Skip to content Deuteronomy 13-15: Avoiding Spiritual Deception and Purging Evil Apr 7 · 17 min ...more
Deuteronomy 13-15: Avoiding Spiritual Deception and Purging Evil
April 7, 2026 · 17 min
Discover how to protect yourself from false prophets by adhering to God's commandments.
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Guarding Against False Prophets and Idolatry 0:09 Good morning. Welcome to Stand on the Word. Thanks for joining me this morning as we take a look at 3 more powerful chapters filled with truth. We're gonna look at Deuteronomy's chapters 13 through 15 today.0:21 And 1 of the questions we're going to answer is how do you keep from being spiritually misled? Verse 4 of chapter 13, you shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, you0:33 shall you shall serve him and hold fast to him. Alright, chapter 13 provides instructions regarding false prophets.0:45 Chapter 14 covers ordinances primarily related to food. And then chapter 15 is about the sabbatical year, which was both a spiritual and an economic policy. Now, let's begin with verse 10:57 of chapter 13 and see how we are to protect ourselves from being spiritually misled. Verse 1. If there arises among you a prophet or a1:08 dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 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,1:20 You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the lord your god is testing you to know whether you love the lord your god with all your heart and with all your1:32 soul. So the the message here is if a prophet or some other inspired charismatic person has a word and it comes to pass suggesting that1:44 they are legitimate, but then they say let's go after other gods, then you are not to listen to them. Why? Because the word of God says no. God has said no. The word of1:56 God must be hear me on this, okay? The word of God must be the acid test for everything we take in. It is the benchmark by which we measure everything. Remember2:08 what Paul said about the Bereans over in Acts chapter 17? They were more noble than the Jews in Thessalonica. Why? Quote, they received the word with all eagerness, examining2:19 the scriptures daily to see if these things were so. End quote. They evaluated the words that Paul the words he was preaching. And what they did,2:31 they examined those based upon the Word of God. Now, I encourage you to to do the same with what I say each day. With what your pastor says, what your2:43 Sunday school teacher or whomever you listen to that proclaims the word of god. Don't take it at face value. We need teaching and encouragement from2:55 biblical teachers. We need that. We need shepherds. We need those. But, we need to examine what they say in light of what scripture declares. But, here's the catch. We need to know what3:07 the scriptures say. That's why studying the Bible as we're doing on through Stand on the Word is so important. You need to know what the Bible says.3:19 Now you don't have to be an expert in it. Although the Holy Spirit will teach you and show you more things and you'll grow as I hear from so many people that are on this journey, how they're growing in their3:30 understanding of God and his word. But we we what we have oftentimes in our churches is we have sermons that are preached on a 1 passage of scripture. Most of the3:41 time it's in context, sometimes not so much so. But we we don't understand the full picture, And we're not able to thoroughly examine what we're being told because we don't know the word of God.3:53 So we must be in the word of God. Verse 4, you shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice. You shall serve him and hold fast to him. Alright. So here it4:05 is. Alright. Follow the lord, not man. Alright. We we want you know, we have under shepherds and we, you know, we have pastors and and we need to be able to4:17 follow their leadership but ultimately, our eyes need to be upon the lord. We need to fear the lord, not man. We need to obey the lord, not man. Everything. I mean, everything has4:29 to be measured according to the word of god. We need to serve the lord. Our service is ultimately to the lord and we need to stay close to the lord. Hold fast to him. Jesus said it this way in John 15,4:41 abide in me. Verse 5 through the end of the chapter says that those leading or attempting to lead people astray into idolatry, even those close family members, are to be killed. Now let me say4:53 again, the Old Testament speaks to the physical, whereas the New Testament speaks to the spiritual. Someone would say, Wow, this is cruel and drastic. This is religious intolerance.5:05 It is when you consider the consequences. Both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah fell to Babylon because of5:17 their moral and their spiritual apostasy. So is this religious intolerance? Is it when you consider the consequences? Many men, women, and we're gonna read this, okay?5:29 We're gonna read this in the days ahead. Many women, men, and children suffered and died. Tens of thousands were dragged away captives to foreign land to a foreign land to5:41 live the rest of their lives in bondage. And when you