A
TALE OF TWO PROPHETS
"For
the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ"
(John 1:17). Was Moses ever acquainted with grace and truth? Did Jesus
ignore the law? Did these two prophets -. one the founder of Israel and
mediator of the Old Covenant, the other the Son of God and the Mediator
of the New Covenant - have anything in common? Were they Jekyll and
Hyde, or two of a kind? Were they opposites, or just alike?
Contradictory or complementary? Let's get to know both Moses and Jesus
better- the tale of these two prophets is fascinating!
Hard, strong, stern- does that describe Moses? Merciful, loving.
Longsuffering, meek, lowly, kind, forgiving, friendly does that
describe Jesus? Could both of these descriptions possibly fit
both Moses and Jesus?
"Almost every Christian knows more about Jesus than he does about
Moses. Let's become better acquainted with that man, Moses. Let's look
into the pages of Scripture and find out more about that prophet God
used to begin the writing of His Holy Bible. Let's get to know that
Moses who prophesied of Christ - that. Moses who brought Israel from
slavery to sovereignty (Acts 7:37 and Exodus6:26-27).
Behind
the Scenes
Let's become personally familiar with the character and personality of
that Moses who was "mighty in words and in deeds" according to Stephen,
the first martyr of the Christian Church (Acts 7:22). Let's set aside
all preconceived notions about that man Moses, and get to know him
intimately. We can draw from history and tradition, but let's avoid
bigotry at all costs. Lot's go behind the scenes of plague and
pestilence, behind the events of the parting of the Red Sea and the
giving of the Law, behind the stories of the building of the tabernacle
in the wilderness, the establishment of the Levitical priesthood. .
Moses was a human being. He suffered frustrations from unfulfilled
desires, misunderstandings of his motives from his fellow Israelites,
self-doubts concealing his own abilities to perform the momentous tasks
God required of him, family problems with his wife, sister, brother,
in-laws and adopted Parents.
Let's get to know him better - he was really a pretty nice guy. Let's
become Moses friend - after all. (God was! (Exodus 33:11.)
Jesus descended from Judah. Moses came from Levi. Both were sons of
Abraham. Jesus was a "babe in a manger." Moses was a babe in a boat.
Moses was born a slave Jesus was the single object of intense
persecution by a king inspired by Satan determined to exterminate Him
while He was yet a child. Moses was adopted into Pharaoh's family and
became a prince of Egypt. Jesus was the Prince of Peace. Moses was a
general of the armies of Egypt. Jesus was Captain of the
Host.
Moses fled for his life into exile in Sinai, awavy from Eygpt. Jesus
was taken, to save His life, in exile into Egypt by His parents.
Years
of Preparation
Moses' life scanned 120 years. Jesus' human life was onlv a little over
33. Moses' life is easily divided into three distinctly different
periods of 40 years each. Eighty years passed before GOD called Moses
to his most important remaining forty years. But the measure of the man
Moses was greatly influenced by Those eighty years of preparation.
Let's look at them briefly.
Whatever the arguments as to which is dominant in a man's life, two
things shape the person: heredity and environment.
Moses' great grandfather was, Levi, son of Jacob and Leah, and founder,
of one of the tribes of Israel. When Leah, Jacob's cousin on Abraham's
side of the family, bore Levi, she was very happy because he was her
third son by Jacob. Leah was not Jacob's choice for a wife, but through
deception by Laban, Jacob's uncle-cum-father-in-law, became his first
legal wife. Jacob's choice was Rachel, Leah's sister. Therefore Jacob
preferred Rachel and snubbed Leah. God saw Leah's problem and blessed
her with the majority of Jacob's sons. At the birth of this third son,
Leah felt things would be different: "Now this time will my husband be
joined unto me because I have born him three sons: therefore was his
name called Levi" (Genesis 29:34).
Levi, in Hebrew, means, "joined." Although Leah's sentiment regarding
her third son was personal, her choice of name for Levi later proved to
be prophetic as well the entire tribe of Levi "joined" the nation of
Israel to God by fulfilling the offices of the Levitical priesthood!
