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| 1 'There is not to the priests the Levites all the tribe of Levi a portion and inheritance with Israel; fire-offerings of Jehovah, even His inheritance, 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 and he hath no inheritance in the midst of his brethren; Jehovah Himself [is] his inheritance, as He hath spoken to him. |
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| 3 'And this is the priest's right from the people, from those sacrificing a sacrifice, whether ox or sheep, he hath even given to the priest the leg, and the two cheeks, and the stomach; |
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| 4 the first of thy corn, of thy new wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy flock, thou dost give to him; |
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| 5 for on him hath Jehovah thy God fixed, out of all thy tribes, to stand to serve in the name of Jehovah, He and his sons continually. |
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| 6 'And when the Levite cometh from one of thy cities out of all Israel, where he hath sojourned, and hath come with all the desire of his soul unto the place which Jehovah doth choose, |
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| 7 then he hath ministered in the name of Jehovah his God, like all his brethren, the Levites, who are standing there before Jehovah, |
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| 8 portion as portion they do eat, apart from his sold things, with the fathers. |
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| 9 'When thou art coming in unto the land which Jehovah thy God is giving to thee, thou dost not learn to do according to the abominations of those nations: |
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| 10 there is not found in thee one causing his son and his daughter to pass over into fire, a user of divinations, an observer of clouds, and an enchanter, and 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 and a charmer, and one asking at a familiar spirit, and a wizard, and one seeking 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 the abomination of Jehovah [is] every one doing these, and because of these abominations is Jehovah thy God dispossessing them from thy presence. |
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 Perfect thou art with Jehovah thy God, |
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| 14 for these nations whom thou art possessing, unto observers of clouds, and unto diviners, do hearken; and thou not so hath Jehovah thy God suffered thee. |
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| 15 'A prophet out of thy midst, out of thy brethren, like to me, doth Jehovah thy God raise up to thee unto him 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 that thou didst ask from Jehovah thy God, in Horeb, in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not add to hear the voice of Jehovah my God, and this great fire let me not see any more, and 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 saith unto me, They have done well that they have spoken; |
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| 18 a prophet I raise up to them, out of the midst of their brethren, like to thee; and I have given my words in his mouth, and he hath spoken unto them all that which I 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 hath been the man who doth not hearken unto My words which he doth speak in My name, I 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 'Only, the prophet who presumeth to speak a word in My name that which I have not commanded him to speak and who speaketh in the name of other gods even that prophet hath died. |
That prophet shall die – The law (of blasphemy) under which Jesus was tried. R1809:5
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| 21 'And when thou sayest in thy heart, How do we know the word which Jehovah hath not spoken |
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| 22 that which the prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, and the thing is not, and cometh not it [is] the word which Jehovah hath not spoken; in presumption hath the prophet spoken it; thou art not afraid of him. |
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