46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"
One of the sure fire tests of being God’s prophet was that your prophecy was certain and true – you could take it to the bank, so to speak. The prophet’s Word was to be held as God’s Word to the people and God held the people accountable for what they heard – they were commanded by God to believe. If a prophet were to speak for God presumptuously - God did not take this lightly - the penalty for such was death. We find in Deuteronomy:
19 “If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account. 20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.” 21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?” 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him. Deut 18:19-22 (NIV)
Because the people were to believe a prophet of God without question, a false prophet would be usurping the place of God in prophesying a message that had not been sent from Him. Moses, God’s prophet, had prophesized regarding the coming of Jesus; the people, therefore, were accountable to God for the words they heard. In our verses for today, Jesus alludes to this fact. It was also mentioned by our Lord to two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus:
25 He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Luke 24:25-27 (NIV)
I am also reminded of the story told by Jesus of the beggar Lazarus and the rich man found in the gospel of Luke. Both die. The angels carry the beggar Lazarus to Abraham’s side and the rich man entered into torment in hell. Looking up from his dire position, the rich man calls to Abraham to have pity on him and send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and come cool his tongue as he was in agony from the fire. Abe responds - no can do (in modern day vernacular) as there was a great fixed chasm which divided them. To this the rich man replies - send Lazarus to tell my family so that they will not have to come to this place of torment. The dialogue of Abraham and the rich man follows:
27 "He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' 29 "Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 30 "'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 31 "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'" Luke 16:27-31 (NIV)
Did you catch that? Even if someone was raised from the dead, the people would not have been convinced as they had not listened and believed God’s Word through Moses and the Prophets – those are pretty strong words! Let me just add that this was not a story regarding the poor and the rich in the terms of worldly wealth rather a story of the poor and the rich regarding spiritual wealth. Indeed, even in death, in the midst of the fires of hell, the “rich” man considers Lazarus beneath him showing forth his spiritual poverty – send Lazarus to fetch me water; send Lazarus to warn my family. The arrogance remained though the fire continued to burn. Contrast Lazarus, the beggar, being comforted by Abraham after his death showing forth his spiritual wealth.
The application to us is that we too should know and understand what God’s Word says. We too are held accountable. Foolish ignorance to the Truth of God’s Word is just that – ignorant and foolish. All of Scripture is needful for the Christian – prophecy permeates the entire Word of God.
“Bible prophecy makes up one-fourth of the written Word of God...From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is filled with over one thousand predictive prophecies...Half of these have already been literally fulfilled.” Tim LaHaye
We read in Luke 24:25 how Jesus chastised His disciples for not believing all that the prophets had spoken. We too are dull and foolish for not knowing and believing Truth. We are to be good stewards of God’s Word which has been entrusted to our care in this part of His -story. This is why we are commanded the following in Scripture:
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15 (NIV)
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Tim 3:16-17 (NIV)
God's word is not chained. 2 Tim 2:9 (NIV)