UNROLL
Dusk on the plains of Moab: Israel's dark tents spread wide, and at the center the small white linen court of the tabernacle with a thin thread of smoke rising, the Jordan and the hills of Canaan in shadow beyond.

The Book of

Deuteronomy 18

No land for the Levites and no fortune-tellers for anyone: God Himself would be their portion, and He would speak through His prophet.

22 verses≈ 4 min1 personBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–4Remember the wayFrom Horeb to Moab
  2. 5–11Love the LORDThe heart of the covenant
  3. 12–26Laws for the landWorship, justice, neighborChapter 18
  4. 27–30Blessing and curseChoose life
  5. 31–34Moses' farewellA song, a blessing, a death

Provision for Priests and Levites

The Levitical priests—indeed the whole tribe of Levi—shall have no portion or inheritance with Israel. They are to eat the food offerings to the LORD; that is their inheritance.

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Although they have no inheritance among their brothers, the LORD is their inheritance, as He promised them.

Deuteronomy 18:2

In a shearing pen at morning, a farmer's hands lay the first folded fleece of the season on a basket of new grain beside a jar of oil, while a Levite in plain wool waits at the gate.

The law

The priests’ and Levites’ share

  1. From sacrifices

    Shoulder, jowls and stomach

    This shall be the priests’ share from the people who offer a sacrifice, whether a bull or a sheep: the priests are to be given the shoulder, the jowls, and the stomach.

  2. Firstfruits

    Firstfruits and the first wool

    You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine, and oil, and the first wool sheared from your flock.

  3. Why

    Chosen to minister for all time

    For the LORD your God has chosen Levi and his sons out of all your tribes to stand and minister in His name for all time.

  4. Levites

    A Levite who comes to the place

    Now if a Levite moves from any town of residence throughout Israel and comes in all earnestness to the place the LORD will choose,

  5. He serves like his brothers

    then he shall serve in the name of the LORD his God like all his fellow Levites who stand there before the LORD.

  6. Equal portions for all

    They shall eat equal portions, even though he has received money from the sale of his father’s estate.

Seen from behind at sunrise, a Levite with a staff and a small bundle walks alone up a long road through terraced hills toward a far hill.

Reflect

My portion

The Levites had no fields of their own. Moses said, “the LORD is their inheritance.” Everything they lived on came as a gift, and the best thing they had was God Himself. What do you lean on to feel secure: income, property, plans? Write down one thing you are tempted to treat as your real inheritance, and what it would mean this week to say that the LORD is yours.

Sorcery Forbidden

Moses

For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.

You must be blameless before the LORD your God.

Though these nations, which you will dispossess, listen to conjurers and diviners, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so.

Pray

Your word, not other voices

The nations around Israel “listen to conjurers and diviners,” trying to learn the future or control the unseen. God said to His people, “the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so.” Bring Him whatever makes you anxious about tomorrow. Ask Him to keep you from looking for answers anywhere but in Him, and thank Him that He has spoken to us in His Son.

A Prophet Like Moses

The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him.

Deuteronomy 18:15

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 or see this great fire anymore, so that we will not die!”

Evening on the plains of Moab: Moses, white-haired and white-bearded with a staff, seen from behind and a little to the side on a low rise, speaking to a great crowd of Israelites who listen, the hills of Canaan beyond.

Then the LORD said to me, “They have spoken well. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. And I will hold accountable anyone who does not listen to My words that the prophet speaks in My name. But if any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of other gods, that prophet must be put to death.”

0:27

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

You may ask in your heart, “How can we recognize a message that the LORD has not spoken?” When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.

Leaders under God

The LORDover them allJudgesin every townThe kingunder the lawPriestsandLevitesthe LORD theirportionThe prophetGod’s wordsChristprophet, priestand King

Whiteboard

From 16:18 to the end of chapter 18, Moses sets out the leaders Israel would have in the land: judges in every town, a king who must read God’s law every day, Levitical priests whose inheritance was the LORD, and prophets who would speak only what God gave them. None of them stood above God’s word; every one served under it. The New Testament sees all three great offices met in one Person: Jesus is the prophet like Moses, the great high priest, and the King of kings.

Question

Quick question

Moses would not lead Israel into the land, but he told them God would go on speaking to them.

What did Moses promise the LORD would raise up for Israel?

You’ve experienced

Deuteronomy 18

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A verse to carry with you

The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him.

Deuteronomy 18:15

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