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ATALEOFTWO
PROPHETS
by
David Jon
Hill
" 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 proph–
ets - one the founder of Israel and mediator of the Old Cov–
enant, the other the Son of God and the Mediator of the New
Covenant- have anything in common? Were they Jeky/1 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!
H
ard, strong, stern - does that
describe Moses?
Merciful, loving, Jongsuffer–
ing, meek, lowly. kind, forgiving,
frie!}dly- does that describe Jesus?
Could both of these description
possibly fit
borh
Moses
and
Jesu ?
Almost every Christian knows
more about Jesus than he does
about Moses. Let's become bctter
acquainted with that man Moses.
Let's look into the pages of Scrip–
ture and find out more about that
prophet God used to begin the writ–
ing of His Holy Bible. Let's get to
14
know that Moses who prophesied of
Christ - that Moses who brought
Israel from slavery to sovereignty
(Acts 7:37 and Exodus 6:26, 27).
Behind the Scenes
Let's become personally familiar
with the character and personality
of that Moscs 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 notion
about that man Moses, and get to
know him intimately. We cary draw
from history and tradition. but lct's
avoid bigotry at all costs. Let's go
behind the scenes of plague and
pestilence, behind the events of the
pa rting of the Red Sea and thc giv–
ing of the Law, behind the stories of
the building of the tabernacle in the
wilderness. the estabüshment of the
Levitical priesthood.
Moses was a human being. He
suffered frustrations from unful–
filled dcsircs, misunderstandings of
his motives from his fellow lsrael–
ites, self-doubts concerning his own
abilities to perform the momentous
tasks God required of him, family
problems with his wife, si ter.
brother, in-laws and adoptcd par–
ents.
Let's get to know him better - he
was really a pretty nice guy. Let's
become Mo es' friend - aftcr all.
God was! (Exodus 33: 11.)
Jesus de cended from Jud ah.
Moses carne from Levi. 8oth 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 in–
tense 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. J esus was the Prince of
Peace. Moses was a general of the
armies of Egypt. Jesus was Captain
of the Ho t. Moses fled for hi life
into exile in Sinai. away from Egypt.
Jesus was taken, to save His life. in
ex ile into Egypt by His parents.
Years of Preparation
Moses' life spanned 120 yea rs.
Jesus' human life was only a little
over 33. Moses' life is easily divided
into three di tinctly 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 rna n
Moses was greatly influenced by
those eighty years of preparation.
Let's look at them briefly.
Whatever the argument as to
wh ich is dominant in a man's life,
two things shape the person: hered–
ity and environment.
Moses' great grandfather was
Levi. son of Jacob and Leah. and
foundcr of one of the tribes of
Israel. When Leah, Jacob's cousin
The
PLAIN TRUTH February 1977