The Pulpit Commentary — Deuteronomy — Section 318

necromancy, consultation of familiar spirits, etc., ho givrs something better-some- thing that will lawfully supply the craving which these superstitions unlawfully souc,ht to gratify. The soul: 1. Cmves for a knowledge of God's will. 2. Desires guida~ce in criLical times of life. 3. Ponders anxiously its relations to the invisible world and to the future. 4. Feels its personal unfitness for intercourse with God. These cravings were the strength of heathen sorcery, etc., and they were provided for in prophecy. '!'his, it may be noticed, is throughout a characteristic of revelation-it does not simply remove the bad, but provides for the supply of the cravings to which the bad appeals. -J.O. Vers. 15-19.-The Prophet lilce unto Moses. These chapters bring before us prophet. priest, and king-offices pointing forward to and culminating in Christ. Christ is <listinctively, and in the complete sense, the Prophet like unto Moses (Acts iii. 22), Christ and Moses were alike- I. As FOUNDERS OF DISPENSATIONS. It was the greatness of Moses that he was employed by God in inaugurating a new era in the history of his kingdom-in intro- ducing a new order of things-in settling the foundations of a new economy. In this respect he stood at the head of the Old Testament line of prophets, and in a sense stood apart from them. "The Law was given by Moses" (John i. 17). He had the ordering and settling of the "house" of God in the form in which it was to last till Christ came, who, "as a Son over his own house," would revise its arrangements and reconstitute it on a new and better basis (Heb. iii. 2-7). Prophets subsequent to l\:loses stood within the lines of the economy already established. They could enforce and maintain, but while predicting the advent of a new age in which great changes would be wroi1ght, they had no authority of themselves to introduce such changes. It was reserved for Christ to "change times and seasons," and so to alter and remodel Mosaic institutions, or supersede them by new ones, or abolish them by giving the substance for the shadow, as to place the Church upon a permanent and moveless basis, an<l adapt it for the reception of the Gentile nations. II. IN THE FREEDOM OF INTERCOURSE WHICH THEY ENJOYED WITH GoD, Moses enjoyed, as was necessary, the freest intercourse with heaven. God spake with him, not in a vision, or dream, or in dark speeches, but "mouth to mouth" (Numb. xii. 6-9), "face to fac,e" (eh. xxxiv. 10). This is made, in the passage last quoted, a feature of distinction between Moses and later prophets in Israel. In Christ, this peculiarity of the relation of Moses tci God reappears in higher form. Intercourse with the Father reaches the highest degree of closeness and intimacy, the Son being in the Father, and the Father in the Son (John xiv. 10). Christ'R insight into his Father's will was perfect (John v. 20, 21). His communion with the Father was habitual and uninterrupted. The New Testament apostle~, in an inferior degree, shared in this higher footing, were habitually possessed by the Spirit, and spoke and wrote under bis calm and abiding influence. III. As MEDIATING BETWEEN THE PEOPLE AND GoD. (Vers. 16-18.) It wa8 when the people were deeply couscious of their need of a mediator that this promise was vouchsafed. It bad only, as regards n1ediation, a very inferior application to the Old Testament prophets. The fulness of its meaning comes to view in Christ. These points involve others, as e.g. the resemblance between Christ and Moses: 1. In the degree of authority with which they were clothed, and in the mighty signs and wonders which authenticated their mission (eh. xxxiv. 11). 2. Jn the fulness and grandeur of the revelations made through them. 3. In the severe penalties attaching to disobedience to their words (ver. 19; Acts iii. 23; Heb. ii. 1-5; x, 28, 29).-J. 0. Vera. 20-22.-Thefalse prophet. The failure of the word of a prophet was decisive proof that he had not spoken by Divine inspiration. Had his word not failed, it would not havo followed that he was a true prophet, but it showed conclusively th,\t he was a false one when his word did fail. I. CERTAINTY OF FULFILMENT IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF GoD'S WORDS. If e.g. the prophecies of tho Scriptures could bo shown to have been falsified by events, it would, by the rule laid down in this fundamental prophetic charter, conclusively disprove their claims to inspiration. It is vain to think of defending the inspiration oi the  316 'ttIE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY. [cu. xvnt. 1-22.