THE MINISTERS OF THE LORD As the priests, the Levites received the Lord as their portion; the people are committed to give them the portion of the Lord; namely, the tithes, the firstfruits, and the vows. The people are committed to fulfill the material needs of the priests, the Levites, scattered among the towns. As to the ministers of the devil, like the soothsayer, the omen-interpreters, and the sorcerers; these will have no place among them. The nations around them used to have false prophets and those who practiced witchcrafts depending on the power of Satan. That is why God banned those practices (9-14). God set for His people prophets to utter the word of God and to proclaim His will (15-19). Any prophet, who prophesies something other than what is uttered by the Lord, shall die (20-22). On another side, Moses presented a prophecy about the True Prophet; “the Anticipated Prophet,” the incarnate Lord of the prophets; namely, about the coming of the Lord Christ, saying: “The Lord will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren, Him you shall hear…” He is unique in His prophecy; the Lord of the prophets; who grants life to him who hears Him;… and “Every soul who will not hear that Prophet, shall be utterly destroyed from among the people” (Acts 3:22, 23; 7:37; etc.). 1. The portion of the priests the Levites 1–8. 2. No soothsayers or witch-crafters 9–14. 3. The anticipated Prophet 15–22. 1. THE PORTION OF THE PRIESTS THE LEVITES The people were about to enter into the Promised Land; a fertile land that depends on rainwater. It is as though God Himself subsists them by the land as well as the water. Now, He designated a whole tribe not subsisted by land to live on, to confirm that they will have God’s own inheritance; as a living example of the complete dependence on God, and not on the land. God did not care to mention anything about the rights of the king; but on the contrary, we find the prophet Samuel warning the people who asked him to set a king over them, saying: “This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you. He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipments for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks and bakers. And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants” (1 Samuel 8:11-15). While caring for the needs of the priests and the Levites, and designates the greatest part of His portion to be theirs, He warns the people against the behavior of the kings, who often abuse their authority, and take what is not theirs. (1) In order that the priests do not preoccupy themselves with the affairs and the riches of this life, but with what is for the edification of the souls. They were not given a portion in the spoils of war, or in the Promised Land that was divided by lot among the tribes. God has confirmed that He would be their portion and their inheritance. 7 “The priests and the Levites, indeed all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel. They shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and His portion. Therefore, they shall have no inheritance among their brethren; the Lord is their inheritance, as He said to them” (Deut. 18:1, 2) In the Old Testament, the priests and the Levites had neither portion nor inheritance with Israel in the Promised Land. Whereas, in the New Testament, the whole church – priests and congregation – feel that their portion is the Lord Himself; and their lot is the new land, the heavenly Canaan. The priests eat “offerings of the Lord made by fire” (1); literally translated in Hebrew as “the fire of Jehovah;” which means here, what came in the book of Numbers: “This shall be yours of the most holy things reserved from the fire; every offerings of theirs; every grain offering and every sin offering and every trespass offering which they render to Me” (Numbers 18:9). Whereas, in the New Testament, all the believers have the right, not to eat offerings made by fire, but to have the fiery Spirit dwells in them, to transform them into offerings and sacrifices of fire. They become ministers of God, flaring with fire; among whom dwells God, the consuming Fire. The priests, in the Old Testament, used to eat God’s portion of tithes, firstfruits, and vows; whereas in the New Testament, the Lord presents Himself to them as their portion. He offers His body and blood, given for love of the whole humanity. God, who is Spirit is their portion; but, having their bodies as a gift from God, He does not leave them hungry, but is committed to fulfill them. He presents to them His portion as their portion. Every true believer says together with the Psalmist: “You, O Lord, are the portion of my inheritance and my cup. You maintain my lot” (Psalm 16:5). God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26). While the body longs to acquire the whole world; the soul would not be fulfilled except by God her Creator. He alone would fill every void in her; and grants her every fulfillment, joy, and peace. By acquiring the Lord her God, she acquires everything; to say together with the apostle: “As poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things” (2 Corinthians 6:10). “Everything is yours!” (1 Corinthians 3:21). (2) God did not leave it to the people to choose to give the priests according to their generosity; but He set a statute that designates their portion. “And this shall be the priest’s due from the people, from those who offer a sacrifice, whether it is bull or sheep. They shall give the priest the shoulder, the cheeks, and the stomach. The firstfruits of your grain and your new wine and your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, you shall give him. For the Lord your God has chosen him out of all your tribes to stand to minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons forever” (Deut. 18:3-5) Josephus1, Philo2, and the Talmud, believe that what came here (3), do not mean the sacrifices offered in the temple of the Lord, but those slaughtered at home for personal use. a. In the book of Leviticus 7:32-34, the priests were given the right of the breast and the right thigh. Here, he adds the cheeks and the stomach. The best portion of the sacrifice was offered to the Lord on the fiery altar; the next best was given to the priests and the Levites; then he who offers the sacrifice will have what is left. The sacrifice of the burnt offering was an exception; it was offered wholly to God. 1 Antiqu. 4:4:4. 2 De Praemiis Sacerdot. 8 Feeling that God dwelt among His people, whom He granted the Promised Land as their possession, the worshippers felt that they should offer Him the best they have. And as the priests and the Levites were His representatives, they were happy to offer them as well the best they have. What is the portion of the true Christian as a priest of the Lord? * The shoulder (the arm): referring to God, who supports the arm of the believer to work in the kingdom of God. * The cheeks: referring to the sanctification of the words coming out of the mouth. St. Jerome believes that ‘Bethphage’ means “the house of the cheek,” as a symbol of the mouth, the house of confession. Therefore, this house belongs to the priests. It was the custom to give the cheek (Siagona) to the priest; Why?… It is a part of the priestly work to be able to teach the people; according to the words of the prophet: “Ask the priests concerning the law” (Haggai 2:11). It is the duty of the priest to answer the questions concerning the Law; and consequently they are granted the power of talking, symbolized by the cheeks; and the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, symbolized by the breast. There is no benefit in words, when there is no knowledge. When you get the cheek and the breast; then you receive the muscles of the shoulder (the arm) as well, a symbol of works1. You would not benefit anything, if you have the possibility of words and easy talking, if you have no knowledge; and if you do not translate them into works2. St. Jerome * The stomach: The dedication of hidden inner depths on account of the Lord. * The firstfruits of grain: To have a portion of the bread coming down from heaven. b. The firstfruits of the fruits: That appears in its season, and cannot be kept for a long time. They were used to be given to the priests who used to live among the people for priestly work in the towns. The priests Levites working in the temple, used to get the firstfruits of grain, wine, and oil for food, and the fleece of sheep for clothing. Then they, in turn, used to fulfill the needs of the poor and the needy. (3) If God was committed to give His portion to His ministers; it is fitting for His ministers not to be preoccupied with their portion, but to stand and minister in His name forever, they and their sons. All their thoughts should be concentrated on testifying to the Lord before the people, and on training their sons in ministering. (4) Some believe that the word “sacrifices,”(3) does not mean just the animal sacrifices offered to the Lord, but includes all what are slaughtered for general use3. This means that the priests had their portion of everything slaughtered, even in the towns for regular consumption and not for offering to the Lord. They had their share in the daily food of the people. (5) The Levite gets, beside his portion, “what comes from the sale of his inheritance from his fathers” (8). Although they did not have the right to inherit in the Promised Land that was divided by lots among the tribes; yet they were allowed to purchase houses, herds, and fields; as it happened with Abiathar (1 Kings 2:26; Jeremiah 32:7, 8). “And if a Levite comes from any of your gates, from where he sojourns among all Israel, and comes with all the desire of his mind to the place which the 1 Cf. St. Jerome: Letter 6:1,2 PL 22:608-9; Commmen. On Melach. 2:3,4 PL 25:1554-5. 2 Cf. St. Jeromeon Mark 11:1-10, hom. 81 (VII). 3 Adam Clarke Commentary. 9 Lord chooses …” (Deut. 18:6) Although God chose the tribe of Levi for the ministry in His temple, yet He forced no one to minister, but says: ‘and comes with all the desire of his mind to the place which the Lord chooses.’ God does not cancel the human will, but wishes it to be in harmony with His will; He sanctifies it and works with it! “Then he may serve in the name of the Lord his God as all his brethren the Levites do, who stand there before the Lord. They shall have equal portions to eat, besides what comes from the sale of his inheritance (from his fathers)” (Deut. 18:7) Saying “he may serve,” God confirms that the priesthood is not a means of honor, but is a way for work and ministry; partaking of the work of the Lord Christ – washer of the feet of others. He does the work of the Lord, with His Holy Spirit; a kind of work, although it seems impossible, yet it is full of sweetness and holy honor. Every believer sings together with the Psalmist: “You, O Lord, are the portion of my inheritance and my cup. You maintain my lot” (Psalm 16:5); “God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26). Although the Levites had houses of their own, yet they were considered as nomads and sojourners in this world, having no portion of lands to leave for the children after them. Here, God confirms that He loves those who love His holy altar. Every care they get, He counts as directed personally to Him. 2. NO SOOTHSAYERS OR WITCH-CRAFTERS Speaking of the priests, the ministers of the Lord and His representatives; who represent the people before Him, He warns them against resorting to idol-ministers or the like, who assume that they do their shepherding work through passing the son or the daughter in the fire, especially in the time of crisis to please the gods (Leviticus 18:10; 20:2-5); soothsaying; interpreting omens, sorcery; conjuring spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead: “When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There, shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead” (Deut. 18:9-11) Holiness for them lies in being liberated from the pagan customs. But for us it is not the case. The apostle Paul says: “that she may be holy in body and in spirit” (1 Corinthians 7; 34)1. St. John Chrysostom Both the ancient Egyptians and the Chaldeans were famed for the arts of magic, and the Canaanites as well (1 Samuel 28:7-10). Those peoples used to practice two kinds of magic: good magic they use to heal ailments, solving problems, and helping the leaders to make important decisions, etc.; and evil magic, to do harm to others, like letting demons dwell in their bodies, bring them illness, or lose their peace etc. The Mosaic Law came to confirm that all kinds of magic, whatever are their ways or goals, are evil, and considered as abominations and uncleanness. God intended to protect His people against idolatry with all its abominations, customs, and ministers; as they were in danger of resorting to all kinds of magic, and to the devil to realize their lusts. They even started to offer their sons and daughters as 1 In John, hom. 14:2. 10 human sacrifices to ‘Molech,’ the god representing the sun (Leviticus 18:21). God wanted to protect His people from resorting to the devil and his followers to get to know the future, and to consult concerning their actions, instead of resorting to God, through His ministers. God has granted them the holy land, to let them have fellowship with Him, and not with the devil. The prophet mentions here nine terms for ways of telling the future through magic, Those ways may not be found nowadays as they used to be; but unfortunately there are similar ways or even worse; like the movement of “devil-worship” and the like of ways that claim to reveal the future; that may have names different from those used in the days of the prophet Moses. By witchcraft, he probably means getting to know the divine will through shaking the arrows, as it came in Ezekiel 21:21: “For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the road, at the forks of the roads, to use divination; he shakes the arrows, he consults the images, he looks at the liver.” By soothsaying, he means reading the future by examining the clouds, and making strange noise. By interpreting omens, he means revealing the hidden things through reading the cups, as it was done in the days of Joseph. And was used by the Syrians through studying the movements of the birds, the fire, the rain, and other natural phenomena. As to sorcery, some used drugs and herbs, considered to have magic effect; or magic words, to do harm to other people. In all these kinds of magic, we see how the devil misused everything. He misused nature created good by God for our sake. He misused our food and drink, like in reading cups; and our bodies, like reading the palm; and he even misused the dead, claiming his ability to call up dead people to reveal the future. God does not wish to hide His divine will from us, nor to make the future as something unknown. He proclaimed His will by several ways, until the Word of God Himself came; the Only-Begotten Son, to speak to us face to face (Hebrew 1:1). But, unfortunately, man prefers the wrong and erroneous ways of magic and divination, to listening to the voice of God Himself. God created man as a being longing to reveal the future, not like animals that by nature fulfill themselves today, and never think about the future. This longing, creates in the heart of the believer a strong wish and a flaring fire to reveal the life to come. He yearns to set forth to behold God and to throw himself in His bosom; to get to know the heavenly creatures, to partake of their praises; and to encounter the men of God, from Adam to the end of days. Yet, with the corruption of his heart, this wish turned into a state of anxiety and apprehension toward the future of this world, which makes him sometimes resort to magic and divination. Why does God reject divination and the like? (1) The devil deceives man by one of two ways that seem as though contradictory: Either he incites man to deny the world of spirits: to deny God Himself, his angels, the devil, and the eternity of human soul, by which he destroys his hope for eternity. Or not to deny the existence of God, the holy spirits, and the devil, yet he deceives man into thinking that he is the one with authority; giving abundantly what God Himself does not. I remember what a young man, who started to adopt devilworship, once told me: ‘Why should I not worship the devil, when he gives me everything I need?’ It is the same way by which the devil tried to tempt the Lord Christ, when “he took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to Him: ‘All these things I will 11 give You if You fall down and worship me’” (Matthew 4:8, 9). (2) Connecting to the works of the devil makes man lose his sanctity; and lead him to practice the abominations of the other nations (9). God is Light. Whoever walks in Him, would enjoy the light and the truth. Whereas he, who partakes of the works of the devil, would walk in the darkness and connects to vanity. (3) The works of the devil makes man lose his compassion and gentility, and bear a kind of cruelty and violence, even toward his children; to the extent of offering them as human sacrifices. He presents to them the reasons that would keep them from resorting to the devil and his followers: (1) “For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord” (12). Whoever loves God, would not do the works of the devil. (2) “Because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out before you” (12). If the people practice the things that the nations did, they would have the same destiny as these nations had. (3) God wishes to distinguish them from the other nations, to be blameless; namely, perfect in His sight in everything. “You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. For these nations which you will dispossess listened to the soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you” (Deut. 18:13, 14) With the same spirit the apostle Paul says: “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind… But you have not so learned Christ” (Ephesians 4:17, 20). And together with the apostle Barnabas, he also says: “who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways” (Acts 14:16); by which they destroyed themselves, whereas the people of God, walk in the way of the Lord. The goal of keeping us away of these wrong ways, is God’s longing for us to be blameless: “You shall be blameless before the lord your God” (13). He does not wish to deprive us of anything; but He seeks our fulfillment and perfection in Him. The Pelagians depend upon the verse 13 in their claim that man can become blameless on his own. They state that either he is able to realize that; or it would be the fault of the one who set a commandment that is impossible to execute1. St. Jerome responded to this by saying: [That is what God seeks from us to strife for; yet, even the apostles of Christ themselves, were not blameless as yet.] God calls us to perfection; namely, to a perfect growth in a blameless life. But, it is fitting for us to discern between the absolute divine perfection, and man’s perfection. As the end of life is the beginning of death, stopping along the race to virtue, is a sign of the beginning of the race to evil2. Whoever heads toward the true virtue, would not partake except of God; who Himself, is the absolute virtue3. Whatever has limits is not a virtue4. As I always say, perfection has no limits. The limits of virtue is the absence of 1 St. Jerome: Against the Pelagians, Book 1,14. 2 Life of Moses, 6. 3 Life of Moses, 6. 4 Life of Moses, 7. 12 limits. How can man reach the limits, where there can be no limits?!1 Nobody can disregard the command of the Lord: “You shall be perfect, just as your father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). As to the naturally good things; although men realize their inability to achieve everything; yet by achieving a part of it, they gain great honor2. It is fitting for us to strive diligently, not to fall from the perfection that could be achieved, but to seek it as much as we possibly can. To this extent, let us make progress in that goal we seek; as the perfection of human nature, probably lies in the growth in goodness3. St. Gregory of Nyssa 3. THE ANTICIPATED PROPHET In all ages, the works of magic, divination, and all kinds of prophesying, had their special appeal, even in our present day, and in the most advanced societies. That is why, an exalted work that fulfills the needs of man, and that reveals the secrets of the future, had to be presented. And that is why, the prophet Moses, in his farewell address, proclaimed the coming of the Lord Christ, who alone, bears the soul as though to heaven, to behold the doors open, and to find for herself a place in the bosom of God the Father; by which it settles down, rest, and waits with hope for the great day of the Lord, when man wholly enjoys fellowship in the eternal glory. It is as though, it was fitting for the believers of the Old Testament to dedicate their whole energies to visualize the future coming of the Messiah the Savior of the world; Whereas for those of the New Testament, to anticipate His coming to bring them up to His glory. The “Word of God;” who is the “Wisdom of God” came to us to acquire Him, in order to behold clearly the future; and even to taste its pledge, with the spirit of joy and rejoicing. Together with the greatness of the personality of the prophet Moses, who, for nearly 40 years could bear the burden of the people, and suffered much of the hardness of their hearts; he had a big heart, wide