Deuteronomy 13: False Dreamers and Prophets
1 “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for Yahweh your God is testing you to know whether you love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after Yahweh your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. 5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which Yahweh your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.
“Heretics have their pythanology, their good words and fair speeches, wherein they can vent a spittle of diseased opinions, and whereby they deceive the hearts of the simple.” (John Trapp) But Moses here “shows that the chiefest and most certain character of a true prophet, is to be taken from his doctrine rather than from his miracles... For although when such a sign or wonder foretold did not follow or come to pass, it was a sign of a false prophet, as is said, Deuteronomy 18:22, yet when it did come to pass, it was no sufficient or infallible sign of a true one, especially in such a case when he brings in new gods.” (Matthew Poole)
“To those who know not the deceitfulness of the human heart, or the melancholy state of blindness and ignorance to which we are fallen, the precept in this verse may appear strange. But Reader! danger of deception concerning true and false prophets was not peculiar to the Israelites. Observe what Paul saith of the last times concerning apostacy, and then pause over the subject, and pray for grace to resist every temptation of this kind. See 1 Timothy 4:1.” (Hawker's Poor Man's Comm.)
“‘If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams,’— “The introduction of חלום חלם , ‘a dreamer of dreams,’ along with the prophet, answers the two media of divine revelation, the vision and the dream, by which, according to Numbers 12:6, God made known His will.” (Keil & Delitzsch)— “and to come from Him with a message from Him, a new revelation or doctrine...—- ’and he gives you a sign or a wonder.’ for the confirmation of his mission and doctrine; such as Moses wrought before the children of Israel and before Pharaoh.“ (John Gill)— “‘and the sign or the wonder comes to pass,’ For so it may happen by divine permission, for the exposing and shame of hypocrites; as when Jannes and Jambres turned water into blood,… [Exodus 7:22]” (John Trapp)
If such a deceiver comes with power, “saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ You shall walk after Yahweh your God and fear Him,"- A special antidote against apostasy from the truth, [2 Peter 3:17-18] whereas those that have ‘put away a good conscience, do, as concerning faith, easily make shipwreck.’ [1 Timothy 1:19]” (John Trapp) You shall walk— not “with God” as “Enoch walked with God”; nor “before” Him as Abraham walked—
But you shall walk "AFTER Him- "In harmony with the very frequent expression of the Old Testament about ‘going after idols,’ so Israel here is to ‘go after’ Yahweh their God.” … If I walk after God, then I let Him go before me and show me my road. Do you remember how, when the ark was to cross Jordan, the commandment was given to the Israelites to let it go well on in front, so that there could be no mistake about the course, ‘for ye have not passed this way heretofore.’ Do not be in too great a hurry to press upon the heels of God, if I may so say. Do not let your decisions outrun His providence. Keep back the impatience that would hurry on, and wait for His ripening purposes to ripen and His counsels to develop themselves. Walk after God, and be sure you do not go in front of your Guide, or you will lose both your way and your Guide.” (A. Maclaren)
And you shall “‘keep His commandments’ God has given commands ‘Thou shalt’; ‘Thou shalt not.’ The fear of God impels to the keeping of these…— ‘and obey His voice;’ Even when His way seems enigmatic, and also when He gives special intimations of His will besides the commands laid down, just as He led Israel by ways they knew not, etc. … —‘you shall serve Him,’ i.e. we must not be autocrats, but servants of God only… ‘and cleave unto him,’ i.e. ye shall seek His presence with burning desires, and with deepest love and warmth of heart and spirit..." (J. C. Blumhardt)
“‘But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death,’ etc. This power is still in the Christian magistrate, to inflict capital punishment on gross heretics.” (John Trapp) There has been many a so-called dreamer or prophet who claimed to be transported to heaven to see things which no true prophet of Israel has seen. The result is a Christless theology and the end thereof is death. We cannot allow such teachings in our congregations at the expense of neglect of the way. We are to put them out of the church and thus “deliver such an one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” (1 Corinthians 5:5) “The object of this punishment was the destruction of the flesh, and the salvation of the man.” (C. J. Ellicott)
Deuteronomy 13: Idolators Among Close Relations
6 “If your brother, the son of your mother, your son or your daughter, the wife of your bosom, or your friend who is as your own soul, secretly entices you, saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which you have not known, neither you nor your fathers, 7 of the gods of the people which are all around you, near to you or far off from you, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth, 8 you shall not consent to him or listen to him, nor shall your eye pity him, nor shall you spare him or conceal him; 9 but you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. 10 And you shall stone him with stones until he dies, because he sought to entice you away from Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 11 So all Israel shall hear and fear, and not again do such wickedness as this among you.