look at it from that perspective, taking action to prevent the consequences doesn't look too drastic, does it?5:54 This gives insight into, Jesus' statement. Matthew chapter 10 verse 37, He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.6:06 See, here here's the intended effect of what Moses is telling the children of Israel. Verse 11 chapter 13. So all Israel shall hear and fear and6:18 not again do such wickedness as this among you. You see, when when action is taken to correct immoral, unrighteous behavior, other people take6:30 note. That's that's really the the purpose in these corrections is to warn others. That's a part of it. Part of it. So isn't our face of faith supposed to be private? I6:42 mean, what goes on in my community is really none of my business. I just take care of myself. Why not? That's not what the scripture says. Look at verse 12. If you hear someone in 1 of your cities, which the lord your6:53 god gives you to dwell in, saying corrupt men have gone out from among you and enticed the inhabitants of their city, saying let us go serve other gods, which you have not known. Then you shall inquire and7:05 search out and ask diligently. And if it is indeed true and certain that such an abomination was committed among you, you shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, utterly7:16 destroying it, all that is in its livestock with the edge of the sword. Wait. Wait. You'd say. What what if someone in that city was not a part of the idolatry? Would they die too?7:29 Did they speak out? Did they try to stop the abominations? Did they cry out for help? Too many people think it's not my problem. I'm a Christian. I'm saved. I'm okay. You live in this7:41 country, don't you? This is your country. This is your community. You are impacted by what happens in your city, are you not? And that's part of this, we have to have a corporate mentality. Yes.7:53 We need to order our own lives, our families, but then we have to be mindful that we live in a broader community. And we need to be a voice of8:05 righteousness in that community and a light in the darkness. We have an obligation to speak up and confront what clearly runs to runs counter to the Word of God. Alright. We have an obligation to do that.Holy Distinction and the Purpose of the Tithe 8:17 Alright. At first glance chapter 14 appears to shift to another topic. However, the underlying issue remains idolatry and cultural distinction. Verse 1. You are the children of the lord your god. You8:29 shall not cut yourselves nor shave the front of your head for the dead. For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be the people for himself, a special treasure above all the peoples8:39 who are on the face of the earth. So these ghastly incisions on the body and unnatural cutting of the hair were associated with idolatrous ceremonies for the dead. And God says, you're different.8:51 Alright? Don't do it. Don't follow the neighbors. Don't be like the world. Let that sink in. You know, too often today, our our churches,9:04 there's a there's very little distinction between how the world looks and how the church works. We're to be in the world but not of the world. Alright. A few9:16 observations on the tithe. First, what is the purpose of giving 10 percent of your increase to God? Verse 23. And you shall eat before the Lord your God in the place where he chooses to make you to9:28 make his name abide, The tithe, the tenth of your grain, and your new wine in your oil, of the firstborn of your herds in your flocks, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always. The tithe, alright,9:40 listen up. The tithe is about putting God first and trusting Him. God doesn't need our money. He owns the cattle on 1000 hills, the wealth in every mine.9:53 Look, He doesn't need our money. He invites us to be a part of what he's doing. But this is more about us ordering our own lives in a way that honors the Lord and10:04 trusts him and reveres him. A verse I often quote in the New Testament that speaks of this, Matthew 6 verse 33. I quote it frequently. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,10:16 and all these things shall be added unto you. If you're seeking the things of this world, you're never going to be satisfied. But if you seek God, he throws in everything else. Notice, verse 28 of10:28 chapter 14. At the end of every third year, you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year and store it up within your gates. And, the Levite,10:40 because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of10:50 your hand which you do. Now, there are different differing interpretations of this passage but many see this as direction for individuals to take the tithe every third year11:02 and keep it to use to help meet the needs of the local Levites, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. And I agree with that. Alright? In fact, we we practice a form of that11:14 where charity should be a personal responsibility. It's not a government program. And I know a lot of people today just think, well, the government's gonna take care of the poor. We don't need to11:26 do it. I think we need to have great