Supernatural Theology 143: Prophetic Perfectionism and Deuteronomy 18:14-22

14 For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you. 15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, 16 according to all you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.’ 17 “And the Lord said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good. 18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. 19 And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him. 20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. –Deuteronomy 18:14-22 (NKJV)

Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.” But it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying…“When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name.” –2 Samuel 7:3-4, 12-13 (NKJV)

A voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” –Acts 10:13-15 (NKJV)

When Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. –Galatians 2:11-13 (NKJV)

We know in part and we prophesy in part. –1 Corinthians 13:9 (NKJV)

Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. –1 Corinthians 14:29 (NKJV)

Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. –1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 (NKJV)

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.   –Psalm 19:7 (NKJV)

No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.    –2 Peter 1:20-21 (NKJV)




Dr. Jack Deere, Why I Am Still Surprised by the Voice of God, “Appendix 3: Deuteronomy 18:14-22.”

Dr. Wayne Grudem, The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today, chs. 3-4.

Archibald Alexander, The Truth, Inspiration, and Authority of Scripture.

—. Thoughts on Religious Experience (Banner of Truth, 1996).

Adam Clarke, Christian Theology (1835), ch. 1: “The Scriptures.” Wesleyan Methodist, Prima Scriptura.

P. C. Nelson, Bible Doctrines (GPH, 1934), ch. 1: “The Scriptures Inspired.” Assemblies of God, Pentecostal, Prima Scriptura.

Myer Pearlman, Knowing the Doctrines of the Bible (GPH, 1937), ch. 1: “The Scriptures.” Assemblies of God, Pentecostal, Prima Scriptura.

E. S. Williams, Systematic Theology (GPH, 1953), vol. 1, “Bibliology.” Assemblies of God, Pentecostal, Prima Scriptura.

French Arrington, Christian Doctrine (Pathway Press, 1992), vol. 1, chs. 1-5. Church of God, Pentecostal, Prima Scriptura.

N. Clayton Croy, Prima Scriptura: An Introduction to New Testament Interpretation (Baker, 2011).

John R. Rice, Our God-Breathed Book–The Bible (Sword of the Lord, 1969). Independent Fundamental Baptist, cessationist, Sola Scriptura.

David Wilkerson, The Vision and Beyond: Prophecies Fulfilled and Still to Come.

Ira Milligan, Understanding the Dreams You Dream (Biblical dream dictionary).

Adam Thompson and Adrian Beale, The Divinity Code (Biblical dream dictionary).

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2 Responses to Supernatural Theology 143: Prophetic Perfectionism and Deuteronomy 18:14-22

  1. Fernando Perez's avatar Fernando Perez says:

    ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.”Acts 2:16-17

    Theses verse are chiefly concerned with the divine utterance of prophecy and tongues (a form of prophecy), as an initial evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit, but also things that believers will subsequently experience like dreams and further prophetic gifting.

    Deuteronomy 18:20 is a verse given to a people who, because of their sinfulness feared hearing from God. So God would have to communicate through only certain folks who could handle it; and on them He placed strict conditions.

    But these things are no longer true for all of God’s people in the New Covenant.

    All are prophetic at some level, and many are even more so, being given a higher prophetic position and gift by God. Such strict requirements and conditions no longer make sense when all can know God.

    [speaking of the New Covenant] … No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”- Jeremiah 31:34

    Maybe the antinomians fear the voice of God, because they are filthy in their compromise. This too was true for Adam and Eve who in the garden were frightened by the God’s presence and voice.

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