Yesterday we looked at some suggestions from Deuteronomy 11 on how we might build a life around the Word by keeping it in front of us. Deuteronomy 13 tells us why a foundation on the Word is important:

If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, “Let us go after other gods,” which you have not known, “and let us serve them,” 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 your soul. (Deuteronomy 13.1 – 3, ESV)

Let’s look at this carefully to see what’s going on and how it might apply to us today:

• “A prophet or dreamer of dreams” – we have them: charismatic people, some in pulpits, some in television (Someone like Oprah comes to mind.)
• “…sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass” – they are successful. Maybe they’ve built a large church or amassed a huge following.
• “…he says, ‘Let us go after other gods…'” – then there’s a false message. I just read the other day about the death of Carlton Pearson, a well-known (to some!) Pentecostal preacher, mentored by Oral Roberts. He woke up one day and decided that God told him there was no hell. More recently, Rob Bell did the same thing. Andy Stanley, for whom I have had great respect, seems to be moving away from Biblical teaching on sexual issues.

These things happen. Moses goes on to say it could be a family member or beloved friend who tries to lead you astray.

If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife you embrace or your friend who is as your own soul entices you secretly, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods,”… (Deuteronomy 13.6, ESV)

Moses’ solution is to just stone them! We can’t do that, but we can and we must quit listening to them. And, as always, the standard is God’s Word, which we must know. Else how will we know when one of these charismatic people teaches it incorrectly?

You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams… (Deuteronomy 13.3, ESV)

…obey the voice of the LORD your God, keeping all his commandments that I am commanding you today, and doing what is right in the sight of the LORD your God. (Deuteronomy 13.18, ESV)

It’s an ongoing danger: Moses addressed it, and so did the Apostle Paul:

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1.6 – 9, ESV)