Deuteronomy 18:15-20 (NRSV)
Read Deuteronomy 18:15-20 on biblegateway.com
Verse 15The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet. Verse 16This is what you requested of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said: "If I hear the voice of the Lord my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will die." Verse 17Then the Lord replied to me: "They are right in what they have said. Verse 18I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command. Verse 19Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable. Verse 20But any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, or who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak-that prophet shall die."
Devotion
Do we still listen to prophets today? There are certainly voices of influence out there: in the ‘90s a word from Fed chair Alan Greenspan could send the stock market soaring or reeling; a mere mention from Oprah guarantees a book best-seller status; Bono’s rock-star fame means people pay attention when he speaks up for victims of AIDS or economic justice in Africa. Such voices are treated with respect, even reverence.
Since the days of Moses people have looked for someone who could mediate the divine will, who could put words to God’s heart. This passage affirms that God will send someone to do this – and warns that when God does, we had better pay attention.
Maybe the question to ask is: as we go through life, are we listening to the right voices? There’s the challenge: to pay attention to the one who speaks a word of comfort, correction, justice and hope. Where do you find that voice in your life?
Prayer
O God, will I hear your voice today? Will you make your will known for me? Give me ears to hear and eyes to see that you are still speaking. Amen.