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.--Deut. xviii. 15-19.
This is one of the many precious promises given by God to Israel.
Moses is a character justly deserving our regard and veneration.
The Jewish nation held him in high estimation, and almost idolized
his memory. Perhaps our time may not be misemployed in searching
for proofs of the fulfilment of this prophecy, and in examining the
character of one (even Jesus) who declares himself to be not only a
prophet like unto Moses, but in every respect his superior; which,
if proved, will clearly warrant their giving unto Jesus far greater
honour than was even due to Moses. In drawing a comparison between
these illustrious personages, we observe; they both sprang from the
family of Jacob or Israel; Moses, when a child, was, for a time,
concealed by his parents from the persecuting Pharoah; the child
Jesus also, was, by command of God the Father, taken into Egypt,
to avoid the tyranny of Herod: thus both escaped the destruction
executed on all the other male children. Moses was raised up from
the midst of the people, from amongst his brethren the children
of Israel; Jesus having taken on him our nature, is not ashamed to
call us brethren. Moses was a prophet, called and taught of God;
Jesus is the sent, the sealed, the anointed of God, at whose call
he came forth. Moses saw God face to face; Jesus lay in the bosom
of the Father. Moses wrought miracles by the command and aid of
God; Jesus wrought many miracles in the days of his flesh, but
all in his own name and by his own power. Moses was an honoured
instrument in bringing Israel from the bondage of Egypt; but Jesus
delivers his people Israel from worse than Egyptian taskmasters,
even the bondage of sin and Satan. Moses fasted forty days before he
gave the law to Israel. Jesus fasted forty days before he entered
on his public ministry. When Moses wrought miracles in Egypt, the
magicians were obliged to confess the divine power by which he
acted. Jesus expelled the evil spirits, and they acknowledged his
almighty power. Moses commanded the sea to retire, and it obeyed
his voice. Jesus said to the tempestuous winds and sea, "Peace,
be still!" and instantly there was a great calm. Moses cured one
leper.[20] Jesus cured many. Moses chose and appointed seventy
elders over the people, on whom God bestowed the spirit of prophecy.
Jesus chose seventy apostles, whom he endowed with miraculous
powers, and sent forth to teach in the villages. Moses chose twelve
men, whom he sent to spy out the land the Israelites were about
to conquer. Jesus chose twelve apostles, and commanded them to go
forth and preach the gospel to all the world, and subject it to
his allegiance, by a more glorious power than that of arms. Moses
was in danger of being stoned by the rebellious and ungrateful
people, whom he had constantly laboured to benefit. The Jews also
took up stones to stone Jesus in return for his numerous favours.
The relations of Moses were greatly offended with him for marrying
an Ethiopian woman.[21] Jesus has espoused the Gentile church, to
the no small displeasure of the Jews. When Moses was the prophet of
Israel, they were fed with manna from heaven. Jesus miraculously
fed five thousand and seven thousand persons; he could say "I am
the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of
this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will
give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
When Moses, by God's command, stretched forth his hand, darkness
covered the land of Egypt, which was shortly followed by the awful
destruction of its first-born; when Jesus was crucified, darkness
covered the land, which, not many years after, was the scene of the
most dire calamities. Was Moses a prophet? and did he not speak
of the calamities that would befall the Jews? as such, see Jesus
teaching the people, and foretelling the time and circumstances of
his own decease, and also the siege and destruction of Jerusalem.
Was Moses as king in Jeshurun? Jesus is not only king in Zion, but
King of kings, and Lord of lords; by him kings rule, and princes
decree justice. Moses is described as an almost perfect character;
Jesus as wholly free from the least spot or stain of sin. Moses was
remarkable for meekness; Jesus, when led as a lamb to the slaughter,
opened not his mouth; when reviled, he reviled not again; when
persecuted, he blessed. Moses, by command of God, gave laws and
statutes, and instituted ordinances in Israel; Jesus instituted the
ordinance of the Lord's Supper, and gave laws and commandments to
his people. The law given by Moses tends only to condemnation, but
Jesus "has brought light and immortality to light by his gospel."
The law of Moses was designed "as a schoolmaster to bring us to
Christ;" the doctrine of Jesus is, "I am the way, the truth, and
the life." Moses acted as a mediator between God and Israel, at
the giving of the covenant on Sinai; Jesus is the great day's-man,
and the almighty mediator of the new covenant. Did Moses plead
for the rebellious Israelites? we also hear Jesus interceding for
transgressors, saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not
what they do." Moses read the law in the ears of all Israel; Jesus
writes his laws upon the hearts of his people, and his truths in
their inward parts. When Moses descended from Mount Sinai, after
holding converse with God, his face shone exceeding bright; we are
told when Jesus was transfigured on Mount Tabor, his face shone as
the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. Did Moses choose
rather "to suffer affliction with the people of God, than enjoy
the pleasures of sin for a season?" Jesus preferred suffering
misery and woe for a time, rather than his people should endure
the everlasting punishment which their sins deserved. Did Moses
esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of
Egypt? Jesus considers the odium affixed to his cross, as a more
honourable distinction than the possession of thousands of gold
and silver. Moses, as a servant, was faithful in all his house;
Jesus could say "Father, I have finished the work thou hast given
me to do," "I have glorified thee on the earth," and "those thou
gavest me, I have kept, and none of them is lost." (See John xvii.
12) Moses was permitted, from the heights of Pisgah, to view the
goodly land of promise; which was but a type of the heavenly rest
Jesus has prepared for those who love him. Moses, as a prophet, was
great in Israel; Jesus is the Lord God of the prophets, and unto him
shall the people hearken; he will give them the hearing ear and the
understanding heart, and make them willing in the day of his power.
"Every soul that will not hearken unto this prophet, shall be cut
off," for be it known to all people, "that there is none other name
under heaven given amongst men, whereby we can be saved," but that
of Jesus, who is of a truth "the prophet that was for to come." It
was said, by way of reproach, thou art this man's disciple, but we
are Moses' disciples. Let us not consider it a disgrace to own our
attachment to him, who is in every point of view far superior to
Moses, who was but his servant, and the creature of his power. Where
shall we find a person who so closely resembles Moses, as Christ?
Surely he was the prophet foretold! Yet the Jews rejected him, and
by that rejection prove that Jesus was he of whom Moses wrote--for
the Lord has executed the punishment he threatened should befall
them, if they refused to hearken unto this prophet; thus the Jews
are living monuments of the truth as it is in Jesus. Oh, may we take
warning from their calamities, and receive the sent, the sealed, the
anointed of the Father, as our prophet, priest, and king; even Jesus
the Messiah, the Christ of God!
[20] Numbers xii. 15.
[21] Numbers xii. 1.