1. God’s Word through the Prophets

Today we will examine God’s words recorded in the book of Deuteronomy. Jesus often read this book and referred to it many times during the course of his teachings. For example, when Jesus was asked which is the most important law commandment, He answered the question by referring to Deuteronomy 6:4, “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength’” (Mark 12:29-30).

Furthermore Jesus rejected the first temptation from Satan by reciting Deuteronomy 8:3, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’” (Luke 4:4)

Deuteronomy is written in a form of a compilation of commandments given by Moses, when the Israelites entered the promised land of Canaan, beyond the Jordan river. The Jordan river was the boundary line between the desert and fertile country. Idolatrous worship were practiced on the east side of the river, on the top of mountains or under huge trees. They built porticoes to revere Baal and Asherah,* gods of fertility. In their temples male and female prostitutes served to the sexual desire of idolaters. Baal and Asherah represented lust itself. Similar idolatries seemed to spread generally all over the region.

Deuteronomy consists of five major parts, the centrepiece of which is the list of laws and regulations in 12:1 - 26:15), covering matters of worship, administration of justice , and family life. For instance, the followers verse is one of instruction: “But you will cross the Jordan and settle in the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, and he will give you rest from all your enemies around you so that you will live in safety” (Deut. 12:10).

This verse warns against Idolatry and pagan shrines: “You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods” (Deut. 12:31).

We find yet another similar command in today’s chosen text: “When you enter the land the lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there” (Deut. 18:9).

“The detestable ways of the nations, “indicates the practice of pagan rites. Idolaters sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. This list of such illegal activities is headed by a further warning against infanticide, already referred to in 12:31). Telling fortunes by uttering mysterious oracles, interpreting signs on animal entrails, casting spells, or consulting with ghosts of dead people were some of the ways by which practitioners could claim knowledge of individual destinies (Deut. 18:10-11).

In fact, the majority of Japanese people go to Shintoist shrines or Buddhist temples to offer donations in exchange for physical and mental healing, or material privilege. Humans seem attracted, or have a general inclination to supernatural events, which might bring forth earthly comforts. We, Christians also have a tendency to distort God’s words according to our own wishes. Throughout human history, and still today, there are religions and sects which offer reassurance, secular prosperity, and wealth. They still attract many followers, even today.

But Deuteronomy compels us to reject those false beliefs: “The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so” (Deut. 18:14). God is God, and humans are just His creatures, who would never be able to change God’s will. So how can we know and follow God’s will? It is through the prophets’ mouth, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him” (Deut. 18:15).

Prophets communicate God’s words to humans: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him” (Deut. 18:18).

2. Warning against false prophets

Nonetheless, not all prophets authentically reveal the truth of God’s words. Because very often humans are reluctant to listen to harsh words of judgement. In contrast, these self-made prophets take a rather consoling approach to their teachings, applying a sweet talking attitude. This approach receives a warm response because most people do not want to hear the truth.

False prophets are severely condemned: “But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death” (Deut. 18:20). Speaking as a prophet in the name of some other god was a self- evident mark of presumption as falsity.

God’s words have such importance and righteousness that they deserve such a strong condemnation. There is always the need to distinguish between the genuine and the false. “If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him” (Deut. 18:22). Ultimately the test of true prophecy depends on its conformity to the facts of real life and history.

In 597 B.C. Babylonian forces occupied Israel and the Jewish leaders were brought to Babylon. This was the first Babylonian captivity. Yet, despite that, the people who remained in Jerusalem did not accept that this painful event was really a punishment from God. They sought emancipation from Babylonian domination with Egyptian support. At that time many of Jewish prophets said the independence from Babylon was God’s will. But Jeremiah, a real prophet of God, objected categorically, and challenged another prophet about his preaching:

“Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies. Therefore, this is what the lord says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you are going to die, because you have preached rebellion against the Lord.’” (Jer. 28:15-17). In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died.

Even today, foolish prophets often pretend that our societies are peaceful, even though there is no real peace in the secular world. Their attitude is like putting plaster on the surface of fissured walls, the damage to which will be sadly revealed after a steady fall of rain. Then, not only the false prophets but also those who follow them will be exposed and pulled down.

