Sunday Morning Bible Study 9/6/2009

Prophets, Priests, & Kings

Deuteronomy 17:14-18:22
I. Observation
A. Concerning Kings (17:14-20)
• Motive for choosing a king: “Let us set a king over us like all the nations around us.” (v.14)
• Qualifications
• Appointed by God – “...the king the Lord your God chooses...” (v. 15)
• Israelite – “from among your own brothers...do not place a foreigner over you.” (v. 15)
• Conduct
• Must not pursue material wealth for himself (horses – v. 16, gold or silver – v. 17)
• Must not send the people back to Egypt, especially to obtain possessions for himself (v. 16)
• Must not take many wives (or his heart will be led astray)
• Must write for himself a copy of the law, keep it with him, and read it all the days of his life. (v. 18-19)
B. Concerning Priests (18:1-8)
• Levites, whether priests or not, had no inheritance with Israel; the Lord is their inheritance. (v. 18:1-2)
• Priests: “the special class of qualified ministering priests chosen from among the whole tribe of Levi” (Ryrie)
• They shall live on the offerings made to the Lord...
• From a bull or sheep: the shoulder, jowls, and inner parts
• Firstfruits of the Israelites' grain, new wine, and oil.
• First wool from the shearing of the Israelites' sheep.
• Levites living in the towns among the rest of Israel who desired to serve in the temple would be allowed to do so and
would share equally in the provisions for all those serving in the temple.
C. Concerning Prophets (18:9-22)
• Detestable Practices of the Canaanites: Divination and Sorcery
• Human Sacrifice, Interpretation of Omens, Witchcraft, Casting Spells, being a Medium or Spiritualist, or
seeking to consult with the dead. The nations of Canaan looked to these false prophets instead of to God.
• The Coming of the True Prophet: Messiah foretold
• Raised up by God, Like Moses, From among the Israelites, Speaks for God,
• Anyone who does not listen to him will be held accountable to God for their disbelief.
• False Prophets were to be put to death
• If they claimed to speak for God, but were not commanded to do so OR they speak in name of other gods.
• Test: If what they proclaim in the name of God does not come true, then they are a false prophet.
II. Interpretation
• What aspects of God's character do we see illustrated in this passage?

• How are the descriptions of an Israelite king different from other worldly kings? How are expectations different?

• Why was the king supposed to write, keep, & read a copy of the law? What fruit was this supposed to produce in him?

• Are there similarities between the Levites of the Old Testament and Christians of the New Testament (& us)?

• How does this passage point to Christ? How is God setting the stage for the coming of the Messiah?

III. Application
• God's Word is the basis for wisdom and justice. Truth is not found in the minds of men, but in the Words of God.
• Our inheritance is not of this world, but of eternity with Christ in Heaven (see Matthew 6:19-21)
• Just as the Israelites waited expectantly for Messiah, we too ought to be eagerly expecting Christ's return.

MYA 2.0, A ministry of Metropolitan Baptist Church, OKC, OK (http://www.mbcokc.org)