Chapter 2 –

A prophet like Moses

 

 

 

 

As we are going to study prophecies connected with the Messiah and what his life should have been like, perhaps the best starting point is a promise given to Moses that appears in the book of Deuteronomy.

   For this promise refers to a certain prophet, whom God promised to raise up from among of Israel as a later point of time. It does not refer to all prophets of Israel, but only one, whom God will bring out. In addition to this, this prophet would speak God's words, and actually his significance would be so huge that if someone would not listen to his words and would turn his back on him, this person would be responsible for that to God. The judgement of God would face him. Another special feature was that this person would resemble Moses in some way and would be even more important than Moses. In this prophecy is said:

 

- (Deut 18:15,18,19) The LORD your God will raise up to you a Prophet from the middle of you, of your brothers, like to me; to him you shall listen;

18  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brothers, like to you, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him.

19  And it shall come to pass, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

 

On the other hand, as far as the preceding prophecy and Yeshua are concerned, it is interesting to note that it was He that said that Moses had written about Him. He spoke about how He has been mentioned in the law of Moses, prophets and psalms and how the Scriptures testified about Him. Also the Apostles believed that Yeshua was the fulfilment of a prophet, just like Moses. Actually, one basic issue of the whole New Testament is the fact that Yeshua is regarded as the fulfilment of the law and the prophecies (Matt 5:17: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.). He came here, according to the New Testament, to fulfil these matters and to do the will of God, as several Bible verses indicate.

   A good question on grounds of the previous is how reliable are these claims of Yeshua and the Apostles? Is it reasonable for us to believe in them, and are they true or not? In any case, if Yeshua presented the following claims about coming true of the Scriptures in Him, they must be either a lie or the truth showing His significant position:

 

- (John 5:39-40) Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

40  And you will not come to me, that you might have life.

 

- (John 5:45-47) Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuses you, even Moses, in whom you trust.

46  For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me; for he wrote of me.

47  But if you believe not his writings, how shall you believe my words?

 But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set.

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?

 

- (Luke 24:44-45) And he said to them, These are the words which I spoke to you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

45  Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

 

- (Acts 3:22,23,26) For Moses truly said to the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you of your brothers, like to me; him shall you hear in all things whatever he shall say to you.

23  And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

26  To you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

 

People  expected THE coming of this prophet

 

One issue that can be seen also in the texts of the New Testament, is that people expected the coming of a prophet like Moses. For they understood from the old Scriptures that the Messiah should appear, and actually just around that time, because the Scriptures referred also to that.

   So when we then look at, for example, the Gospel of John, this anticipation can be seen. There is a description of how people came to John the Baptist and asked whether he was this person. They were seeing in John some suitable features, but John answered in the negative, however:

 

 - (John 1:19-28) And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you?

20  And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

21  And they asked him, What then? Are you Elias? And he said, I am not. Are you that prophet? And he answered, No.

22  Then said they to him, Who are you? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What say you of yourself?

23  He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

24  And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

25  And they asked him, and said to him, Why baptize you then, if you be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

26  John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there stands one among you, whom you know not;

27  He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s lace I am not worthy to unloose.

28  These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

 

WAS YESHUA THE prophet like Moses about whOM HaD been prophesied?

 

- (John 1:43-46) The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and finds Philip, and said to him, Follow me.

44  Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

45  Philip finds Nathanael, and said to him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

46  And Nathanael said to him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see.

 

In the verses above, Philip advised Nathanael to come and to see, whether Yeshua really is the person about whom Moses and the prophets have prophesied. The same also applies now; we should study, in the light of the Scriptures, whether this is true, and whether Yeshua appeared already in these old Scriptures.

   Actually, when studying His life, it is indeed significant that in Him we actually can see numerous features resembling Moses, as comes to with His character, life and tasks. Let’s study these by means of a list:

 

Moses was meek

 

- (Num 12:3) (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were on the face of the earth.)

 

Yeshua was meek

 

- (John 5:41) I receive not honor from men.

 

- (John 6:14-15) Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

15  When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

 

- (John 8:53-55) Are you greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom make you yourself?

54  Jesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing: it is my Father that honors me; of whom you say, that he is your God:

55  Yet you have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like to you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

 

- (Matt 11:28-30) Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29  Take my yoke on you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest to your souls.

30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

 

Moses was faithful

 

- (Num 12:6-8) And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known to him in a vision, and will speak to him in a dream.

7  My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all my house.

8  With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

 

Yeshua was faithful

 

- (John 8:28-30) Then said Jesus to them, When you have lifted up the Son of man, then shall you know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father has taught me, I speak these things.

29  And he that sent me is with me: the Father has not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

30  As he spoke these words, many believed on him.

 

- (John 8:55) Yet you have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like to you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

 

- (Hebr 3:1-6) Why, holy brothers, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

2  Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

3  For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who has built the house has more honor than the house.

4  For every house is built by some man; but he that built all things is God.

5  And Moses truly was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

6  But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

 

When Moses was born, a king gave orders to kill children

 

- (Exo1:15-16) And the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:

16  And he said, When you do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them on the stools; if it be a son, then you shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

 

When Yeshua was born, a king gave orders to kill children

 

- (Matt 2:16) Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.