Israel committed that very mistake. Israelites, by believing in false prophecies, revolted against Babylon. That action resulted in the second invasion of Jerusalem by Babylon. The Holy city was demolished and burned. Jewish people received the ultimate judgement of God and many of them died. The kingdom of Israel disappeared.

3. Message from History

Today’s invocation verses are Ezekiel 13:3, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!”

“Prophets” in the Old Testament might be almost equivalent to Pastors in the present time. From that point of view we feel that the Jewish history we have been speaking about is much closer to our present lives. Karl Barth** too, a Swiss theologian, criticized Pastors who sought to make believers complacent :

“Although a pastor considers himself to be a messenger of the good news about Christ and a servant of God, he works only for humans. He mistakes himself for a representative of God’s words. But, in reality, he teaches in favor of public opinion or socially respected persons. Being Christian might be comfortable for us because it gives us amiable aspects. Nonetheless we must recognize there is no peaceful concession between the Holy Spirit and secular existences. Therefore teachings¡¡which give false illusion of the fusion of God’s will and humans’ is meaningless. Because the life in God’s kingdom and another in this earthy world are completely apart. So making efforts to dissimulate gulfs in human relation ships by using religion is worthless. It should be the same to pasting smoothing plaster on the surface of fissured wall. If you decide, after listening to this lecture, not to go to church anymore or think you have no need of pastors, it might be a probable choice. But there is also a possibility to be convinced and grasped by God’s will inside such a very church. We can not take two opposite alternatives. We must choose one.”

Very severe remarks but true. When we try to listen and reflect sincerely on God’s words and promises, normally all of us would find great difficulties in understanding. At the beginning of Jesus’ ministries, many of his followers were those cured of illness or disabilities by Him. But, once Jesus rejected the crowd’s request to be their king, who should free them from poverty and Roman domination by restoring David’s kingdom, they commenced to hate and insult Him. They called for His crucifixion. The fact reveals that no peaceful concession between the Holy Spirit and humans are possible.

Historic Prophets had characteristics very similar to Pastors of modern societies. As Pastors are human beings they run the risk of presuming God’s words translated into their own language. Thus, audiences must evaluate their Pastor’s teaching by observing if the speeches are communicated in divine words or not. The checking point is whether Pastors are faithful to what they teach, or not. If a Pastor compels believers to donate their tithe, while he omits to do so, he must be portrayed as a false prophet.

While teaching not to commit adultery, while he has sexual desires for a women who is not his wife - he fails the test of authenticity as a prophet. One who receives the calling to be a Pastor should not serve and belong to the earthly world, but the Church of Jesus Christ.

And believers should better listen to a Pastors’ words to see if they teach and bring forth a genuine message from God. Otherwise, “If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account” (Deut. 18:19).

Paul too predicted the arrival of false prophets: “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

As long as we refuse to face reality and truth, we won’t be recipients of God’s salvation. The Pastor communicates a messages received from God, which gives listeners the opportunity to realise their sinful existence, and seek repentance. That is the very meaning of attending the worship service each Sunday.

Kawano Shin, a Japanese Pastor, wrote a poem of such relevance: “There are prayers we can pray, there are miracles we can believe in, there are words we can listen to, there are sacred places we can approach, there are faces we can look up to, only through our sufferings. Without pain we would not even be human.”

It is true, without exception, that we can understand the reality of truth and divine words only through suffering and pain. God is God and humans are humans. Nonetheless God loves and blesses us, humans. When we feel the warmth of God’s love and His righteousness, we have arrived at a place of spiritual tranquility, calm and peace.
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Notes:
* Baal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baal
Asherah http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asherah
**Karl Barth -
http://books.google.com/books?id=8JWw3JV7-IkC&pg=PA21&lpg=PA21&dq=KArl+Barth+Safenwil&source=web&ots=vK0DKd_4V3&sig=s1sQnCLzYcRX05f8CKDidlq2Mzw&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=10&ct=result