A Prophet Like Moses By: G. Colleen Henry
Deuteronomy 18:15 & 18-19 “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren like unto me: unto him ye shall hearken”; I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him”
Who Is This Prophet? Who is that Prophet that God would raise up in the midst of the people like Moses? What similarities did anyone in the past have like unto Moses? Let us first look at Moses from the beginning of his life to see the Prophet like him!
Who Is This Prophet? Moses’ birth was hidden. He lived during the time when the King of Egypt killed the Hebrew baby boys. He was raised in Egypt for his safety. He handled the rod of God that became a serpent. He did many signs and wonders so the people would believe. He delivered the children of Israel from Egypt.
Who Is This Prophet? This prophet like Moses was Jesus Christ! Let us look closely at the similarities of Christ and Moses. When Moses was born, his parents chose to hide their son because of the slaughter of the baby boys in Egypt Moses was a goodly child and his parents hid him for 3 months, (Exodus 2:2-3).
Pharaoh’s daughter found Moses in an ark made of bulrushes, loved him and raised him as her own son. She also paid Moses’ mother to nurse him. As we can see, Moses’ life was spared while other children died because he was under the protection of Egypt, (Exodus 2:5-10).
Pharaoh’s daughter
Christ’s birth Christ’s birth was a secret and only 4 people knew of his conception including Mary, Joseph, Elisabeth and Zacharias. The day and hour of his birth was unknown and he was hidden as well, ( Luke 2:6-7).
King Herod When the wise men of the east sought for Jesus, being led by the star, Christ was about 2 years old and lived in a house. Herod inquired the of the wise men as to the whereabouts of Jesus, King of the Jews, so that he could worship him. The reality is that Herod was fearful that Christ’s birth would threaten his position as king.
A Horrible slaughter When the wise men did not comply and tell Herod where Jesus was he felt mocked. Therefore, he commanded the slaughter of the baby boys, 2 years old and under, (Matthew 2:1-8& 16-18).
Jesus goes to egypt After the wise men left, Joseph had a dream to take Jesus into Egypt for his protection and was raised there until Herod died, (Matthew 2:13-15). Why Egypt? What did Egypt mean? Egypt represents the world and the people. Christ was hidden amongst the people just as Moses was hidden in Egypt amongst the people and was not destroyed by Pharaoh who destroyed many other baby boys.
The Rod & Word One of the first signs that God gave to Moses was the rod that turned into a serpent. This very rod was a sign to Pharaoh when Moses came before him to let the children of Israel go. As we know, the magicians of Pharaoh had rods that turned into serpents as well, however, the rod of Moses swallowed them whole, (Exodus 4:2-4). The rod of Moses was not powerful in itself but it represented the word and power of God over evil, (Exodus 7:10-12.) Christ, himself, is the word. It is he who has power over evil.
Fiery Serpents When the children of Israel sinned against the Lord he sent fiery serpents upon them Many people died but those who did not, had to look upon a brazen serpent on a pole made by Moses in order to be healed (Numbers 21:6-9). Why? “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life�, (John 3:15-16). As we can see, the word of God is powerful to destroy as well as heal and Moses carried this rod, which is the word of God.
The Law Moses brought the people to the mountain to hear the voice of God as he gave them his commandments. He also gave them the written laws of God which was written by the finger of God from Mount Sinai. Christ also came down from heaven as the bread of life so that man could eat his body because he was the Bread of life made flesh, (John 6: 38 & 55-58).
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The Law Christ taught them of his laws, testimonies, precepts, statues and judgments. He preached to them using parables so that they would understand how to keep his commandments in perfection. Christ said, “Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect�, (Matthew 5: 48).
Moses Reproves Moses judged and reproved the people continually for their sins. Due to the wickedness of the people, Moses spoke to them about God. He also brought to their memory all of the things that they did wrong and why they were punished.
Christ Reproves When Christ came on the earth in the flesh, he reproved the people of their sins by living perfectly as an example unto them. He taught them in their synagogues. He spoke to thousands of people in the wilderness, deserts, and the mountains and in ships on the sea. Just as Moses stood in the breach on behalf of the children of Israel so that God would have mercy on them, Christ stood in the breach for all of his children and forgave them of their sins. By his death and resurrection, man was given grace and mercy for their salvation.
Promise land Moses delivered the children of Israel from Egypt and led them through the wilderness and desert to the promise land. Even though he himself did not enter the Promise land the children of Israel who did not die in the wilderness entered in as promised by God, a land of milk and honey. In this land is where the eyes of God was ever with them as they kept his commandments and all of his laws, which was the first covenant.
Moses resurrected Moses as we know did not enter the Promise land because, unlike Christ, he did commit a sin. Because this was so, hedied in the wilderness and buried by God, Deuteronomy 34:5-6. But Moses, like Christ, was resurrected and how do we know? “And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James and John his brother and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him�, (Matthew 17:1-3).
Christ in the flesh Christ came in the flesh to offer grace and salvation through the gospel as he taught the people in the wilderness and desert. He fed them physically as well as spiritually. When he comes he will again feed them his word.
Jeremiah 31: 31-33 “ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was a n husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people�
Law in our hearts He will write his laws within their hearts and minds and deliver all of his children from this world to heaven and the New Jerusalem, which is the Promise land of the New Earth. And they shall ever be with him, living in a land of milk and honey. Amen
Special Thanks This presentation was based on the class entitled “A Prophet Like Moses� by: G. Colleen Henry
Questions For questions regarding this presentation please contact us via email at info@householdofisrael.org or by phone at 219.949.9308.