enough for them all. God granted him the ability to perform signs and wonders, in such a way that the people could not imagine anyone like him. Although the prophet Moses drew the attention of the people to the coming of the Lord Christ from their midst, yet he could not perfectly realize His Person; and if he could, it was difficult for him to present it to the people. “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear” (Deut. 18:15) Here was a promise of the coming of “the Prophet.” Because the people almost worshipped the prophet Moses after his death; that is why archangel Michael hid his body, and wrestled with the devil who intended to reveal it to divert the people from the worship of God to that of Moses. If Moses told the people that the One who will come is greater than him, they would have assumed the existence of two Gods; as they could not comprehend the divine persons. That is why he said to them “like me.” Through incarnation He became a Man; and thus came to be “like him.” (1) He says “from your midst;” namely, from the midst of Israel, and not from another nation, as some try to claim. The Lord Christ Himself confirmed this by saying to the Samaritan woman: “Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22); And St. John 1 Life of Moses, 8. 2 Life of Moses, 9. 3 Life of Moses, 10. 13 says: “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11). The apostle Peter spoke to the multitudes of Jews after the Pentecost about the Person of Christ, saying: “And that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the time of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren, Him you shall hear in all things, whatever he says to you. And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear that prophet shall be utterly destroyed among the people. Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days” (Acts 3:20-24). And in the farewell speech of St. Steven the archdeacon about the Person of Christ, he said: “This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear” (Acts 7:37). And the evangelist St. John says: “Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, ‘This is truly the prophet who is to come into the world’” (John 6:14). (2) By saying “A prophet from your midst,” he designated Him from the other prophets who appeared along the ages; Here he means the Prophet who alone can say. “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12); “The Word by whom the Father spoke to us” (John 1:1; Hebrew 1:2). (3) He says “like me;” for although He is the Lord of the prophets, yet He became like Moses. * Moses used to talk with God in an exalted way; as it is said of him: “If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision, and I speak to him in a dream. Not so with My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My house. I speak with him face to face, Even plainly, and not in dark sayings. And he sees the form of the Lord”(Numbers 12:6-8). “But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face” (Deuteronomy 34:10). Whereas, concerning Jesus Christ, the Son of God and His Word, “He is in the Father, and the Father is in Him” (John 14:10). His realization of the will of God is perfect (John 5:20, 21). * While Moses is the one who provided Israel with the Law; and who saved them from the servitude of Pharaoh; the Lord Christ is the Teacher of mankind, and the Savior of the world from the servitude of the devil. * While Moses is the founder of the new ordinance for the people, by exalted signs and wonders, the Lord Christ came to the world to set the New Testament, by His exalted divine might. * While Moses was faithful, yet as a servant (Numbers 12:7); The Lord Christ, on the other hand, was the “Only-Begotten Son.” “Moses was faithful in all His house, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken of afterwards; but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast to the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end” (Hebrew 3:5, 6). * Moses stood as an intercessor between God and His people, as we saw in Deuteronomy 5:5. Whereas the Lord Christ was, being the Mediator who is One in essence with the Father, He carried us as members in His body, and reconciled us with His Father. “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1 Timothy 3:5, 6). But there is a great difference between the two mediations: The first was a mediator to gain the divine promise through the ministry of the copy and 14 shadow of the heavenly things; whereas the second has brought us into heaven itself. And as the apostle Paul says: “who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said: ‘See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’ But now, He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also a Mediator of a better covenant which was established on better promises” (Hebrew 8:5, 6). * Moses was privileged over the other prophets, in that he talked to God mouth to mouth (Numbers 12:6-8). Whereas Christ, who is in the bosom of the Father, came down from heaven to declare the Father (John 1:18; 3:13). * Moses performed exalted signs and wonders in the name of the Lord, whereas Christ performed several signs by His own command. St. John, testifying to his inability to count the works of Christ, ended his gospel saying: “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself couldn’t contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25). * While