The Neighbor

Deuteronomy 18:15-20
The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet. This is what you requested of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said: “If I hear the voice of the Lord my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will die.” Then the Lord replied to me: “They are right in what they have said. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command. Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable. But any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, or who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak—that prophet shall die.”

Moses is nearing the end of his life, and he is assuring the people that God will raise up another prophet like Moses.  This is what the people want --- they have realized that the LORD’s power is so great, that they alone cannot stand in the LORD’s presence and not be consumed by that  power.  That pillar of fire by day and pillar of fire by night is too much for them --- they need a go-between, someone to stand for them in the presence of God.  God has said that indeed, God will raise up another prophet like Moses.

How do you know if the prophet is really speaking for God?  This is always the challenge, isn’t it?  One guiding principle could be as stated in the text itself, that is, this new prophet will be like Moses.  Being “like Moses” would mean that the words spoken by this new prophet would be consistent with or grounded in the Mosaic Law - or the Ten Commandments.  We learn in our catechism classes that these commandments can fit into two categories --- our relationship with God and our relationship with others.  Those relationships are defined by love, that is, loving God and loving our neighbors.

Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind --- and the second greatest is like it:  love your neighbor as yourself.  Jesus also went on to further explain who one’s neighbor is, which sometimes turns out to be someone you assumed to be your enemy.  That’s an eye-opener, isn’t it --- sometimes quite challenging and difficult to hear --- to realize that your neighbor isn’t always the person who looks like you, thinks like you, or acts like you.  It means that your neighbor, the neighbor you are called to serve and to love, could be quite different from you.  If you have a problem with that, then your problem is with God.  I’m just the messenger.

Let us pray - Holy God, we give thanks for the prophets that you have raised up in every generation to boldly speak your words of truth.  Sometimes these words are difficult to hear, but we pray for wisdom and discernment to not only hear your message but also to live as you would have as do to be faithful witnesses who love and serve you by loving and serving our neighbors, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen