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Steven Cole · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Cole adds that "Driver suggests ‘reclaim as a right’ or ‘vindicate’ as possible translations on these grounds. Unlike the verb pādâ, gāʾal suggests a close personal relationship between redeemer and redeemed: it is thus appropriate of the God of the covenant." (TOTC-Ex) Redeem is goel/ga'al and is translated in the Septuagint with lutroo used only 3x in NT (Lk 24:21+ "redeem Israel" speaking of Messiah, Titus 2:14+, 1 Pe 1:18+) which means to release someone held captive (prisoner, slave) on receipt of a ransom payment and in the case of Israel it was the blood of a perfect Passover lamb (Ex 12:1-51). God's redemption foreshadowed the redemption price for believers today, the blood of the sinless Christ our Passover (1 Cor 5:7). As Peter wrote "knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.- (1 Peter 1:18-19+). Indeed on the Cross Jesus the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29+) redeemed us with outstretched arms on the old rugged cross and with a great judgment that fell on Himself as He took on the punishment of God's righteous wrath that we deserved for our sins. Lutroo is used in Ex 6:6; Ex 13:13; Ex 13:15; Ex 15:13; Ex 34:20. Redeem (01350)(goel/ga'al) means to redeem or act as a kinsman-redeemer. The word means to act as a redeemer for a deceased kinsman (Ruth 3:13); to redeem or buy back from bondage (Lev. 25:48); to redeem or buy back a kinsman's possessions (Lev. 25:26); to avenge a kinsman's murder (Num. 35:19); to redeem an object through a payment (Lev. 27:13). Theologically, this word is used to convey God's redemption of individuals from spiritual death and His redemption of the nation of Israel from Egyptian bondage and also from exile (see Ex. 6:6). John Mackay on redeem you - ‘Redeem’ adds to ‘rescue’ the idea of relationship. It implies ‘act as your kinsman-redeemer’, and is the practical outworking of the bond that the LORD has already recognised as existing between himself and the Israelites. “Israel is my firstborn son” (Ex 4:22). The kinsman-redeemer acted on behalf of close relatives who had fallen on bad times: he was required to buy back any inalienable property sold by them (Lev. 25:25), to buy back any kinsman who sold himself into slavery to a foreigner (Lev. 25:47–55), and to act in place of a deceased relative in receiving restitution (Num. 5:8). Boaz acted as kinsman-redeemer with respect to Ruth (Ruth 4). Here the LORD is committing himself to act to free the Israelites because of the relationship that the covenant has created between him and them. It will not be the case, however, that some monetary payment will be made for their release, but a display of divine strength overthrowing their oppressors. (Exodus: A Mentor Commentary) Mackay on great judgments - points to the correction of an unjust situation. The exploitation practised by the Egyptians would be condemned and punished by the LORD. (Exodus: A Mentor Commentary) J
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Cole - Serve the Lord faithfully in the face of opposition and setbacks because He is the Lord. In the Lord’s reply to Moses (Ex 6:2-8), “I am the Lord” (“Yahweh”) occurs four times (plus again in Ex 6:29). We need to know that He is the great “I AM,” only living and true God. He is the only self-existent One, who has neither beginning nor end. He is the covenant-keeping God, whom we can know personally. Sometimes it is through our failures and setbacks that we come to know Him more deeply. We come to realize that He is the only one who can really do something about impossible problems. We need to fix our eyes on who it is that we serve. We need to let skeptics know that they are defying the only living and true God. NET Note - the explanation of the name with this sentence indicates that Yahweh is the one who is always there, and that guarantees the future, for everything he does is consistent with his nature. He is eternal, never changing; he remains. Now, in Exodus 6, the meaning of the name “Yahweh” will be more fully unfolded Review Outline 1. The man Moses (Ex 2:1–25) 2. The call of Moses (Ex 3:1–4:17) 3. The return to Egypt (Ex 4:18–31) 4. A preview of the contest with Pharaoh (Ex 5:1–6:1) 5. The call renewed (Ex 6:2–7:7) Exodus 6:3 and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them. God Almighty - EL Shaddai - God Almighty Ge 17:1 Ge 28:3 Ge 35:11 Ge 48:3 LORD: Ex 3:14 Ge 12:7,8 13:18 22:14 Ps 68:4, JAH, Ps 83:18 Isa 42:8 44:6 52:5,6 Joh 8:58 Rev 1:4 Related Passages: Genesis 17:1 Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless. Genesis 28:3 “May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. Genesis 35:11 God also said to him, “I am God Almighty; Be fruitful and multiply; A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, And kings shall come forth from you. Genesis 48:3 Then Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me, THE PROMISE MAKER IS NOW THE PROMISE KEEPER Philip Ryken says “This is the difference between Genesis and