Moses prophesied that a prophet like himself would one day be raised up by the Lord. This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus – but does it end there?
It was Moses who prophesied that the Lord would raise up a prophet like himself, a prophet descended from the race of Israel who would be given God's words to proclaim. As one authorised to speak in God's name he would do so with divine authority, and God promised that he would punish anyone who refused to obey his message.
This provision was made when, on Mount Sinai, the people begged Moses that they would not again have to listen to God himself or to behold his fiery presence. God commended them for this request and promised instead that he would raise up in their nation a prophet who would mediate God's word to them (Deut 18:16-19).
God's Alternative to the Occult
The promise to send another prophet like Moses was (and is) given as an alternative to seeking guidance and help through witchcraft and spiritualism:
Don't let your people practise divination or look for omens or use spells or charms, and don't let them consult the spirits of the dead. The Lord your God hates people who do these disgusting things...in the land you are to occupy, people follow the advice of those who practise divination and look for omens, but the Lord your God does not allow you to do this. Instead, he will send you a prophet like me...and you are to obey him (Deut 18:10-15).
God's views do not change with the passing of time. He is still absolutely opposed to witchcraft, spiritism and any other kind of occult practices. Those who do these things arouse his anger. Such steps are in any case, unnecessary for his people because he has made provision for their guidance and well-being through the prophet like Moses.
God's Promise Fulfilled
The promise of God to send a prophet like Moses was fulfilled in two ways. Every time a prophet emerged in the course of Israel's history he would be seen to be the fulfilment of God's promise through Moses, even if only partially. Speaking to those who had witnessed the healing of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, Peter referred to God's promise of a prophet like Moses and saw its fulfilment in "all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken" (Acts 3:22-24).
An oft-repeated question down the years was, "Are you the prophet?", the question that was asked concerning John the Baptist and Jesus himself (John 1:21-25, Matt 16:14).
None of the succession of prophets that brought God's word to Israel down the years completely fulfilled Moses' promise - until the coming of Jesus. They spoke the words God gave them to speak, but he was the word, the complete speaking forth of the word of God. "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in many ways, but in these last times he has spoken to us by his Son..." (Heb 1:1-2).
None of the prophets through the years completely fulfilled Moses' promise – until Jesus. The prophets spoke the words of God - he WAS the Word of God.
After the crowd had witnessed the miraculous feeding of 5000 people they drew the conclusion, "Surely this is the prophet who is to come into the world" (John 6:14). The sermons preached to the early church show that Peter and Stephen believed that Jesus was the complete fulfilment of God's promise to raise up a prophet like Moses (Acts 3:22-23; 7:37).
Jesus is Like Moses
There are a number of fascinating parallels between the life of Moses and that of Jesus. Their young lives were spared in infancy (Ex 2:9-10; Matt 2:13-14). They both renounced a royal court to share their brothers' sufferings (Acts 7:22-23; Phil 2:6-8). Both were said to be meek (Num 12:3; Matt 11:29). Both were said to be faithful (Heb 3:2). Both were men with the compassion of a shepherd (Num 27:17; Matt 9:36). Each had the supreme privilege of beholding the face of God (2 Cor 3:7-13; John 1:18).
They were the ministers of covenants (Deut 29:12; Heb 8:6). Their ministry was to reveal God's will to his people (Deut 6:1; Matt 5:21-48) but where his will had been rejected both had a mighty ministry of intercession on behalf of those people (Deut 9:18-19; Heb 5:7 and 7:25).
Those with a prophetic ministry today do well to cultivate the qualities revealed in this summary of the characteristics of Moses and, supremely, those of the "greater than Moses" (Heb 3:3). Among the prophets heard today there are too many who have forgotten the warning "if I have no love my speech is no more than a noisy gong or a clanging bell" (1 Cor 13:1).
There are many fascinating parallels between the lives of Jesus and Moses, including character qualities that those with a prophetic ministry today would do well to imitate.
Jesus Spoke Only God's Words
The most important characteristic of 'the prophet like Moses' that the Lord promised to raise up for his people is this: "I will put my words in his mouth and he will tell them everything I command him" (Deut 18:18).
Jesus claimed that the initiative in his speaking always came from the Father, and that he never opened his mouth to say what he wanted to say: "I do nothing on my own initiative but I speak these things as the Father taught me" (John 8:28). "For I did not speak on my own initiative, but the Father himself who sent me has given me commandment, what to say and what to speak" (NAS) or, as the NIV helpfully translates, "what to say and how to say it".
If it is still true that "man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matt 4:4) (and we can be sure that the Lord has not changed his ideas on the subject), then we must face up to the fact that the well-being of God's people depends upon their regular attention to his word, spoken through his prophetic messengers.
It is still true that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word from the mouth of God. The well-being of God's people depends on their regular attention to his word.
How tragic that so many of the Lord's people have dished up every Sunday the latest theories and ideas currently being circulated in their particular group of churches; the experience and theories of their leadership or the latest humanistic conclusions of their Bible critics. God's people need his word spoken in the power of his Spirit, for there is no hope of their spiritual growth if this element is missing from their diet.
Jesus is THE Prophet
Although Moses' promise that God would raise up a prophet like him was partially fulfilled in the prophets subsequently sent to Israel and Judah, it was not until the coming of Jesus that Moses' promise was finally fulfilled. Those who heard him and watched what he was able to do came to the unanimous conclusion that he was THE promised prophet.
When Jesus raised the son of the widow of Nain from death: "They were all filled with awe and praised God. 'A great prophet has appeared among us' they said" (Luke 7:16). When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey "the whole city was stirred and asked 'Who is this?' The crowds answered 'This is Jesus the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee'" (Matt 21:10-11).
After Jesus' crucifixion two disconsolate followers journeying to Emmaus nevertheless said of him: "He was a prophet powerful in word and deed before God and all the people" (Luke 24:19). Later on a New Testament writer compares and contrasts Moses and Jesus. He declares them both to have been faithful but expresses the difference between them: "Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house...but Christ is faithful as a son over God's house" (Heb 3:5-6).
Proclaiming God's Standards
If we ask the question 'What is a prophet?' we find many aspects calling for attention in order to reach a complete definition. One aspect which stands out in any study of Moses or Jesus as examples of what a prophet should be is that they took a courageous stand for God's standards. One answer to the question 'What is a prophet?' must therefore be 'someone who makes God's will known and who makes obedience possible'.
God's laws are not designed to make life as miserable as possible but to open our lives to the fullness of his blessing. Hear the heartbeat of God in the words: "Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!" (Deut 5:29).
God's laws are not designed to make life as miserable as possible, but to open our lives to the fullness of his blessing.
Prophets Like Moses Today
If a knowledge of God's standards and his will are the secret of his blessing in the church and in society as a whole, where are we to find those authorised to get the message over? There were prophets in the early church (e.g. Acts 11:28, 13:1-2, 15:32, 21:10). They were not office-bearers limited to one Christian community, neither were they elected to office or set apart by an ecclesiastical ceremony; they simply received a word from God and then proceeded to speak it wherever he sent them. They came and went as the Spirit moved them. The local church was required to test them and then to receive or reject their message.
The picture of these wandering prophets, unburdened by pastoral duties and uninvolved in ecclesiastical responsibilities, coming into a fellowship, speaking what God had given them to say and then departing elsewhere is one we need to recover today; that is, if we have the courage so to do.
Moses Spoke to the Nations
The word ecclesia is used in the Greek version of the Old Testament in Deuteronomy 18:16, where Moses refers to the 'church' of his day. What he said, however, was intended not just for a restricted community, but also, for all mankind.
In Old Testament days Nathan spoke to King David about his treatment of Bathsheba's husband (2 Sam 12:1-15); Elijah spoke about the way King Ahab and Queen Jezebel had appropriated Naboth's vineyard (1 Kings 21:17-29); Amos addressed the pampered women of Samaria who caused their husbands to oppress the poor so that they could sleep on ivory beds, over-eat and spend a fortune on beauty preparations (Amos 4:1 and 6:4-6); and Jonah was told to rebuke Nineveh (Jonah 1:2).
We accept that Old Testament prophets spoke the word of the Lord to rulers, cities and nations. Why then do prophets today operate almost exclusively in Christian circles?
In New Testament times, John the Baptist not only sought to prepare the hearts of the faithful for the coming Messiah but also rebuked Herod Antipas for his immorality and gave guidance to soldiers and tax-collectors (Luke 3:12-14, 19). We accept that Old Testament prophets spoke the word of the Lord to rulers, cities and nations. Why then are New Testament prophets today operating almost exclusively in Christian circles? In their day Chrysostom and Ambrose did not hesitate to speak God's word to emperors and others in authority. May God raise up prophets like Moses who will fearlessly declare God's standards to our rebellious, sick world.
First published in Prophecy Today, Vol 4 No 2, March/April 1988.
