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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 Neither the priests the Levites [nor] any of the tribe of Levi, shall have either portion or inheritance with Israel,–the altar-flames of Yahweh and his inheritance, shall they eat. |
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 But, inheritance, shall he not have, in the midst of his brethren,–Yahweh, is his inheritance, as he spake unto him. |
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| 3 This, therefore shall be the due of the priests from the people from them who offer the sacrifice whether ox or lamb,–there shall be given unto the priest, the shoulder and the two cheeks and the maw: |
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| 4 the firstfruit of thy corn, thy new wine, and thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy flock, shalt thou give unto him. |
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| 5 For, of him, hath Yahweh thy God made choice out of all thy tribes,–to stand to minister in the name of Yahweh, of him and his sons all the days. |
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| 6 And, when the Levite shall come in out of any of thy gates out of any part of Israel, where he is sojourning,–yea, shall come in with all the desire of his soul, into the place which Yahweh shall choose, |
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| 7 then may he minister in the name of Yahweh his God,–like any of his brethren the Levites who are standing there before Yahweh. |
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| 8 Portion for portion, shall they eat,–apart from his possessions upon his patrimony. |
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| 9 When thou art coming into the land which Yahweh thy God is giving unto thee, thou shalt not learn to do according to the abominable doings of those nations. |
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| 10 There shall not be found in thy midst–One who causeth his son or his daughter to pass through fire,–Or who useth divination, hidden arts or enchantments, Or who muttereth incantations; |
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 who bindeth with spells,–Or who asketh of a familiar spirit or an oracle, Or who seeketh unto the dead. |
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, an abomination unto Yahweh, is everyone who doeth these things,–and, on account of these abominations, is Yahweh thy God dispossessing them 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 Blameless, shalt thou be, with, Yahweh thy God; |
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| 14 for, these nations whom thou art dispossessing, unto them who use hidden arts and unto diviners, do hearken, but, as for thee, not so, doth Yahweh thy God, suffer thee. |
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| 15 A prophet out of thy midst, of thy brethren, like unto me, will Yahweh thy God, raise up unto thee–unto him, shall ye 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 which thou didst ask of Yahweh thy God, in Horeb, in the day of the convocation, saying,–Let me no further hearken unto the voice of Yahweh my God, and, this great fire, let me not see any more, lest I die. |
In Horeb – Showing that the point of the illustration was Moses' work at Sinai. R2858:5
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| 17 And Yahweh said unto me: They have well said what they have spoken. |
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| 18 A prophet, will I raise up unto them, out of the midst of their brethren, like unto thee,–and I will put my words in his mouth, so shall he speak unto them whatsoever 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, the man who will not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my name, I, myself, 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 Howbeit, the prophet who shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who shall speak in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die. |
That prophet shall die – The law (of blasphemy) under which Jesus was tried. R1809:5
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| 21 And, when thou shalt say in thy heart,–In what manner shall we know the word which Yahweh, hath not spoken? |
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| 22 When the prophet shall speak in the name of Yahweh, and the word, shall not come to pass, neither shall come in, that, is the word which Yahweh, hath not spoken,–presumptuously, hath the prophet spoken it, thou shall not be in dread of him. |
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