What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 18:19? And I will hold accountable God Himself promises personal oversight in this matter. • He is the ultimate Judge (Romans 14:12; Hebrews 4:13). • Accountability is not abstract; Acts 17:31 says He “has set a day” for it. • Because Scripture is accurate and literal, we can read this as a sure pledge, not a vague warning. anyone who does not listen No exemptions, no favoritism. • “Anyone” includes Israel, the nations, and every generation (Acts 10:34–35). • Peter quotes this line and warns, “Every soul who does not listen to that Prophet shall be cut off” (Acts 3:23). • The Father’s command at the Transfiguration was, “Listen to Him!” (Mark 9:7). to My words The focus is not on opinions but on God’s own speech. • His words are life and peace (Deuteronomy 32:46–47). • Jesus said, “The word I have spoken will judge him on the last day” (John 12:48–50). • 2 Timothy 3:16 affirms every word is God-breathed and therefore binding. that the prophet speaks The context (Deuteronomy 18:15–18) points to “a Prophet like you from among their brothers,” ultimately fulfilled in Christ. • Moses was a type; Jesus is the greater reality (Hebrews 3:1–6). • Prophets did not invent messages; God “put My words in his mouth” (Deuteronomy 18:18). • Rejecting the prophet is rejecting the One who sent him (Luke 10:16). in My name To speak “in My name” means under God’s full authority. • Jeremiah 1:9: “I have put My words in your mouth.” • Jesus came “in My Father’s name” (John 5:43), perfectly embodying this principle. • Because the name represents God’s character, spurning it is a direct affront to Him (Exodus 20:7). summary Deuteronomy 18:19 is a solemn, literal promise: God will personally call to account every person who refuses to heed His divinely authorized messenger. Since Jesus is the climactic Prophet who speaks the Father’s very words in the Father’s name, listening to Him is not optional; it is the decisive issue that determines our standing before God. |
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