Beginning with Abraham, who married his half-sister, and continuing
through Isaac, who took a cousin to wife, and Jacob, who also married a
cousin, the custom of the family had been to maintain the genetic pool
by intermarriage within the family. Many problems were created by this,
but many strengths were also passed on. The record of the family shows
wealth, education and brilliance. Until politically generated slavery
Via the first pogroms of history in Egypt thrust Abraham's descendants
into a poverty so abject they didn't even own "their own bodies", he
and his offspring were wealthy beyond most modern concepts of riches.
Educated in the finest institutions of learning in the centers of the
civilization of their day as well as by the crucible of trade, commerce
and animal husbandry. Abraham and his children were cosmopolitans of
the nth degree of their day. Contrary to popular opinion, the record
seems to show that Abraham and his family brought culture to Egypt.
rather than obtaining it there.
As to brilliance: Abraham. blessed by God. managed to extricate himself
from two politically tricky situations with the Pharaoh of Egypt and
the King of Gerar - not only escaping the consequences of lying to
them, but adding immensely to his already great riches in the process.
Isaac maintained the family wealth and duplicated Abraham's political
coup with a later King of Gerar. Jacob even out maneuvered his own
father and brother (with his mother's help), won both the birthright
and the blessing from Isaac, outfoxed the very foxy Laban, his uncle,
and established independent wealth for a family of twelve sons and a
daughter! And of course we all know of the brilliant success of Joseph,
the half-brother of Levi, in Egypt.
Faults
and Talents
The purpose of all this is to show that despite the fact that Moses
began as the son of a slave, he had inherent capacities in his
bloodlines which qualified him to be used to fulfill the unique
commission God called him to accomplish.
On the other hand, there were family characteristics many prefer to
overlook in lionizing these holy men of the Bible. God doesn't leave it
out, however. He tells the whole story and makes these giants much
easier to understand by showing their entirely human faults as well as
talents. The family had a streak of clever, scheming deviousness and
..used it to execute plots against each other as much as against the
world around them. Strong, if not violent, tempers provided another
common trait. Opinionated and of iron will, they were from time to time
not even beyond arguing with God Himself - though the main thrust of
their lives was one of faithful obedience.
Another overview of Moses' heredity was a strong dominance among the
women of the family. No second-class citizens, these women - they are
only a bit overshadowed by even more dominant males in the family, by
custom, tradition an the way God made things.
Following the family tradition Moses' father, Amram, married his own
aunt, his father's sister - and together they produced Miriam, Aaron
and Moses: all participating in the focus of this genealogy of strong
traits.
Living in more than difficult times, Amram and
Jochebed
Moses' parents gave birth to him in an impossible time for raising sons.
By royal decree all boy babies were to be exterminated. The Egyptians
feared a population explosion among their Hebrew slave class would
endanger their national existence: hence infanticide by law! Using
their natural history of resourcefulness and exercising faith. Moses
parents set their as yet unnamed three-month-old son on a voyage down
the river precalculated to end at the feet of the frustrated,
childless daughter of Pharaoh as she pursued her ritualistic ablutions
in the waters of the Nile-god Egypt served. Clever Miriam spied on the
event and reported all to mother Jochebed (both strong women). Even
more clever, Jochebed managed to ingratiate herself with the royal
daughter of Pharaoh and wrangle herself the position of wet nurse and
governess for that blessed gift of the Nile, (named now) Moses! And in
addition, she got paid! That fascinating interplay of human
endeavor and God's intervention at times of crisis set Moses on a
career unprecedented in history.
, Just as the innocent naming of Levi by Leah, drawing from the
circumstances of his birth, was-later prophetic, so was the naming of
Moses by the daughter of Pharaoh. Viewing the child's miraculous
appearance on the bosom of the god-Nile as an answer to her prayers,
she dubbed him "Drawn-Chit" (Moses), because, she said, "I drew him out
of the water" (Exodus 2:10). Later, as you know, this Moses was to
"draw out" the entire slave-nation of Israel, and in so doing destroy
Egypt for generations.
First
Forty Years
Paul tells us in Hebrews a peculiar thing about Moses: "Esteeming the
reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he
had respect unto the recompense of the reward.. By faith he forsook
Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him
who is invisible"! (Hebrews 11:26,27.) This truth, inspired by the Holy
Spirit, says Moses knew his heritage, his background, the promises and
prophecies passed on from Abraham to Jacob to Levi to Amram, to Moses!
