How the Prophets Prepare Us for Jesus the Messiah: A Prophet Like Moses
During the Christmas season, we hear a few Old Testament verses quoted which point ahead to the birth of Jesus Christ: Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 9:6, 7:14; Micah 5:2. These references do indeed look ahead to the promised Messiah. But are these the only places we can turn to find support for the long-awaited entrance of Jesus Messiah? If so, it feels very much like looking for a needle in a haystack.
In this Christmas blog, I will look at the haystack itself and forgo the needle. The haystack, that is, the “Old Testament,”[1] is packed with reminders of the future Messiah. But the haystack has been overlooked. So, it’s time to stop looking for the needle, and instead, at the Christmas season, to focus the lens of our eyes on the big-stack.
The Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible, the Bible Paul read, quoted, and interpreted, and the same Bible that Jesus read, quoted, and interpreted is composed of three major divisions: 1. The Torah (Genesis—Deut[2]); 2. the Prophets (Joshua—Malachi[3]); 3. the Writings (Psalms—Chronicles[4]). The Hebrew Bible then, known to the Jewish community as the TaNaKh, is tripartite, with three divisions. The dominant message of all three divisions is the announcement of a coming future Messiah via content, substance, and canonical arrangement.
The Second Division of the Hebrew Bible: The Prophets
Let’s narrow our focus down to the second division of the Hebrew Bible: “the Prophets,” beginning with Joshua and going all the way to Malachi. The skeletal structure of the 2nd division of the Hebrew Bible, “the Prophets,” is compositionally messianic. Meaning what? It is structured in such a way as to prepare us for the Messiah. It opens (Josh 1:2) and closes (Mal 3:22) with a title found nowhere else in the TaNaKh: “Moses my servant.” This title, referencing Moses, is found nowhere else in all of the Hebrew Bible. Yet it begins and ends the division called “the Prophets.” Why bookend the Prophets with a mention of Moses?
Moses died long before the Prophets begin. That naturally raises a question: Why “bookend” the Prophets with Moses in a division of the Bible where he no longer plays any role in God’s redemptive program? The record of his death is found in Deuteronomy (the Torah). Why do we need to be reminded of Moses in the second division of the Hebrew Bible?
Bookends at Both Ends of the Prophets
Before we answer the question, let’s first observe the mention of Moses in the set of bookends.
1. Beginning of the Prophets: Joshua 1:2, “The LORD said to Joshua, son of Nun: Moses my servant is dead.”
2. Ending of the Prophets: Malachi 4:4, “Remember the law of my servant Moses.”
So, as you can observe, the second division of the Hebrew Bible called “the Prophets” is bookended[5] with a reminder of Moses, God’s servant.
But that’s not the only place where we find Moses in the Prophets. He is brought to our attention over-and-over-again throughout the individual books of the Prophets, beginning with the book of Joshua. So, the bookends at the beginning and the end are a signal to us to expect additional reminders of Moses in this long section called the Prophets.
But what do those reminders of Moses look like? What are the clues that point to Moses?
Answer: Throughout the individual books in the Prophets, beginning with the book of Joshua and ending with Malachi, Moses, God’s deliverer, remains in focus to readers by casting multiple characters in his mold. In other words, the life patterns of key characters in the Prophets follow the same life pattern of Moses. The patterns of Moses and other key characters are in stereo and keep the memory of Moses alive in our minds.
Let’s consider one example. Joshua, the first character in the Prophets, is cast in the mold of Moses. The key elements in the life pattern of Joshua repeat the key elements of the life pattern of Moses. So, when we read about Joshua, we are reminded of Moses.
Joshua, another Prophet Like Moses
Let’s put the zoom lens on how the key elements of the life pattern of Joshua’s bio repeat the key elements from the life pattern of Moses’ bio. In our minds, Joshua’s portrait resembles Moses’ portrait:
1. Key Element: Under Moses, the Israelites crossed the Red Sea on DRY GROUND on their way to the PROMISED LAND (Exod.14:21). Under Joshua, the Israelites passed through water, the Jordan River, on DRY GROUND, as they made their way into the PROMISED LAND (Josh.3:17).[6]
2. Key Element: Under Moses, it was BLOOD on the doorposts that marked the houses of those to be saved in Egypt (Exod.12:13). Under Joshua, it was a RED cord on Rahab’s house that marked her house for salvation in Jericho (Josh.2:7-20).
3. Key Element: Under Moses, TWO Israelite (Egyptian[7]) midwives SAVED the Jewish male babies and lied about it, resulting in homes of their own (Exod.1:17-19). Then Moses’ mother hid him in the reeds—a type of a tree—a tree of life (Exod.2:3). Under Joshua, TWO Israelite men were SAVED by Rahab, being hidden among stalks of flax by her and she lied about it, resulting in salvation of her home. (Josh.2:5,6). Flax is a type of tree. The flax became a tree of life for the two spies. Baby Moses and the two spies are saved by a tree of life.
4. Key Element: It was Moses who sent out spies, TWO of whom brought back news of confidence (Num.14:38). Joshua also sent out TWO spies; unsurprisingly, they brought back a confident report (Josh.2:24).
5. Key Element: Then, Moses ordered the people to be prepared for the THIRD day because Yahweh would descend before the people on Mount Sinai (Exod.19:11). Continuing the pattern, Joshua ordered the people to be ready, for in THREE DAYS they would cross the Jordan (Josh.1:11).
6. Key Element: Moses circumcises his son while returning to Egypt (Exod.4:24-26). Joshua also had the Israelite sons circumcised before the conquest of Canaan (Josh.5:2-8).
7. Key Element: Moses and Israel celebrate the Feast of Passover before the Exodus (Exod.2:21). Joshua and Israel also celebrate the Feast of Passover before the conquest (Josh.5:10).
8. Key Element: Moses raised his staff—a type of tree—until the Amalekites were defeated (Exod.17:11). Just like Moses, Joshua raised his javelin—a type of tree—until Ai was defeated (Josh.8:26). Trees of life once again become pivotal to save lives.
As our zoom lens shows, the pattern of Joshua’s actions reminds us of the pattern of Moses’ actions. These are just eight of the stereo-patterns of Joshua’s bio emulating Moses’ bio. Joshua is portrayed as another Moses, marking him as the legitimate successor to Moses as God’s appointed leader of Israel. So, we have an explanation as to why Joshua’s story is parallel to Moses’ story.
Multiple Prophets Like Moses
But the same stereo pattern that we see with Moses and Joshua is repeated with the life pattern of Othniel (Judges 3:7-11), Barak (Judges 4-5), Gideon (Judges 6-8), Samuel (1 Samuel 1ff), David (1 Samuel 16ff), Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Jonah, etc. In other words, each of these key figures found within the Prophets (Joshua—Malachi), though separated by centuries and circumstances, are portrayed as another Moses. The pattern of each major figure reminds us of the pattern of Moses, God’s servant. Just as the pattern of Joshua’s life parallels the pattern of Moses’ life, so also the pattern of these major characters follows the original pattern of Moses. We as readers keep being reminded of Moses, God’s servant. Now we can understand why the entire division called “the Prophets” is bookended with references to Moses. The bookends act as a clue to be on the lookout for another figure like Moses.
Why do we need to be reminded of Moses?
But why do we need to be reminded of Moses over-and-over-again? What is the purpose of bringing Moses back to our minds time-and-time-again? What is so special about Moses that we are not allowed to forget the pattern of his bio?
Answer: By casting multiple characters (such as Joshua, Samuel, etc.) across the division called “the Prophets” in the mold of Moses, God’s promise of Deut 18:15–“a prophet like Moses to come”—is kept alive in our minds. This is why we are continually reminded of Moses. The promises of a prophet like Moses must stay alive and well in our minds. Observe the promise Moses gave to Israel in Deuteronomy. Here is that promise:
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. 16 This accords with what happened at Horeb in the day of the assembly. You asked the Lord your God: “Please do not make us hear the voice of the Lord our God anymore or see this great fire anymore lest we die.” 17 The Lord then said to me, “What they have said is good. 18 I will raise up a PROPHET LIKE YOU for them from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth and he will speak to them whatever I command. Deut 18:15-18
We tend to forget what God has promised in the past. God’s promises tend to fade in our memories or get crowded out by other concerns. After a few generations had passed, the promise of another prophet like Moses might be forgotten by God’s people and their hope would fade. The future would look bleak and without hope. It would be normal for God’s people to ask, “When is God going to send us that prophet like Moses?
So, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the authors of the books contained in the Prophets, continually and intentionally shape the stories of major characters to remind us of Moses. Multiple characters act like and speak like Moses. Each character, whether Joshua, Othniel, or David, etc., reminds us of the promise of another prophet like Moses made to Israel (Deut 18:15). God would raise up another prophet like Moses. Don’t forget.
