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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Deuteronomy 18:15 - 18:19
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Of the Coming Great Prophet
v. 15. The Lord, 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. With great abruptness, as it is characteristic of prophecy, Noses here foretells the coming of a great, a singular Prophet. This great Prophet would arise by the special direction of the Lord, sent by Him for a particular purpose. Unto Israel would He come, for the benefit, for the salvation, of the people of the Lord. He would not be a strange, a new creature, not sent from the world of angels or from any other sphere, but would arise from the midst of Israel, a descendant of Israel according to the flesh, a true human being. Like unto Moses this great Prophet would be, and yet exceeding Him in endowments from on high, filled with the Spirit of God without measure, the one final Mediator between God and man. For Him Moses bespeaks full and absolute obedience, to wit, hearing for the purpose of applying the word and acting accordingly.
v. 16. According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord, thy God, in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord, my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not, Exo_20:19.
v. 17. And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. Moses had even at that time received the Revelation concerning this wonderful Prophet who was to bring them a message of glory and beauty instead of that which struck terror to their hearts.
v. 18. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put My words in His mouth, impart to Rim the message which He desired to have delivered to His people; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him. His word would be invested with unconditional certainty.
v. 19. And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto My words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. With the greatest emphasis the necessity of yielding unquestioning obedience to this great Prophet and His message is urged. The punishment of the disobedient is contained in the words referring to an account which will be asked, namely, on the Day of Judgment. That this prophecy is a Messianic promise is clear in the light of the New Testament, Luk_9:35; Act_3:22; Act_7:37; Heb_1:1-2; it sets forth Jesus Christ as the great Prophet of the New Testament.