The biblical record of Moses' first forty years covers just half a
chapter but the skeleton outline of events provides enough detail to
flesh in most of the remainder from reason and tradition. Taught the
truths Abraham received from God, Moses' first learning experience, his
primary education, was received at the breast of Jochebed, the witty,
clever, faithful mother-cum-governess for the adopted, miraculous Gift
of the Nile, the new Prince of Egypt!
. Built onto this basic foundation of truth was his royal education.
Adopted into the very top social stratum of the greatest civilization
of the day. Nothing was spared to provide him with the very best
available on earth in every facet of his life, History, perverted by
political necessity of the time as is the case of all history.
Mathematics from the accumulated intelligence of the unprecedented and,
to this day, unduplicated excellence of pyramid builders. Medicine from
physicians performing delicate brain surgery unduplicated until our
present century. Military tactics from the reservoir of the strongest
army of the day, Literature and the arts from one of the cradles of
this most precious segment of life, in the human sphere of things.
Political science, engineering,
horticulture, astronomy, the physical sciences, the social
grace,
government, law, protocol, jurisprudence .
Forty years of the best education; including practical application,
available on earth - and, of course all paid for from the royal
treasury! And. most important of all this entire process was
God-guided. The Lord knew how He was going to use Moses all
along
and. speaking of cleverness, wasn't God pretty clever. getting Satan
and his deceived followers to provide a proper, background for His boy
Moses?
Life
Begins at Forty
Permeated with the truth of God taught him by his real mother,
saturated with all the knowledge the royalty of Egypt could provide,
Moses came to the first severe crisis point of his life. Seeking to
destroy this spoiled gift of the gods, Moses' siblings of actual
Egyptian royalty must have precipitated his need to flee Into exile
when he slew that Egyptian in defense of his blood-brethren.
Well, they say life begins at forty! And for Moses, at least, a
completely NEW life began at forty. Reared in the lap of luxury
unimaginable, unlimited funds to sustain his every need and whim, an
unlimited supply of manpower always at his disposal to execute whatever
project he might want to pursue, lauded, praised, honored and revered,
protected, provided for and pampered - Moses now, faced making his
living with his own two hands! Exhausted and fear ridden from his
flight from Egypt. Moses met a Midianite mogul named Jethro-Reuel
(which modest name. being interpreted, means "His Excellency, the
Friend of God"). J.R. offered him a job as a shepherd for his flocks,
which wandered for sustenance all over the Sinai wilderness.
Another forty years of Moses' continuing education lay before him. The
rough life of a nomadic herdsman, forced to survive and thrive in the
blast furnace of that impossible piece of geography: the Sinai Desert!
What a comedown for the powerful Prince of Egypt. Penniless, wanted for
murder by the most powerful nation on earth, son of a slave people,
inexperienced in living by the sweat of his brow; Moses began anew
life. Forty years and Moses had gone from rags to riches - and back to
rags again! .
But don't feel too sorry for him - God was with him, and he knew it! He
knew about Christ! He could picture, in his mind's eye the fulfillment
of promises made to Abraham about the first coming of Jesus that you
and I can read about in the Gospels as recorded history. And Beyond
that, he could also picture the other promises of that second coming
that hasn't happened yet: the Kingdom, the power and the glory of God
on earth! Moses could see all that as if it had already happened. He
was jealous in guarding in his heart and mind, his own part in that
Kingdom of God - and he well knew what kingdoms are all about.
That knowledge, that faith sustained him completely. Moses didn't miss
a beat in picking up his new style of life in the desolate desert. He
selected a rough, strong, hardwood stick and started herding sheep.
It wasn't all bad news. J.R.had a supply of daughters that wouldn't
quit, seven of them! He happily gave Zipporah. his eldest, to Moses for
his wife, and promptly became a grandfather. Moses called his son
"Stranger" (Gershom), because, he said, "I have been a stranger in a
strange land" (Exodus 2:22).
Jesus'
Enigmatic Statement
One thing we should understand thoroughly is that Moses was very
personally acquainted with the One we call Jesus. The Jesus of the New
Testament was the Lord of the Old Testament! Jesus frustrated the
theologians of His day with this enigmatic commentary: "Your father
Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said
the Jews unto him. Thou art not yet fifty, years old. and hast thou
seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them; Verily, verily. I say unto you
before Abraham was, I am"! (John 8:56-58)
Jesus the Word of God who was God, and became flesh, always existed. He
was the One who told us that no man had either seen or heard the
Father. It was through Him that all things that are made in heaven and
in earth were made. Jesus is the One who, in the prayer He made to His
Father just before the crucifixion, asked for the glory He had formerly
enjoyed with the Father be restored to Him, since He had completed the
mission for which He came to earth.
