Deuteronomy 13:1-5
1 “If a prophet or someone who has dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you, 2and that sign or wonder he has promised you comes about, but he says, ‘Let us follow other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us worship them,’ 3do not listen to that prophet’s words or to that dreamer. For the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul. 4You must follow the Lord your God and ▼▼fear(s) God or the Lord/ the fear of the Lord: No single English word conveys every aspect of the word fear in this phrase. The meaning includes worshipful submission, reverential awe, and obedient respect to the covenant-keeping God of Israel.
fear Him. You must keep His commands and listen to His voice; you must worship Him and remain faithful ▼▼Lit and hold on
to Him. c 5 That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he has urged rebellion against the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the place of slavery, d to turn you from the way the Lord your God has commanded you to walk. You must purge the evil from you. Deuteronomy 18:18-22
18I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 I will hold accountable whoever does not listen to My words that he speaks in My name. e 20 But the prophet who dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods – that prophet must die.’ 21You may say to yourself, ‘How can we recognize a message the Lord has not spoken?’ 22 When a prophet speaks in the Lord’s name, and the message does not come true or is not fulfilled, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.
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