 

Moses grew in wisdom

 

- (Acts 7:22) And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

 

Yeshua grew in wisdom

 

- (Luke 2:46-47,52) And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the middle of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.

47  And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

52  And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

 

Moses went to his brothers, but at first they did not accept him

 

- (Acts 7:35) This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.

 

At first, Yeshua was not accepted either

 

- (John 1:11) He came to his own, and his own received him not.

 

Moses was a teacher

 

- (Deut 4:1) Now therefore listen, O Israel, to the statutes and to the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers gives you.

 

Yeshua was a teacher

 

- (John 3:1-2)  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2  The same came to Jesus by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that you do, except God be with him.

 

- (Matt 5:1-2) And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came to him:

2  And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

 

Moses was a shepherd

 

- (Isa 63:11) Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him?

 

Yeshua was a shepherd

 

- (John 10:11) I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.

 

Moses was as a mediator

 

 - (Exo 20:18-19) And all the people saw the thunder, and the lightning, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

19  And they said to Moses, Speak you with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

 

Yeshua is the Mediator

 

- (Hebr 8:6) But now has he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

 

- (Hebr 12:24) And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things that that of Abel.

 

Moses prayed for people

 

- (Exo 32:31-32) And Moses returned to the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

32  Yet now, if you will forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray you, out of your book which you have written.

 

Yeshua prayed for people

 

- (Luke 23:34) Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

 

- (John 17:20) Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

 

- (Luke 22:31-32And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

32  But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not: and when you are converted, strengthen your brothers.

 

Moses chose the will of God rather than a glorious position

 

- (Hebr 11:24-26) By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect to the recompense of the reward.

 

Also Yeshua humbled himself

 

- (Phil 2:5-7) Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7  But made himself of no reputation, and took on him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

 

- (Hebr 12:2) Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

Moses knew God intimately

 

- (Exo 6:2-3) And God spoke to Moses, and said to him, I am the LORD:

3  And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

 

- (Num 12:7-8) My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all my house.

8  With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

 

Yeshua knew God intimately

 

- (John 8:54-55) Jesus answered, If I honor myself, my honor is nothing: it is my Father that honors me; of whom you say, that he is your God:

55  Yet you have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like to you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

 

- (John 7:28-30) Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, You both know me, and you know from where I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom you know not.

29  But I know him: for I am from him, and he has sent me.

30  Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.

 

God gave help and healing for his nation by Moses

 

- (Exo 15:25-26)  And he cried to the LORD; and the LORD showed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

26  And said, If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and will do that which is right in his sight, and will give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases on you, which I have brought on the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that heals you.

 

- (Num 21:9) And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it on a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

 

God gave help and healing for his nation by Yeshua

 

- (Matt 4:23) And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

 

- (Matt 8:16-17) When the even was come, they brought to him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

17  That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses.

 

God fed people through Moses

 

- (Exo 16:14-15) And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, on the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.

15  And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they knew not what it was. And Moses said to them, This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.

 

God fed people through Yeshua

 

- (Matt 14:19-21) And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and broke, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

20  And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

21  And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

 

Moses gave water from rock

 

- (Exo 17:5-6) And the LORD said to Moses, Go on before the people, and take with you of the elders of Israel; and your rod, with which you smote the river, take in your hand, and go.

6  Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

 

Yeshua gives living water

 

- (John 7:37-39) In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink.

38  He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

39  (But this spoke he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

 

- (John 4:10-14) Jesus answered and said to her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that said to you, Give me to drink; you would have asked of him, and he would have given you living water.

11  The woman said to him, Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from where then have you that living water?

12  Are you greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

13  Jesus answered and said to her, Whoever drinks of this water shall thirst again:

14  But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

 

Moses released the people of God from slavery

 

- (Exo 3:7,10) And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

10  Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

 

Yeshua releases the people of God from the slavery of sin

 

- (John 8:31-36) Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed;

32  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

33  They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how say you, You shall be made free?

34  Jesus answered them, Truly, truly, I say to you, Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin.

35  And the servant stays not in the house for ever: but the Son stays ever.

36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

 

- (Luke 4:17-21) And there was delivered to him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18  The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20  And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21  And he began to say to them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

 

People followed Moses

 

- (Exo 32:26) Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’s side? let him come to me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.

 

People followed Yeshua

 

- (Matt 16:24-25) Then said Jesus to his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

25  For whoever will save his life shall lose it: and whoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

 

Moses fasted for 40 days

 

- (Exo 34:28) And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote on the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

 

Yeshua fasted for 40 days

 

- (Matt 4:2) And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.

 

Moses’ face shone

 

- (Exo 34:35) And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

 

Jeesus’ face shone also

 

- (Matt 17:1-2) And after six days Jesus takes Peter, James, and John his brother, and brings them up into an high mountain apart,

2  And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

 

Moses did miraculous signs

 

- (Deut 34:10-12) And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like to Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,

11  In all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land,

12  And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses showed in the sight of all Israel.

 

Yeshua did miraculous signs

 

- (John 2:23-25) Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.

24  But Jesus did not commit himself to them, because he knew all men,

25  And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

 

- (John 7:31) And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ comes, will he do more miracles than these which this man has done?

 

- (John 20:30-31) And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

31  But these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name.