Thou shalt have no other gods before me

Deut 13:2  And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them. 

Here is a warning to Israel on listening to a false prophet. A true prophet of God brings a message that is from God, draws people closer to God, and speaks only what God has commanded. But a false prophet draws people away from God.

The case supposed is one in which the prophet contradicts a revelation already received. Here is a prophet who invites the people “to go after other gods.” He performs signs or wonder. So, he looks convincing as a prophet. But, his message contradicts God’s message because he calls on his hearers to go after other gods. That contradicts the first commandment which says: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).

The command to Israel is clear: If a prophet should come to them and summon them to worship other gods, even if he appeared to authenticate his message with signs and wonders which came to pass, the Israelites were not to hearken to his words, but to put him to death.

The message is also for us today: Take heed and do not be deceived by the false teachers. Christ warns that false teachers can show false signs and miracles to deceive their hearers (Matthew 24:24). Hence, to such a one, even should he show signs and wonders to authenticate his doctrines, but when his doctrines contradict the doctrines of the inspired word of God, he is a false teacher.

You may ask why and how is it this false prophet could do “miracles”? The answer is in verse 3: “The Lord you God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” It is to prove them, to see if they would stand their ground and follow God.

You then ask: “Where did he get his power?” Paul answers: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:13-14). Those are counterfeit miracles. They look real but are not.

God has made known His will. He has said: “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it” (Deuteronomy 12:32). The commandments of God are to be obeyed just as they were delivered: we are not to add, subtract, nor substitute from it. Any doctrine, if found contradictory to the Scripture, is to be unhesitatingly rejected.

John wrote: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

We are to test the spirit. The instrument we use for testing is the word of God. When the devil quoted a scripture in the temptation to lure Jesus to sin, our Lord quoted another scripture to counter the devil’s argument (Matthew 4:6-7). It shows us that the scripture can be misused and misquoted for personal gain. But, since the scripture cannot contradict itself, the Lord shows us the proper way to understand the scripture – look at another passage of the scripture.

Brethren, when a doctrine contradicts another portion of the scripture, we can be sure that it is a false doctrine. False doctrines may taste sweet and convincing, but only the word of God can save.

Let us take heed and beware of false teachers. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matthew 7:15).

Jimmy Lau

Psa 119:97  Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.