So, the life patterns of all these individual characters, are shaped in such a way as to remind us of the pattern of Moses. The flame of God’s promise keeps burning brightly in people’s minds. The hope of a future deliverer like Moses remains alive. “The Messiah is coming! Don’t give up hope! Keep looking! Keep waiting! Another prophet like Moses will come!”
The Aim of the Prophets: Feed Messianic Hope
The aim of the second division of the Hebrew Bible, the Prophets, then, is to feed messianic hope, the confident expectation that God would fulfill his promise of another prophet like Moses.
Even the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah portray themselves as another or second Moses (Isa 6:8-9; Deut 18:15-18; Jer 1:7-9). So, the governing theme of the entire division called ‘the Prophets” is messianic: to keep alive the promise of God of a future deliverer “like Moses my servant” (Deut 18:15). Yet, Deut.34:10 assures us that no one ever reached the stature of Moses, including Joshua (vs.9). He is a second Moses in many ways but only prefigures the real second Moses not yet seen.
Jesus Claimed that the Prophets Pointed to Him
Let’s fast-forward to the New Testament. What did Jesus have to say about his relationship to the Prophets? Jesus claimed that the second division called “the Prophets” referred to him. On the afternoon of his resurrection from the dead, the Lord said to his disciples:
“These are the things I told you about when I was still with you. Everything written about me in the Law, the PROPHETS, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Luke 24:44.
And, like Moses, Jesus, while sitting on a mountain, gave an interpretation of his relationship to the Prophets:
“Do not allow yourselves to think that I came to abolish the Law or the PROPHETS. I have not come to abolish them, but to FULFILL them/COMPLETE them.” Matthew 5: 17
Jesus claimed explicitly that the people and events written about him in the Prophets, Joshua—Malachi—had to be fulfilled. They all foreshadowed and pre-figured him. Their existence demanded that a future prophet would arrive in Israel. Jesus brought the Prophets to completion. He fulfilled the Prophets. That is a profound and bold statement and proves that Jesus believed that the second division of the Hebrew Bible was written about him.
The constant reminder that a prophet like Moses would come to Israel came to fruition in the coming of Jesus. And Israel must listen to him because God would put His words into his mouth. Jesus was that prophet like Moses. It was God who put words into Jesus’ mouth.
How was Jesus like Moses?
Up until now, many Old Testament characters were portrayed as Moses. But what about Jesus? How was Jesus like Moses? What evidence is there in Scripture that supports Jesus’ resemblance to Moses? The patterns of their beginnings are similar in nature. Observe how the key elements in the life pattern of Jesus repeat the key elements in the life pattern of Moses. Jesus is portrayed like another Moses:
1. Key Element: In Exodus 1, Moses is born and given a name by someone other than his parents (Pharaoh’s daughter). In Matthew 1, Jesus is born and is given a name by someone other than his parents (an angel of the Lord).
2. Key Element: In Exodus 1, fear inspires Pharaoh to massacre the Jewish infant boys, putting baby Moses in danger. In Matthew 2, fear inspires Herod the King to massacre the infant Jewish boys, putting baby Jesus in danger (Matt 2). As an infant, Moses is rescued from genocide by the actions of his mother. As an infant, Jesus is rescued from genocide by the actions of Joseph and his mother. See the repeated pattern?
3. Key Element: Years later, God said to Moses while in exile, “All the men are dead who sought your life.” (Ex 4:19). So, Moses led Israel out of Egypt. God’s angel said to Joseph, the legal father of Jesus, while in Egypt, “They are dead which sought the young child’s life.” Matt 2:20. So, Joseph led Jesus out of Egypt (Matt 2:15). The pattern of Moses is repeated in the pattern of Jesus.
4. Key Element: Under Moses, Israel passes through the waters of the Red Sea and approaches Mount Sinai and the presence of God. From the mountain, God gives his Law to Israel through Moses. Jesus passes through the waters of the Jordan River and reaches the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and God’s presence. Jesus gives His interpretation of God’s Law to Israel on a mountain (Matt 5-7). Jesus is portrayed as another prophet like Moses.
5. Key Element: Under Moses, Israel is tempted in the wilderness for 40 years and continually fails the test. Jesus is tempted in the wilderness for 40 days and succeeds.
6. Key Element: Under Moses, Israel asks for bread. God’s response, “Mankind cannot live on bread alone.” Jesus is tempted to turn stones into bread. Jesus’ response, “Mankind does not live on bread alone.”
7. Key Element: Under Moses, Israel puts the LORD God to the test. God’s response, “You will not tempt the LORD your God.” Jesus is tempted to throw himself down from the temple. Jesus’ response, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”
8. Key Element: Under Moses, Israel made a golden calf and worshiped it. God’s response, “You will fear the LORD your God and serve him only … do not go after other gods.” Jesus is offered all the kingdoms of the world if he will fall down and worship the devil. Jesus’ response, “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”
What is a reasonable explanation for the accumulation of these patterns connecting Jesus with Moses? There are far too many parallels and repeated patterns to assume coincidence or accident. The arrangement shows purpose. What could be that purpose?
Matthew Believed that the Birth of Jesus was the Fulfillment of God’s Promise
We can understand why Matthew has gone to such pains to fit his opening chapters of Jesus Christ to follow the same pattern of Moses. He believed that the birth of Jesus was the fulfillment of God’s promise that he would raise up another prophet “like Moses.”
So, Matthew utilized the same literary tool he found used in the various books in the Prophets. He shaped the key events in the story of Jesus to be a reenactment, a repetition of the life of Moses. What occurred to Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel occurred earlier to Moses. The promise of God to Moses and Israel that he would raise up another prophet like him had come true (Deut 18:15). Jesus was another prophet like Moses. And all those prophets we find in the second division of the Hebrew Bible, called “the Prophets,” also prefigured Jesus.
So, Joshua, Othniel, Barak, Gideon, Samuel, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Jonah are messianic characters. The patterns of their lives continually remind us of the pattern of the prophet Moses and keep the flame of hope for a Messiah burning bright until the arrival of the ultimate prophet like Moses, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the one who spoke the Word of God and fulfilled the Prophets. As the original promise of Deuteronomy 18:15 stated, the people of God must listen to that future prophet like Moses.
Luke’s portrayal of Jesus and Moses and Elijah on a mountain supports the call to listen":
28 Now about eight days after these sayings, Jesus took with him Peter, John, and James, and went up the mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face was transformed, and his clothes became very bright, a brilliant white.
30 Then two men, Moses and Elijah, began talking with him. 31 They appeared in glorious splendor and spoke about his departure that he was about to carry out at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those with him were quite sleepy,[m] but as they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
33 Then as the men were starting to leave, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three shelters, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he was saying.
34 As he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 Then a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him!”
So, we can now see that the second division of the Hebrew Bible, called “the Prophets,”[8] announces a future coming Messiah through both content and canonical arrangement. It is not a haphazard collection of unrelated books. The prophet Moses is the thread that binds all “the Prophets” together into a single, cohesive unit. “The Prophets” is messianic in nature, pointing ahead to the coming of our Emmanuel, our Savior and Lord, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the prophet like Moses, the fulfillment of God’s promise of Deut 18:15.
The Prophets help prepare us for the coming Messiah, Jesus.
Thank you for reading.
NOTES:
[1] I dislike the term “Old Testament.” There is no original term for it. The “Old Testament” as a group of “books” never refers to itself that way, nor does Jesus or Paul or Peter ever refer to it in such a manner. “Old Testament” suggests that, due to the arrival of the New Testament, it is obsolete. What is more, the “Old Testament” contains many “testaments,” that is, many “covenants”—with Noah, Abraham, David. Etc. But I use the phrase because it is familiar to most Bible students. But I use it grudgingly.
[2] Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch, or “Moses,” or The Law of Moses, or the Book of the Law.
[3] The Prophets are divided into two subdivisions: the former prophets—Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings; the Latter Prophets—Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and “the Twelve,” the so-called “Minor Prophets, Hosea through Malachi;
[4] The Writings are sometimes called “Psalms” (see Luke 24:44) because the Psalms come first in order. The Writings include Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, 1 & 2 Chronicles.
[5] Technically, this is called an inclusio, a common literary tool utilized in both Testaments.
[6] The Hebrew text itself in Josh.4:23 makes the parallel explicit.
[7] They may have been Egyptian.
[8] I would argue that the first and third divisions of the Hebrew Bible, the Torah, and the Writings, are also messianic in nature. Their main purpose is to offer hope about One who will bring ruined sinners back into God’s presence.