“The reason why idolatry was punished with death was this, that the Hebrew government was a theocracy; and the unity of the Godhead being a fundamental law of the state, idolatry was treason; which in every kingdom is regarded as the highest crime, and visited with capital punishment.” (Jamieson, Faussett, Brown) The law had just been stated (13:1-5); and here it is revealed that no partiality was to be shown.
If these closest relations—“your brother, ‘the son of thy mother’: this is added to restrain the signification of the word brother, which is oft used generally for one near akin, and to express the nearness of the relation, the mother’s side being the surest, and usually the ground of the truest and most fervent affection. See Genesis 20:12; ‘or thy daughter’; thy piety must overcome both thy affection to thy nearest relation, and thy compassion to the weaker sex; ‘the wife of thy bosom’; …that is near to thy heart, that hath thy dearest love; 'or your friend who is as your own soul’; as dear to thee as thyself.” (Matthew Poole) “A modern poet, speaking of two [such] friends, says beautifully: ‘Like objects pleas'd them, and like objects pain'd’ & 'Twas but one soul that in two bodies reigned.’” (Thomas Coke)- as was the case of Jonathan and David.
If these “‘secretly entice you,’ in a work of darkness “saying, ‘Let us go and serve other gods,’ which you have not known, neither you nor your fathers—‘of the gods nigh unto thee or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth [or land],even unto the other...’ i.e., whatever gods there might be upon the whole circuit of the earth [or Canaan].” (Keil & Delitzsch)— “you shall not smother his [or her] fault, hide or protect his [or her] person, but shalt accuse him [or her],to the magistrate, and demand justice upon him [or her]…” (Matthew Poole)
Once all of the requirements of the law are met: “Thou shalt surely kill him [or her]; not privately, which pretence would have opened the door to innumerable murders..” (Matthew Poole) It is understood here: “first, that the seducer be convicted by two sufficient witnesses before the proper magistrates, see Numbers 35:30; 2nd, that the offender obstinately persist to defend idolatry in spite of admonition: for who can doubt but that a father, for instance, might save the life of his son, in case he brought him to timely repentance?“ (Thomas Coke) The latter was the basis upon which Jesus forgave the woman caught in another crime punishable by death. See John 8:3-11. The motives of the scribes and Pharisees was not God's honor but to trip up Jesus. To the accusers He said: "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." And to the Woman: "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
If you and the other accusers or witnesses were innocent of secret motives: “Thine hand shall be first upon him to put him [or her] to death,’ as accuser, witness, and even first avenger [of the name / honor of God], and afterwards the hand of all the people.” (Paul E. Kretzmann) — “And all Israel shall hear and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you;’ The penalty publicly inflicted, and therefore generally known, would have a deterrent effect on the community, so as to prevent the recurrence of such evil.” (Pulpit Commentary)
Deuteronomy 13: Destruction of Cities of Israel Given Over to Idols
12 “If you hear someone in one of your cities, which Yahweh your God gives you to dwell in, saying, 13 ‘saying, “Let us go and serve other gods” ’—which you have not known— 14 then you shall inquire, search out, and ask diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain that such an abomination was committed among you, 15 you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying it, all that is in it and its livestock—with the edge of the sword. 16 And you shall gather all its plunder into the middle of the street, and completely burn with fire the city and all its plunder, for Yahweh your God. It shall be a heap forever; it shall not be built again. 17 So none of the accursed things shall remain in your hand, that Yahweh may turn from the fierceness of His anger and show you mercy, have compassion on you and multiply you, just as He swore to your fathers, 18 because you have listened to the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep all His commandments which I command you today, to do what is right in the eyes of Yahweh your God.
