Promises of a Messiah – Deuteronomy 18:15-19

This is part 2 of a 12 week series.  The first entry was Promises of a Messiah – Genesis 3:15

For our next prophecy, we’re going to fast forward to the times of Moses.  The Israelites were free from slavery in Egypt, and had arrived at Mount Sinai (also known as Horeb).  God warned them to be ready, because in three days He was going to show Himself on the mountain.

The people washed their clothes.  Boundaries were set up around the mountain – to be sure no one would touch it.  And on the third day, the people assembled.

Fire!  Smoke!  Thick cloud!  Earthquake!  Moses spoke to God, and He answered with THUNDER.  Lightning flashed!

This is the scene in which God gave what we now call the 10 Commandments.

The people were terrified.  They were shaking with fear.  They begged Moses not to let God speak to them directly – they were afraid that if God spoke to them, they would DIE.

Moses told them not to be afraid – God had come to test them, and to put His fear in them, to keep them from sin (see Exodus 19:9-20:21).

Fast forward again to the end of Moses’ life.  He’s talking again about the commands of God – specifically about the leadership that God has given them.  Kings, priests, and prophets.  The king must obey the law (in fact, one of his early acts should be to write it out by hand for himself).  The priests would be provided for by the people and would serve the Lord among them.  Prophets would speak as the Lord directed – and never make something up or speak in the name of false gods.

These people would guide Israel.  The people were never to look to things like witchcraft or spiritism for guidance.

But in the middle of all these instructions is something different.  Moses recalls the people’s terror by the mountain.  God had heard the people’s request, and had an answer.

"The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers–it is to him you shall listen–just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’

And the LORD said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken.  I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers.  And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.  And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. (Deu 18:15-19)

It’s a strange statement.  It fits the context, but strange because there’s so little explanation.  It stands out like something everyone would want to hear more about, and yet Moses quickly moves on.  Certainly he’s talking about the many other prophets God would send, and yet there seems here to be someone special he’s talking about.

Apparently this hope had stayed alive on into Jesus’ day.  When Jesus fed the crowds with only 5 loaves and 2 fish, the people said,"This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!" (John 6:14)  Even the Samaritan woman showed knowledge of a prophet who would come and speak for God – "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things." (John 4:25)

John’s Gospel carries this theme of the Prophet who would speak for the Father.  People would have to listen, or see God’s wrath (John 3:31-38).  Jesus Himself frequently said He spoke for the Father (John 7:16-19; John 8:25-27; John 12:44-50).

God Himself echoed the prophecy on the mountain of transfiguration, again in the presence of Moses, and again in a cloud – "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him." (Mat 17:5)  As at Mt Sinai, the disciples were terrified when they heard the voice of God and fell on their faces.  Jesus, like Moses, told them not to be afraid (Mat 17:7).

When Peter spoke to the crowd on the day of Pentecost, he explained that Jesus Himself was the Prophet.  One like Moses, who came from among the people (He was human, and in fact from Israel), who all would be required to listen to (Acts 3:18-24).

Jesus was the unique Word of God, and so different from the other prophets.  As the author of Hebrews wrote,"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son…" (Heb 1:1-2)

Finally, emphasizing the comparison between Jesus and Moses:

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house.  For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses–as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.)

Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son.  And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope. (Heb 3:1-6)

So God has made it clear – He’s sent the One we must listen to . . . will we?