The Prophet

One of the ways God makes himself known as the only true God is that he makes happen what he declares will happen (Is. 46:8-10).  On the road to Emmaus Jesus tells two disciples about what all the scriptures say about him, starting with Moses (Luke 24:13-32).

By Jesus’ time people were expecting a savior. When John the Baptist came on the scene they began to hope.

Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”He said, “I am not.”“Are you the Prophet?”He answered, “No.” (John 1:19c-21 | NIV)

Okay, so we know they were expecting a Messiah, and apparently even Elijah, but who is the Prophet they are asking about? Even the ordinary people were expecting this Prophet. Here is one response to Jesus’ preaching.

40 On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” (John 7:40 | NIV) Indeed, the people who said, “Surely this man is the Prophet” were correct, ask acknowledged by the scriptures and even by the voice of God.

The Apostle Peter has no hesitation in identifying the Prophet from something Moses said centuries earlier.

18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. 21 Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’ (Acts 3:18-23 | NIV)

During Jesus’ ministry he once showed James, Peter and John his glorified state in what many Bible scholars call a “transfiguration.” In this vision the disciples see Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah. (How they knew who the two were we are not told.)

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5 | NIV)

Notice that God, speaking from the cloud, tells the disciples to listen to Jesus, even though they see both Moses and Elijah, two of the most renowned prophets of God are also present. The idea seems to be that Jesus’ word is more important than even that of Moses. This is consistent with an instruction Moses had given long before about “the Prophet.”

15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. (Deuteronomy 18:15 | NIV)

I have read that verse many times, and yet it was many years before I really got the “like me” part. When we think of prophets we think of Samuel or Elijah, Isaiah or Daniel, or maybe Jonah, or big names like Habakkuk or Obadiah.

Let’s have a brief look at Moses’ life and career and see how any prophet can be “like” him.

1. Moses was protected from a Gentile king who tried to kill him along with many infants.
2. Moses was rejected as Israel’s leader by his peers.
3. Even after repeated miracles, Israel refused to follow him into the promised land, resulting in a 40-year period of wandering in the wilderness and being wiped out..
4. Moses delivered God’s law to Israel after God spoke it from the mountain.
5. Moses brought the people of Israel into a covenant with God at Sinai.
6. Moses judged Israel and appointed judges over Israel.
7. Moses instituted a priesthood to as a means to atone for sin in Israel.
8. Moses appointed leaders to complete the task of settling the promised land.

 

1. Jesus was protected from an infanticidal monarch. (Matt. 2:1-18)
2. Jesus was rejected as Israel’s leader by his peers. (Acts 4:11)
3. Even after repeated miracles, Israel refused to follow him into redemption from sin, resulting in destruction of their nation and dispersion for centuries among Gentile nations. (Luke 19:41-44)
4. Jesus delivered God’s law to Israel from a mountain. (Matt. 5-7; 2 Cor. 3:1-9) Notice that in places Jesus paraphrases portions of the law of Moses, yet he says, “but I say” when he strengthens that rule. These are the words of the Law-giver, not just any prophet.
5. Jesus brought the people of Israel into a new covenant with God, which includes Gentiles. Matt 26:28
6. Jesus judges and appointed judges Israel. (Matt. 19:28 John 5:27; 1 Cor. 6:1-2)
7. Jesus instituted the one true means to atone for sin in Israel and the world, his sacrifice. (Heb. 2:17)
8. Jesus appointed leaders to complete the settling of the promised land. (Matt. 28:16-20; Acts 2:38-41)

But Jesus was, of course, more than a Prophet, as we read in the entire book of Hebrews.

1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. 3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory. (Heb. 3:1-6 | NIV)

Moses promised Israel that there would be a prophet like him raised up from among them. Had they really thought it through, they would have realized that such a prophet could only come to lead a second exodus from captivity.

Because sin is what led to death and also to Israel’s captivity, this “second exodus” requires two phases.

1. Because sin is the underlying problem of humanity “the Prophet” must lead us first from captivity to sin. Jesus came to offer himself as a sacrifice to substitute for our death, giving us the opportunity to repent and have our sins forgiven by him.

2. At his return, Jesus calls believers, whether alive or dead at the time – to meet him in the air. This event is often called the Rapture. At this point he sets up a kingdom – with a capital at Jerusalem – that shall never be overthrown.

Out of the kingdoms of this age and into the Kingdom of God.

It doesn’t get more “exodus” than that!