“Listen To The Prophet!”

“Listen To The Prophet!”(Dt.18:15-19).
In Bali Nyonga when a successor is presented the people say, “It is only bent, it has not been broken.” This is to say there is assurance of continuity. Assurance of continuity means nobody is indispensible. The best as well as the worst leaders still exit the stage at God’s own time.
So it turned out that Moses the charismatic and astute leader, after forty years of the exodus wanderings was told by God to prepare himself to exit the stage.
During those last days God told Moses, “Go up to the top of Pisgah…Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan. But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see…”(Dt.3:27-28).
When Moses was made to know that he was not going to enter the promised land, he was given series of instructions to pass on to the people. (We should note that the promised land was not barren land). The Israelites were to dispossess the original inhabitants. Those people practiced sorcery or divination. But for his people the LORD did not permit them to follow that practice.
Rather, “The LORD will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him…I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.”
So to say, prophets have a responsibility to tell the people everything the LORD commands and the people have the duty to listen. In other words, the work of the good shepherd is appreciable, thanks to an obedient flock.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the fulfilment of the Messianic expectation of prophetic foretelling. He is the chief of all prophets and the high point of all prophecies. Jesus is the centre point of prophecies. Prophets after Jesus Christ, just like prophets before him can only prophesy what points to Jesus as the Christ. Any prophecies contrary to this are figments of one’s imagination!
Dear friend, the LORD will always raise prophets who show us Christ and lead us to him. Let us listen to them! But let us always pray for discernment so as to be able to distinguish between God’s prophets and sorcerers or diviners in the guise of prophets. “Caveat Emptor!” “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world…”(I Jn.4:1-3).
Prayer of the week: LORD raise for us prophets who are your mouthpiece and give us willing and listening spirits. Amen!
Welcome back to a new working day and week! Have a blessed day and week! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.