.5 + 18.7] so that you may know and discern the law and will of God. The second - only possible when the first is complete - to avoid leaning on the teaching and guidance of this world.

As we see in Judges 2.1–7, upon victory, the Israelites do not take heed to these commandments; they did not devote themselves or their first fruits to God and instead sought guidance and understanding from false teachers, thus continuing the painful cycle of disobedience, exile, and repentance that they had experienced for generations.

Yet, foreknowing this, the Lord gives the Israelites a glimpse of a Savior with a promise that there would come a prophet, singular, with the words of God in His mouth [18.18] providing ultimate guidance and assurance.

As Christians today, we are blessed to know that this was Jesus. He has revealed to us the mystery of the Gospel and made us a royal priesthood much like the priests and Levites from Deuteronomy - called to proclaim the excellence of our God and to walk in the light despite being surrounded by darkness [I Peter 2.9].

[Deuteronomy 18.1-22]

Provision for Priests and Levites

18.1 “The Levitical priests, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the Lord's food offering as their inheritance. 2 They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the Lord is their inheritance, as he promised them. 3 And this shall be the priests' due from the people, from those offering a sacrifice, whether an ox or a sheep: they shall give to the priest the shoulder and the two cheeks and the stomach. 4 The firstfruits of your grain, of your wine and of your oil, and the first fleece of your sheep, you shall give him. 5 For the Lord your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for all time.

6 “And if a Levite comes from any of your towns out of all Israel, where he lives—and he may come when he desires—to the place that the Lord will choose, 7 and ministers in the name of the Lord his God, like all his fellow Levites who stand to minister there before the Lord, 8 then he may have equal portions to eat, besides what he receives from the sale of his patrimony.

Abominable Practices

9 “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer 11 or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, 12 for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the Lord your God, 14 for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do this.

A New Prophet like Moses

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 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. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. 20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?

+ What are the two types of teachers mentioned in this passage?

+ What were the Israelites to give to their priests and Levites, how would you translate this into today’s church model?

+ What are we called to avoid in regards to the abominable acts? [hint: it’s not practicing or doing!]

+ Who is the prophet mentioned in v. 15?

+ What is the impact of the truth of this passage on your life today?

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ Am I known by those I consider my spiritual leaders (Pastor Elders, Community Group Leaders?

+ What pseudo leaders am I learning from, actively or passively?

+ Is there a way to honor or support my Pastor and elders in a greater capacity?

+ Are there hidden areas of my life I haven’t sought the Lord's guidance in?

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?

+ What is my next step?

+ Who are the spiritual leaders I am providing for and supporting?

+ Who has God placed in my life where I can be a light in the place of darkness?