Exodus. Abraham knew God as a promise-maker; Moses came to know him as a promise-keeper.” Note that since Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, did not know the name Jehovah, then Moses must have used it in Genesis by prolepsis (assignment of something, such as an event or name, to a time that precedes it,) or anticipation. And I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty - EL Shaddai - God Almighty in Ge 17:1 Ge 28:3 Ge 35:11 Ge 48:3. But by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them - Note that no one can really know God UNLESS he deems to make Himself known! Even the creation is God's gracious, mercy filled willingness to make Himself known to sinners such as us (Ro 1:18-21+). Note also that the great patriarchs "knew" Him but they did not "know" Him. That sounds like double speak, but not when it comes to the knowledge of God! Our God is "multi-layered" (so to speak but still a poor analogy) and because He is infinite we will spend the rest of our lives on earth and throughout eternity growing in our knowledge of and relationship with Him. What an awesome thought! So much for heaven being "boring" as I sometimes hear skeptics say. What could be less boring and more exciting than the thought of knowing God more and more forever, like Paul in Philippians, having already had a close encounter of the God kind in Acts 9:3-6+, and yet still pleading "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. " (Phil 3:10-11+) THOUGHT - Father give us pleading hearts like Paul to want to know you more and more in Christ. Amen. Pause a moment, listen, ponder, sing to Him and pray to Him the words of Steve Green's beautiful "Lord, I Want to Know You More." One way to get to know God better is to pay attention to His names. A wonderful study to enable you to know Him more is to study the many Names of the LORD our Strong Tower. Known is the verb yada which speaks of intimate knowing. This same verb is used next in Exodus 6:7 where we read "Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know (yada) that I am the LORD your God, Who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians." So knowing God as LORD is related to His act of taking the entire nation out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. They would know His power and His promises to be His people and He would be their God. This is covenant terminology we see in other places in the OT - e.g. Jer 31:33. Matthew
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Cole - Henceforward, every ‘saving act’ of God will be seen as ‘remembering’ this initial binding relationship which he had freely established. ‘Remembered’ does not mean that God had previously forgotten. Anthropomorphisms are freely used in Hebrew to describe God. Also, words which we should think of as describing emotional states are often used to describe actions, not emotions (‘love’ and ‘hate’ are a good pair of examples). Thus ‘to remember the covenant’ is to act in a way which can be seen by man to be a fulfilment of the promises of that covenant. (TOTC-Ex) My covenant - This refers to the Abrahamic Covenant. Our awesome God has a long fuse and a long memory for His promises and a short memory when we confess our sins! Since God had remembered His covenant, the implication was that Moses was to remember His God and the promises He made in that covenant which were a direct response to Moses' accusation in Ex 5:23+ "You have not delivered Your people at all.” NET Note - As in Ex 2:24, this remembering has the significance of God’s beginning to act to fulfill the covenant promises. Exodus 6:6 "Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. BGT Exodus 6:6 βάδιζε εἰπὸν τοῖς υἱοῖς Ισραηλ λέγων ἐγὼ κύριος καὶ ἐξάξω ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τῆς δυναστείας τῶν Αἰγυπτίων καὶ ῥύσομαι ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῆς δουλείας καὶ λυτρώσομαι ὑμᾶς ἐν βραχίονι ὑψηλῷ καὶ κρίσει μεγάλῃ NET Exodus 6:6 Therefore, tell the Israelites, 'I am the LORD. I will bring you out from your enslavement to the Egyptians, I will rescue you from the hard labor they impose, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. LXE Exodus 6:6 Go, speak to the children of Israel, saying, I am the Lord; and I will lead you forth from the tyranny of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from bondage, and I will ransom you with a high arm, and great judgment. NLT Exodus 6:6 "Therefore, say to the people of Israel: 'I am the LORD. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment. KJV Exodus 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: ESV Exodus 6:6 Say therefore to the people of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. NIV Exodus 6:6 "Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. ASV Exodus 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am Jehovah, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments: CSB Exodus 6:6 "Therefore tell the Israelites: I am Yahweh, and I will deliver you from the forced labor of the Egyptians and free you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and great acts of judgment. NKJ Exodus 6:6 "Therefore say to the children of Israel:`I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. NRS Exodus 6:6 Say therefore to the Israelites, 'I am the LORD, and I will free you from the burdens of the Egyptians and deliver you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. YLT Exodus 6:6 'Therefore say to the sons of Israel, I am Jehovah, and I have brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and have delivered you from their service, and have redeemed you by a stretched-out arm, and by great judgments, I am the LORD - Ex 6:2,8,29 Eze 20:7-9 I will bring - Ex 3:17 7:4 De 26:8 Ps 81:6 136:11,12 redeem - Ex 15:13 De 4:23 7:8 15:15 2Ki 17:36 1Ch 17:21 Ne 1:10 Isa 9:12,17,21 I WILL'S INDICATE ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY! The idea is “I’m going to do it. You can count on me.” Moses is to remind Israel of what they had already been told. I love Matthew Henry's description that "Here is line upon line (cf Isa 28:10, 13), to assure them that they should be brought triumphantly out of Egypt." F. B. Meyer said when you analyze these “I will” statements, they present for God’s people “The possibility of the Impossible” (Studies in Exodus, p. 97). God does have the power and ability to do anything and to reverse any situation. J. Vernon McGee called this the seven “I wills” of redemption. He said when you carefully study them, they paint a picture of the fact that we are saved to the uttermost. There is no doubt that we may make great application of these “I will” statements, but they are specifically for Israel. (See context Thru the Bible) Mattoon on therefore - The word "Therefore" refers back to the previous verses emphasizing God's fulfillment of His covenant. The Lord's message was, "Because of my word, I will do these things. The impossible will be possible." I WILL BRING YOU OUT Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians - NLT = " will free you from your oppression" NIV = “from under the yoke of.” Note that the 7 I wills are bookended or bracketed by the phrase I am the LORD, which is like a divine exclamation mark denoting Jehovah Himself stands behind these promises. They could not be more certain! Bring out is exago in the Septuagint also used in Ex 6:6; Ex 6:7; Ex 6:26; Ex 6:27. ‘Bring out’ (yatsa) is usually used of their release from Egypt (yatsa used in Ex 3:10, 11;12, Ex 6:13, Ex 6:26, 27, Ex 7:4, 5; et al) MacKay suggests that "Perhaps here ‘bringing out from under’ may picture the release of a pack animal which had been weighed down with a load that was too heavy for it—no doubt the Israelite slaves would have sympathised with that." (Exodus: A Mentor Commentary) Burdens (siblah) is used only 6x in OT, all in Exodus - Ex 1:11; Ex 2:11; Ex. 5:4; Ex. 5:5; Ex 6:6; Ex 6:7. In Ex 6:6 the Septuagint uses the noun dunasteia (not found in NT and only here in Exodus but elsewhere in OT) which means power, lordship, sovereignty, domination, (exercise of) power. The English translations miss something very significant in the 7 I Will statements - Each of the verbs (bring...deliver...redeem...take...be...bring...give) are in the Hiphil perfect tense. Walter Kaiser explains that “Each of these verbs are in the Hebrew past (i.e., perfect) tense instead of the future tense, for so certain was God of their accomplishment that they were viewed as having been completed.”
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Cole points out that I will take you for My people, and I will be your God "is one of the clearest statements of the mutual relationships brought about by the covenant. For an amplification, see Exodus 19:5, 6, at the actual covenant-making between God and Israel." Then I will take you for My people - The idea of the verb to take (laqach) is to seize, grasp or take hold of. It is used later in this same chapter to describe marriage so Moses' father "Amram married (laqach - took) his father's sister Jochebed." (Ex 6:20) It is the same word used when God took Adam and put him in the Garden of Eden (Ge 2:15). God was going to hold His people close like a husband embraces his wife. He would snatch them from the hands of the Egyptians and place them in a promised land. NET = "I will take you to myself for a people" NLT = "I will claim you as my own people" God would make Israel His own nation.This has happened. Israel is God’s nation to this day. This promise ultimately is fulfilled in those Jews who come into the New Covenant in His blood (Lk 22:20+), even as God had promised in Jeremiah declaring that "this is the covenant (see Jer 31:31-32+) which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." (Jer 31:33+) J