“If you"—Israel at large— "hear someone in one of your cities, which Yahweh your God gives you to dwell in"— the righteous remnant among them reporting it, as in the case of a close relative—“saying, ‘Corrupt men have gone out from among you’ i.e. from your church and religion. It notes a separation or departure from them, not in place, (as appears by their partnership with their fellow citizens both in the sin and punishment, as it here follows,) but in heart, doctrine, and worship, as the same phrase is used, 1 John 2:19.” (Matthew Poole)—
'and enticed the inhabitants of their city,’” saying,—not necessarily with words only but by their deeds also— “Let us go and serve other gods” ’—which you have not known— etc. “After due inquiry, if it was found that such a thing had really been done in any of their cities, the extreme penalty was to be inflicted on the city and all its inhabitants—all were to be destroyed. Smite … with the edge of the sword; literally, with the mouth of the sword, as biting and devouring like a ravenous beast—a phrase for utter destruction.” (Pulpit Commentaries)
Thus, the witnesses are saved, identifying themselves with Israel.
But the city is a picture of the corrupt church which is guilty by association for not dealing with the issue. Pastors must be careful to judge sin and take action. “The contamination was so great that the guilty were to be slain, their cattle destroyed, their goods burned with fire. All had been defiled. It was as though they had the plague. It was to be given back to Yahweh in the most devastating way. It was to be handed over to Him. It was to be ‘devoted’. Nothing must be saved from it. It was for ever to be a heap of testimony to what had been done.” (Peter Pett) “Such will be some day the awful fate of apostate Christendom, having rejected [the doctrine of] God’s Son and the gospel.” (Arno Gaebelein)
“Only when the evil was judged totally in this way would the fierce anger of the Lord be abated, so that Israel would again be favored with His compassionate mercy, because in this case they had listened to the voice of the Lord to keep His commandments.
Similarly, if in the Church of God evil doctrine or wicked moral practice raises its head, when there is found doubt of the evil, then it must be fully judged. If it is found only in an individual, that person must be put away from fellowship. If such evil is protected by any gathering, that gathering must be excommunicated. This is solemn work, but it is the only way to avoid the more serious displeasure of God.” (L. M Grant)
However, if congregations or denominations have given themselves to apostasy, the individual has the responsibility to get out. A cry will go out at the end of time by God’s faithful remnant. It will be the cry of “a loud voice, so to awaken Babylon, that slept no less securely than that old Babylon, whose king Shesach was feasting and carousing in the bowls of the sanctuary, when the city was taken the same night. The people also did so little fear it, that it was three days after the city was taken by Cyrus ere some of them heard what was befallen them.” (John Trapp)
"'Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen' (Revelation 18:2a) ; and all the graven images of her gods He hath broken unto the ground." (Isaiah 21:9) It applies to papal Rome and her pagan doctrines and practices. “And [she] has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!”(2b)
“The meaning is that Babylon is abandoned, as a place utterly desolated and uninhabited, to be the abode of these unclean beings. Compare what is said of ancient Babylon, Isaiah 13:21-22; Jeremiah 50:39; and of Edom, Isaiah 34:11-15. From these passages the imagery is plainly taken.,,” (Justin Edwards), pointing out "the most complete destruction. A city utterly sacked and ruined, never to be rebuilt.” (Adam Clarke)
"For all the nations have drunk of the wine [doctrine] of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” "She hath not only herself committed idolatry, but allured others to it, teaching them to break the commandments of God, and hath influenced princes to establish, and propagate, and to uphold, and maintain it; and all sorts of men have been bewitched by her, growing rich by her abundance, and being drenched in her luxury.” (Matthew Poole)
“Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached [heaped up] to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Render to her just as she rendered, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her. (Revelation 18:4-8)
Today the door of mercy is still open for that blessed voice can still be heard, “Come out of her," — mystical Babylon— "My people!” etc.
"Reward her even as she rewarded” the visible church of God. ‘And give her double’ according to her works— this, according to the Hebrew idiom, implies only a full retaliation.” (John Wesley) Death for death. Her doctrine has killed— “Therefore shall her plagues come” — double destruction. "Death, by the sword...; mourning on account of the slaughter; and famine, the fruits of the field being destroyed by the hostile bands.” (Adam Clarke) “‘And she will be utterly burned with fire’— again according to the Hebrew idiom…” (Justin Edwards)