The doctrines of some would relegate Jesus to being a created being
having a beginning. Some think He is Michael the archangel. And of
course some are of the opinion that He was just an outstanding human
being of His day expounding social philosophies beyond the scope of His
generation. And many deny Him altogether; even as a historical person,
and feel He is the invention of whoever it was that started the
Christian movement, an outstanding member of the mythical pantheon of
Christendom. If we are to believe John, Paul, Stephen, Peter, Luke,
Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, etc, etc. were tellers of truth, then
we must conclude that Jesus not only preexisted, but was indeed the God
of the entire Bible, the Spokesman for the God family, the Word of the
Lord, the Almighty God Elohim who spoke and there was light! This is
not intended to be an establishment or defense of this truth - we have
literature you can write for that does that - but merely an overview
resume so you will understand the personal relationship the- holy men
of old had with the Son of God whom we worship.
So when Jesus told the critics of His day. "Before Abraham was I am"!
He was being neither grammatically nor factually incorrect. When Jesus
trod this earth as the physical son of man. He was not only filled with
compassion for the multitudes of His generation, but remembered
intimately and with godly depth of fondness all the spirits of just men
made perfect in the many generations that had preceded His
presence at Bethlehem. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses were not just
prophetically hoping about the coming of the Messiah in some future
generation; they were direct recipients of personal promises from the
One who became our Savior. They were not just empty, historical names
Jesus had to learn about as a boy in Nazareth - to Him they were all
old familiar friends to whom He had personally made eternal promises!
Old
Familiar Friends
Besides the power of the Holy Spirit, the memories Jesus held of these
men and women of the Bible who had all died in faith, believing in Him,
must have sustained and inspired Him to fulfill His commission
perfectly. Jesus anxiously looked forward to that day - yet to come-
when He will call them from their graves to glory in His Kingdom. They
may seem distant, almost un-human characters to us, but to Jesus they
were all old familiar friends, all of whom He loved enough to die for!
And He did! Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever - Hebrews
13:8 - so Jesus, by any other name, is just the same! And He had MANY
names! Moses knew Him - better than you know your closest friend - as
the God .of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He knew Him as the Elohim-God who
told Moses all the necessary details of those seven days of creation.
Moses knew Him as El Shaddai - God Almighty - who sustained with His
great power, the forefathers of Moses. Moses knew Him as the God of the
Covenants - YHVH, or Jehovah as some call Him - who made covenants with
Adam, Noah and Abraham before He made His "Old Covenant" with Israel.
Moses foreknew Him as Christ, his Savior, the Son of God - and he
believed, and died in faith in Him! Jesus was no stranger to Moses - He
was his Friend!
Moses
the Octogenarian
After forty years of sheep tending on Sinai, being eighty years of age.
Moses was at last ready to perform the commission for which he had been
born. A commission; that would take him yet another forty years to
perform. The epic of the Exodus, the giving of the Law, the building of
the nation Israel, the writing of the beginnings of the Bible, the
establishment of the Levitical priesthood and the Tabernacle-cum-Temple
services in the wilderness - all this and so much more lay yet before
Moses, the octogenarian. For Moses, life began at eighty!
But Moses didn't volunteer for the job. In fact, he was quite adamant
in refusing it. He so pursued his reluctance to serve in the capacity
that means "Moses" to most of us that he argued with God to the, point
of making Him angry! Moses brought up every excuse to avoid the
commission God had for him. He reasoned, he begged, he squirmed, he
suggested alternates, he told God He'd picked the wrong man - all to no
avail as you and I well know. But what a tale that is!
Be, sure to read it in the next issue of The Plain Truth. We all know
Moses did the job - but the story of how it all happened will make you
love that man Moses and that God Jesus so much more, you can't afford
to miss it!
To Be
Continued……
by David
Jon Hill
Reprinted from the February 1977 Plain Truth Magazine
Brought to
you as a Study Resource by the