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Cole - Who has brought you out. This is the beginning of the great credal statement of Israel’s faith, which can best be seen in the introduction to the ten commandments (Ex 20:2). As Israel grew in her experience of God, fresh ‘articles’ would be added to this creed, but this basic ‘article’ would remain the same throughout her history. (TOTC-Ex) Mackay - The personal knowledge that the Israelites would attain through experiencing the redemptive action of God would lead them to confess the reality of his saving power. It would no longer be a theoretical possibility as announced to them by Moses, but an overwhelming reality indelibly impressed upon their inner awareness that would shape and reshape their future living. All doubts about the LORD being God will be banished by their experience of deliverance. His power will be abundantly manifested, and so will his willingness to act as their God. ‘Your God’ will be the key component in their heightened perception of divine reality. This contrasts with their current feelings that God is distant and unconcerned about their suffering. (MC-Ex) J
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Cole comments that "In light of the unbelief of both Israel and Moses at this point, God’s promises in verses 6-8 show His sovereign grace. Our blessings in Christ do not depend on our performance, but on God’s gracious promises." I would also add that Exodus 6:6-8 lerally brims with God's personal interaction because the pronoun "I" is found 18 times to supplement the 7 "I will!" Why do we doubt our God's heart for us? Why do we so often feel as if He is unconcerned for our plight, our affliction, our adversity? THOUGHT - Beloved, mark it down in a stone of diamond (with a diamond stylus) in gold letters that our God is "I am" and He is present, concerned and involved intimately involved (recall - the 18 "I's" and 7 "I will's"!) the variegated circumstances of our lives. Our problem is we too often walk by sight (on the difficulties, etc) rather than by sight (eyes on Jehovah, I am that I am. (Ponder the power of Vertical Vision) Ask His Spirit to enable you to see through the "fog" today and fix your eyes on Jesus the Covenant Messenger and Coming King of kings. Amen. (read Heb 12:2-3+, Phil 3:20+, 2 Ti 4:8+, Titus 2:13+, 1 Pe 1:13+, Col 3:1-2+, Jude 1:21+) Mattoon adds "What a blessing! We have absolute security as Christians because of the certainties God has given to us. We don't have to think so or hope so when it comes to our salvation and God's promises to us. We can "know so!" We have certainty in uncertain times." Recall that Moses raises "Seven distinct objections were raised by Moses as reasons why he should not undertake the arduous task to which he was called. They have been thus epitomised [sic]: Lack of fitness, ‘who am I, that I should go?’ (Ex 3:11); lack of words, ‘what shall I say?’ (Ex 3:13); lack of authority, ‘they will not believe me’ (Ex 4:1); lack of power of speech, ‘I am not eloquent’ (Ex 4:10); lack of special adaptation, ‘Send by whom Thou wilt send’ (Ex 4:13); lack of success at his first attempt, ‘neither hast Thou delivered Thy people at all’ (Ex 5:23); lack of acceptance, ‘the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me’ (Ex 6:12).” (F B Meyer) J Vernon McGee on our possession - Paul, in the fifth chapter of Romans, makes it clear that we have been justified by faith and have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. We have access to Him. We have joy in the midst of trouble. We have been given the Holy Spirit of God to indwell us, and the love of God has been made real to us. We have been delivered from the wrath to come and are saved from the Great Tribulation period. What kind of salvation do you have, friend, that you talk about but has not transformed your life or redeemed you from something? These verses tell of our heritage and picture our salvation. (See context Thru the Bible) Peter writes (note especially the 3 words describing our inheritance! Rest in this great truth!) that in Christ we "obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Pe 1:4-5+)
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Cole - At this point the narrator breaks off, in order to identify and particularize Moses and Aaron more precisely. The Hebrew method of identification was to give a genealogy, in this case the genealogy of the founding fathers, beginning with Reuben, the senior tribe. It is repeated from the beginning up to the mention of Levi, the required tribe. No further tribes are then mentioned. (TOTC-Ex) Exodus 6:17 The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families. Ge 46:11 Nu 3:18, Shimei, 1Ch 6:17 23:7, Laadan, Shimei The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families Henry Morris on sons of Gershon - In Exodus 6:16-19 the genealogy from Levi to Moses through Kohath and Amram is abbreviated to just four generations although the stay in Egypt is said to be 430 years (Exodus 12:40-41). However, this same approximate time period from Ephraim (a son of Joseph) to Joshua also involved ten generations (1 Chronicles 7:22-27). It is thus obvious that the Levi-to-Moses genealogy gave only the four "major" ancestors of Moses, corresponding roughly to the 430-year stay of Israel in Egypt. See also the notes on Genesis 15:16. Exodus 6:18 The sons of Kohath: Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel; and the length of