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| 1 The priests the Levites, even all the tribe of Levi, shall have no portion nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of Jehovah made by fire, and his inheritance. |
No part nor inheritance – This shows that the Great Company will have no inheritance in the earthly promises. Their inheritance will be on the spirit plane. R4655:2
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| 2 And they shall have no inheritance among their brethren: Jehovah is their inheritance, as he hath spoken unto them. |
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| 3 And this shall be the priests’ due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep, that they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw. |
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| 4 The firstfruits of thy grain, of thy new wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him. |
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| 5 For Jehovah thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of Jehovah, him and his sons for ever. |
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| 6 And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourneth, and come with all the desire of his soul unto the place which Jehovah shall choose; |
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| 7 then he shall minister in the name of Jehovah his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, who stand there before Jehovah. |
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| 8 They shall have like portions to eat, besides that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony. |
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| 9 When thou art come into the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. |
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| 10 There shall not be found with thee any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, one that useth divination, one that practiseth augury, or an enchanter, or a sorcerer, |
Pass through the fire – The people of Canaan first established the valley of Hinnom (Greek, Gehenna) as a place of torture, offering their children in sacrifice to the god Moloch. R3069:1
We have today, in nominal Christendom, a Moloch on a much larger scale. They have come to think of the Almighty as a ferocious deity who would take pleasure in the everlasting torture of mankind. R3464:6, R2360:1
That useth divination – The receiving of information from the fallen angels by means of omens, oracles, etc. R3068:3; PD42/52
An observer of times – Augury, the fixing of lucky or unlucky days. R3068:3
Or an enchanter – A hypnotist. R3068:3
Or a witch – A medium or mouthpiece of the fallen angels. R2172:1; Q840:T
One claiming to exercise power over the affairs of others. R3068:3
Spirit mediums, clairvoyants, clairaudients and the like are the modern wizards and witches. Q840:T
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| 11 or a charmer, or a consulter with a familiar spirit, or a wizard, or a necromancer. |
Or a charmer – Serpent-charmer, including those who claim to be able to put spells on people and animals. R3068:4
Consulter with familiar spirits – Or were familiar with the spirits who were disobedient in the days of Noah. PD42/52
Some mediums claim to have their special familiar spirit, while others claim a general intercourse with the spirits. R3068:4
Not to be visited, even "just to see how it is done." R3240:5
Or a wizard – One who claims to be wise in hidden or occult wisdom. R3068:4
Spirit mediums, clairaudients, clairvoyants and the like are the modern wizards and witches. Q840:T
Or a necromancer – One who professes to hold communion with the dead. R3068:5
Those who claim to speak for the dead--spirit mediums. HG726:1
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| 12 For whosoever doeth these things is an abomination unto Jehovah: and because of these abominations Jehovah thy God doth drive them out from before thee. |
An abomination – God forewarned against the evil spirits and their mediums. He said that they should not be permitted to live in Israel. PD42/52; R5910:2
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| 13 Thou shalt be perfect with Jehovah thy God. |
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| 14 For these nations, that thou shalt dispossess, hearken unto them that practise augury, and unto diviners; but as for thee, Jehovah thy God hath not suffered thee so to do. |
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| 15 Jehovah thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; |
Will raise up – The entire Gospel age has been the period of The Christ's (Head and Body) raising up. D629; CR485:4
Now being prepared, educated, disciplined and instructed for a missionary work. R715:5*
Raised above the condition of the world by being called with a high calling. R2859:5
Also raised up in the sense of being transformed, walking in newness of life. R2859:6
A Prophet – A teacher. R4058:1, R2859:4
United with the offices of Priest and King. D637; OV89:4
The Christ--Jesus is the Head, and all now received into God's family by the begetting of the holy Spirit are members of the Body. R5839:4; D629, D637; F434; R5334:1, R2611:6; Q193:3
Moses was the type of this greater Prophet, Messiah; and the Law covenant was a type of the greater Law covenant of the Millennial age. OV118:3
The Man Christ Jesus, by full obedience to the Law covenant, attained the right to "Moses' seat," to supersede Moses as Mediator. R5046:6
Believed in 1887 by the Samaritans as "one who will teach the nations the good way ... so that the whole world will repent of its sins." R906:2, 5*
Of thy brethren – Not enough "Israelites indeed" being found, divine wisdom has been selecting others from amongst the Gentiles. R5334:1
Like unto me – A diminutive representation of that great Mediator, Teacher, Leader and King--the real Deliverer of Israel and the world from bondage. R5333:2; A58, A78; B177; R4595:5
Anti-typical. R2858:2
To whom every "Israelite indeed" must transfer his pledges made under the Law to Moses, accepting Christ in Moses' stead. F434
The likeness is not of a personal kind; but found rather in position and work. R1321:3
As "our Passover," as "the Resurrection," as "the Life," Christ is the Prophet like unto Moses. R1321:3
The humbler title of prophet, teacher, or representative of God, represented also in Moses' case the kingly and priestly functions. R3068:2
Ye shall hearken – When the antitypical Moses, the Great Mediator, shall have been completed he will lead the people unto rest. R5388:2; CR485:4
Since Moses referred to Jesus as greater it was not disloyal to Moses for people thus to accept Jesus. R5858:3
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| 16 according to all that thou desiredst of Jehovah thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of Jehovah my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. |
In Horeb – Showing that the point of the illustration was Moses' work at Sinai. R2858:5
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| 17 And Jehovah said unto me, They have well said that which they have spoken. |
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| 18 I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. |
Raise them up – The entire Gospel age has been the period of Christ's raising up. D629
A Prophet – See comments on Deut. 18:15.
Speak unto them all – The hidden truths of ancient prophecy as well as new revelations of truth. F233; R1525:1
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| 19 And it shall come to pass, that whatever man will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. |
Shall come to pass – In the Millennial age. F709; A243
That whosoever – Every being, including the fallen angels. R1679:3, R2612:1
Will not – Will not submit to the rewriting of the divine law in his character. F360
Would fight against the Kingdom and oppose its rule in any particular after a reasonable trial. F709
In the Millennial age there will be upon man a different test, not of faith, but of works, of obedience. F113
Hearken – Perfect obedience will be required. T50; E219; F113; R2611:6, R892:5
Learn to love righteousness and hate iniquity. A303
Gradually, line upon line, precept upon precept. F709
All the willing shall reach perfection; all the unwilling shall be destroyed. D654; R5247:3 R2612:4, R892:5
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| 20 But the prophet, that shall speak a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. |
That prophet shall die – The law (of blasphemy) under which Jesus was tried. R1809:5
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| 21 And if thou say in thy heart, How shall we know the word which Jehovah hath not spoken? |
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| 22 when a prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which Jehovah hath not spoken: the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him. |
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