Deuteronomy 18 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study

Deuteronomy 18 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• Moses’ speech, recorded in the opening chapters of Deuteronomy, occurred immediately following the Israelites’ 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.  

• The Israelites were in the wilderness from approximately 1490-1450 B.C.

• The Book of Deuteronomy opens on the 1st day of the 11th month in the 40th year (Deu 1:3) following the Israelites departure from Egypt (approximately 1450 B.C.).

CHARACTERS:

• Israelites (Hebrews) – The descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God granted them freedom after several hundred years in slavery in Egypt. Leading up to the book of Deuteronomy, the Israelites had spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness as they made their way to Canaan, the land God promised to give them as a home.

• Moses – Moses was selected by God to lead the Israelites to Canaan. God spoke directly to Moses and Moses communicated God’s words and laws to the people.    

• Levites – The Levites were a special tribe of the Israelites who were dedicated to serving God and caring for the holy items used in God’s worship.  

WHERE:

• Deuteronomy 1:5 tells us Moses spoke the words recorded in Deuteronomy while in Moab, probably on the plains of Moab near Pisgah (Numbers 22:1).

OUTLINE:

• INCOME AND FOOD FOR THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES (18:1-8):

  • The priests from the tribe of Levi would not receive a portion of the promised land like those from the other tribes.

  • This was because they were set apart for service to God.

  • However, the priests received a portion of the sacrifices offered to God.

  • If an ox or sheep was sacrificed, the priest doing the sacrificing received the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the stomach of the animal.

  • Additionally, the Israelites were to give the first part of their grain, wine, and oil harvest to the priests along with the first fleece from their sheep.

  • When a Levite left his home to serve the Lord at God’s appointed place of worship, the Levites who were already ministering there were to share an equal portion of their food with him.   

• ABOMINABLE PRACTICES (18:9-14):

  • Israel was not to get involved in the “abominable practices” of the nations who lived in the land before them.

  • These practices included: sacrificing children, divination, fortune telling, interpreting omens, sorcery, charms, being a medium, necromancy, and “inquiring of the dead.”

• A FUTURE PROPHET LIKE MOSES (18:15-19):

  • Moses told the people the Lord was going to send a prophet like him in the future.

  • The people were to heed the words of this future prophet because they would be the words of God.

• TEST FOR FALSE PROPHETS (18:20-23):

  • False prophets would arise and claim to have a divine prophecy.

  • God gave a simple test for the Israelites to find out if these prophets were genuine.

  • If a prophet made a mistake or prophesied something that didn’t happen, he was to be immediately dismissed as a fraud. Genuine prophets did not make mistakes because they received their information directly from God.

APPLICATION:

• Most people interpret Moses’ words in Deuteronomy 18:15 to be a reference to Jesus.

• There are a lot of parallels between the work of Moses and the work of Jesus.

• Moses led the people out of slavery in Egypt. Jesus leads people out of slavery to sin.

• Moses led the people through a watery salvation in the Red Sea. Jesus leads His disciples to salvation through baptism (1 Corinthians 10:2).

• Moses led the Israelites to a land of promised rest. Jesus leads the saints to a Heaven of rest.

• Moses delivered the law of God to the people (God’s Old Covenant/Testament). Jesus came as the Word of God (John 1:1) and shared God’s New Covenant/Testament with mankind.