There were 2 kinds of prophets which Moses warned the people
about. One kind had power, but the wrong message. Another could have an
innocuous message, but had no power. A true prophet of God had to pass both
tests. He had to have a message
consistent with the messages of the former prophets who had already been proven
to be legitimate ... and he had to have real power to validate his message.
This "litmus test" was very important when Jesus came. Those folk who
claimed to have so much reverence for the words of Moses should have been
obligated by their own standards to accept the validity of Jesus' claims. He
stayed consistent with the former prophecies like nobody had ever done before;
and, His immeasurable power proved that God was with Him.
Now, when the antichrist comes, he will have great power,
but his message will contradict all former revelations. According to this
chapter, a false prophet, friend, family member, group or culture that leads
people away from God is worthy of death. Even so, the antichrist will be worthy
of nothing except death... and that will indeed be his end.
In the days of Moses, everybody associated with idolatry...
as well as all of their belongings... were supposed to be destroyed without
pity. Thankfully God hasn't given me (and, I can safely say, won't be giving
me) the responsibility of executing that kind of justice, but that doesn't mean
that I don't recognize the reality of His impending wrath against all idolatry.
Whether now or later, all idolatry will garner more than enough negative
justice from our God, whose name is Jealous (Exodus 34:14). No wonder in the NT
Paul was still willing to declare with simple urgency, "Flee
idolatry" (I Corinthians 10:14).
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