discernment. I don't give out money. We do gift certificates to, you know, different places to that are local, that people can eat. But I do think we have an obligation11:38 to to help those who are in need. And biblically here, it would be, acceptable to hold back a portion of that tithe to give directly11:49 to the needs of of those around it. Look who it says. The Levites, those are the ministers, but have you blessed your pastor? Have you blessed him with a gift? Have you, helped the fatherless, the12:01 widow, the stranger? Those who who are lacking the ability to provide for themselves. It's biblical. Alright, let's go to chapter 15. At the end of12:13 every 7 years, you shall grant a release of debts. And this is the form of the release. Every creditor who has lent anything to his neighbor shall release it. He shall not require it of his neighbor or of his brother12:24 because it is called the Lord's release. So God provide this is fascinating here. Right? God provides an economic system for Israel that ensures personal debt will never get out of control, which is aSabbatical Debt Release and God's Economy 12:35 major contributor to poverty. Alright? Now people we'll look at this when we get to the New Testament. We look at the word poor because there's, multiple Greek words that speak to poor and there's12:47 differing reasons. In fact, Proverbs says that the righteous man considers the cause of the poor. But every seventh year debts were to be forgiven. This debt forgiveness was in sync with the12:59 Sabbath year. The practical effect was that loans were all short term. People would borrow and loan money based upon the Sabbath year because on the Sabbath year they would be released. So you're not gonna make a13:11 loan past that because it's gonna be erased. By the way, I mean, that's kind of the the practice we've made even in buying homes When we bought homes is tried to keep that loan and pay it off within13:23 7 years. And we've been able to do that in most cases. Alright. Verse 6, verse 15, verse 6, chapter 15. For the lord your god will bless you just as he promised you.13:35 You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. You shall reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over you. Is there if there is among you a poor man of your13:46 brethren within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God has given you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother. So the the the thinking13:58 here was, alright, you're coming up on the Sabbath year and so are the sabbatical year. And so you are, you're not going to give to that person because the debt's going to be14:10 eradicated. Don't harden your heart, operate within the Lord's economy. Know that if you are giving as unto the Lord to help the need of another, trust that the Lord is14:22 going to bring the return. This is operating in God's economy. Verse 10, you shall surely give to Him and your heart should not be grieved when you give to Him because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in14:34 all your works and in all to which you put your hand. See, we have to operate in God's economy. Now, don't miss the underlying truth here, which is,14:46 tremendously relevant to us today. Our obedience to God allows us to operate in His economy. So what does that mean? It means you are not14:57 limited to the paycheck from your employer that he provides. It means your income isn't fixed just because you're retired. This is not this is not a name it and claim it prosperity gospel. Okay? Don't confuse it with15:09 that. This is the reality of God saying he blesses obedience to his word. And there are no limits, absolutely no limits to how God can15:21 and does bless and provide for his people. Tremendous passage of scripture this morning. Father, we thank you for your word, and I pray lord that we would we would learn to trust you. And I pray lord there15:33 may be some, on this journey that have, that have not tithe. They're not tithe regularly to to your work, to your kingdom, to where they're being fed. And and so15:45 father, I pray that they would trust you. And Lord, that you would begin to show yourself faithful as they trust you. This is the 1 area that you tell us to try you and see15:57 your faithfulness. So father, I pray that we would, in every aspect of our life, we would walk in obedience and fellowship with you. And lord, help us to be mindful of those around16:09 us that we can help, that we can strengthen and lift up for your honor and your glory, trusting you. For we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Alright. Thanks for joining me this morning.16:21 Until next time, keep standing on the word.16:26 Today's study comes from the Stand on the Word Bible Reading Plan available for free at f r c dot o r g slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you16:38 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at f r c dot o r g slash bible.In this video 0:00 Guarding Against False Prophets and Idolatry8:17 Holy Distinction and the Purpose of the Tithe12:26 Sabbatical Debt Release and God's Economy
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