Deuteronomy 18:9-14 p3

The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet

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"THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE NATIONS ARE TO BE AVOIDED."

Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.
He who does good is of God,
but he who does evil has not seen God.
John 1:11

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Deuteronomy 18:9-14
(9) When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

From verse 9 we find three things:

I. Come into the Land: The Promised Land (Gen:32:24-32)

Covenant made with Abraham (Gen:15:7-18) Isaac (Gen:17:19-21) Jacob Israel (Gen:28:13-14)

Psalms 89:3-4 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

II. Thou shalt not learn: Idolatry

Consists of: Bowing down to, worshipping, sacrificing to images. Worshipping, swearing by, walking after, speaking in the name of, looking to, serving, fearing, sacrificing to other gods. Worshipping the true God by an image. Worshipping angels or the host of heaven. Worshipping demons and dead men. Setting up idols in the heart, covetousness, sensuality.

Exodus 20:2-3 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before Me.

III. of those Nations: The Canaanites

Canaan means = "lowland"
The 4th son of Ham and the progenitor of the Phoenicians and of the various nations who peopled the seacoast of Palestine. The land west of the Jordan peopled by the descendants of Canaan and subsequently conquered by the Israelites under Joshua.

• Descended from Ham (Gen:10:6)
  
• An accursed race (Gen:9:25-26)
  

The 11 Nations of the Canaanites: (Gen:10:15-19)

Canaan became the father of Sidon his firstborn, and Heth and the Jebusite and the Amorite and the Girgashite and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite;

and afterward the families of the Canaanite were spread abroad. The territory of the Canaanite extended from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; as you go toward Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.

(10-11) There shall not be found among you any one that: his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

From verse 10 and 11 we find that these nations were practicing idolatry long before the Mosaic law was given to Moses. Why did God give this command to the Israelites?

Exodus 14:2 for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

A brief look back at the contest between Moses and Pharaoh.

1. (Exodus 7:8-12) And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent (most likely means crocodile). Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

2. (Exodus 7:20-22) And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. : And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.

3. (Exodus 8:16-19) And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

The magicians were able to duplicate the turning of the rod into a serpent and water being turned into blood

Why the plagues on Egypt?

They were God's battle with the gods of Egypt. Each plague was directed against a particular god in Egypt.

Exodus 12:12 For I will pass though the land of Egypt this night, and I will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, both men and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD

The Nine Plagues of Egypt

1. The Nile was turned to blood - The Nile was the lifeblood of Egypt and sacred to Osiris.
2. Frogs - Heka was the frog-headed goddess. It was an offense to the goddess to kill frogs.
3. Lice - Geb was the earth god.
4. Flies (beatles or scarabs) - were sacred to Ra (the sun god), Ra-Ammon, and Khepara. Gold scarabs have beeen found in tombs.
5. Murrain on the cattle - Egypt was a land of "zoo-ology". They worshipped animals. Apis was the black bull that was worshipped. Mumified bulls have been found in a pyramid near Memphis, Egypt. There is a note of humor that God injects here. Imagine the Egyptians worshipping a sick cow!
6. Boils - The priest had to be spotless. The could not serve in their temples with boils.
7. Hail - Egypt is a land of no rainfall. There is less than one inch a year in Cairo. Isis was the goddess of the air.
8. Locusts are a judgment from God (compare locusts in Joel and Revelation).
9. Darkness - Egyptians worshipped the sun (Ra).

Death of the firstborn - the firstborn in Egypt were set aside for the service of the gods.

(12) For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

Deuteronomy 12:31 You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

(13) Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.

Without hypocrisy or mixture or false religion.

(14) For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

CHRIST THE PROPHET IS TO BE HEARD.

In Part 4 of this series, we will compare the Priesthood and the Prophets of Israel with those of the surrounding nations and why God ordained these two holy offices for His choosen people and the world.

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