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Deuteronomy 13 — warnings against mixing religious practices with the worship of the LORD

Richard Agee explores the Biblical tests in Deuteronomy 13 for knowing when someone is speaking for God, i.e., is a prophet.

Richard Agee explores the Biblical tests in Deuteronomy 13 for knowing when someone is speaking for God, i.e., is a prophet.

Food for thought

  • What would the tests of a prophet in Deuteronomy 13 look like today?
  • How does Deuteronomy 13 and Deut. 12:29-32 relate to participation in popular celebrations of Halloween, Christmas or Easter?
    • How do you deal with family members who try to get you to join with them in celebrating them?
    • Why would a sign or prediction come to pass if the person tells you to join in celebrations of Easter in commemoration of the resurrection of Messiah or to disregard the feasts of the LORD? (See Deut. 13:1-5 and Isaiah 8:19-22.)
  • How does your view of "follow after gods you have not known" change when we consider the Hebrew word for "gods" is elohim, which literally can be translated as "powerful ones"?
    • How does the "armor of God" (Eph. 6:10-18) protect you against evil elohim when the "evil day approaches"?
    • What do you do if you go into someone’s home and you see pagan images?