Moses acted the roles of a king and a leader, Christ, came as the King of kings and the Lord of lords (Revelation 19; 16; 1 Timothy 6:16). * In the whole history of humanity, no one presented the divine Law, except the prophet Moses and the Lord Christ. Moses received the Law when the people were disturbed and afraid, because of the fire and the mountain filled with smoke; whereas the Lord Christ came to grant a grace above grace, presenting both the truth and the grace together (John 1:14). (4) He says: “I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command Him” (18). Although the Lord Christ is Himself the Word of God; yet, having incarnated, He submitted in obedience to consummate the will of His Father concerning us, which is the same as His will. That is why we do not marvel that, when they said: “’How does this man know letters, having never studied?’ Jesus answered them and said: ‘My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him” (John 7:15-18). Therefore, that great promise has been realized, and the “Prophet” came; the great Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. The words uttered by Moses, the great among the prophets, could not apply except to the Person of the Lord Christ; about whom it is said that He is like him. Whereas about Moses, it was said: “But since then there has not arisen in Israel, a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, in all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, and by all the mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of Israel” (Deuteronomy 34:10-12). Thus, if there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, how can God raise a prophet like him, except by the coming of Him who is his Lord and who became like him? He gives a warning against the false prophets; even after the coming of Christ, false prophets would come; and He tells us not to fear the false prophet (18-20). The prophet Moses speaks about Christ, saying: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren, Him you shall hear” (15). Therefore, whoever disobeys Him is disobeying the Law1. 1 Commentary on Galat. 2 15 St. John Chrysostom Anticipating the coming of a special Prophet, they did not ask John the Baptist: ‘Are you a prophet?’ meaning, ‘Are you one of the regular prophets?’ but their question was: “Are you the prophet?” (John 1:21), adding the article “the;” meaning, ‘Are you the prophet about whom Moses told us?’ That is why, John did not deny that he is ‘a prophet,’ but refused to be called ‘the prophet1.’ St. John Chrysostom He is like him; namely, body-wise, and not exaltness-wise. That is why the Lord Jesus was called ‘the prophet2.’ St. Augustine “According to all you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die. And the Lord said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good.’ ‘I will raise up from them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put my words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it from him. But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die. And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ – ‘when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him” (Deuteronomy 18:16-22) God wished to encounter with every man personally, and to speak with him face to face; but because no man could look at the glory of God and live; he cried out, saying, “Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die;” That is why the divine proclamation to men, had to be realized through some man; and that is why God has spoken to the prophet Moses on the Mount of Sinai in the midst of the fire, for the sake of the whole people. Thus, God sent, from one generation to another, a prophet or more, to whom God spoke on behalf of His people; until the time came for the Word of God Himself to appear as a Prophet like Moses; though He is the Lord of the prophets; then man could encounter with God, and speak to Him. The world was in need for the divine proclamation, not only through Christ, but also in Him. Although He spoke to the multitude like one of them; yet He proclaimed His glory only to a few “to Peter, James, and John” on the Mount of Tabor, in His transfiguration; and brought up Moses and Elijah to testify to Him as representative of the Law and the prophets. 1 In John, hom. 16. 2 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tract. 15:23. 16 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY (Chapter 18) THE MINISTERS OF GOD AND THE MINISTERS OF THE DEVIL The keys of my heart are in Your hands. Open up, come in, and dwell in my depths. Let Your true ministers also come in with You. To proclaim Your word, hiding in Your commandment. To find their comfort in Your Kingdom in me. Close up the gates of my heart by the keys of the truth. So that no false prophet would enter, nor an abomination would sneak in. I will not ask anyone else but You. The devil and his angels will have no place in me. The believers have waited long for your coming. Adam together with Eve waited for You. The patriarchs and the prophets anticipated Your coming. At last You came to our world. And turned our earth into heaven. You gave Your blood an atonement for the whole world. Yes, Come in into the inner world of my heart. Proclaim Your dwelling in my depths. I waited too long for You, the Savior of my soul.
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