Kohath's life was one hundred and thirty-three years. sons of Kohath - Nu 3:19, Izehar, Nu 26:57 1Ch 6:2,18 and the length of Kohath's life - Ex 6:16 The sons of Kohath: Amram and Izhar and Hebron and Uzziel; and the length of Kohath's life was one hundred and thirty-three years. Exodus 6:19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations. Nu 3:20 1Ch 6:19 23:21 MORE FROM THE LINE OF LEVI The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations Exodus 6:20 Amram married his father's sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses; and the length of Amram's life was one hundred and thirty-seven years. BGT (Lxx) Exodus 6:20 καὶ ἔλαβεν Αμβραμ τὴν Ιωχαβεδ θυγατέρα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ἑαυτῷ εἰς γυναῖκα καὶ ἐγέννησεν αὐτῷ τόν τε Ααρων καὶ Μωυσῆν καὶ Μαριαμ τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτῶν τὰ δὲ ἔτη τῆς ζωῆς Αμβραμ ἑκατὸν τριάκοντα δύο ἔτη Amram - Ex 2:1,2 Nu 26:59 and the length of Amram's life: The Samaritan, LXX (see above)., Syriac, and one Hebrew Manuscripts add, "And Miriam their sister;" which some of the best critics suppose to have been originally in the text. Ex 6:16,18 FOCUS NOW SHIFTS TO SONS OF AMRAM AND JOCHEBED Amram married his father's sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses; and the length of Amram's life was one hundred and thirty-seven years - Moses is now 80 so it would seem very possible that Moses' father and mother might still be alive. Let's say (total conjecture) Moses' parents were 30 when he was born, so his father would be about 110 years old, and it would have been quite a reunion. Of course, I am only speculating!
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Cole - Once again, God’s remarks are prefaced by the statement ‘I am YHWH’, which is not only used as authentication and guarantee of command or promise, but is also an explanation of its reason and nature (e.g. Lev. 19:18, ‘You must love your neighbour as yourself: I am YHWH’). (Ibid) Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak to you - "Tell Pharaoh everything I tell you." Simp ly stated Moses is to speak God's Words to Pharaoh. Jehovah was not calling Moses to volunteer or giving a suggestion. This was an order and it was time to obey these marching orders! If God has been speaking to you in His Word repeatedly giving you an order, perhaps today is the day that you march out in obedience in the power of His Spirit! David Thompson on Pharaoh king of Egypt - Pharaoh is called “king of Egypt” 44 times and “Pharaoh” 197 times, but “Pharaoh king of Egypt” is rare. Why does God use it here? To show Moses He is the one who is totally and completely in charge of the most powerful man on earth. God is not asking Moses to be a great philosophical orator or communicator, he says you go give this big political leader My Word and I will take care of the rest. Now the emphasis of what God wants Moses to do here is not that he go back to the sons of Israel and try to convince the Hebrews and persuade them that He is going to lead them out of Egypt, both Moses and Aaron were to go directly to Pharaoh and speak to him. Exodus 6:30 But Moses said before the LORD, "Behold, I am unskilled in speech; how then will Pharaoh listen to me?" unskilled in speech: Ex 6:12 Ex 4:10 1Co 9:16,17 HERE WE GO AGAIN UNSKILLED IN SPEECH! But - Again Moses is trying to convince God that he is the wrong man for this job of deliverance! And he reverts back to his previous objections and excuses. We might be critical of Moses at this point but isn't that a tactic we all employ, coming up with excuses for not doing what God tells us or wants us to do? As Ryken says "It takes some Christians years to get past their tired old excuses for not giving, not going, not witnessing, or not serving. We need to discover what Moses discovered: God’s call is always accompanied by God’s gift." (Ibid) Moses said before the LORD, "Behold, I am unskilled in speech; how then will Pharaoh listen to me?" - Moses uses the same phrase “my lips are not circumcised” (See preceding discussion of this vivid metaphorical description) which means he does not think he is a polished speaker. In Ex 6:12 his excuse was since the Hebrews have not listened to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me? Here he reverts back his speech as the reason Pharaoh won't listen to him. This passage ends in Exodus 6 but it is a poor chapter break because God's answer to Moses' repeat excuse about his speech is addressed by God in the next chapter. For God's answer to Moses' objection see Exodus 7:1+ and Exodus 7:4+. MOSES A PICTURE OF JESUS In what ways was Moses like Jesus? This article is from an excellent resource - Gotquestions.org (Suggestion: Bookmark it) Answer: In one of Moses’ final speeches, he gave this messianic prophecy: “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” (Deuteronomy 18:15). The prophet whom Mosesforetells bears these qualities: He will be raised up by God, He will come from among the Israelites, He will be like Moses, and He will be worthy of being heard and obeyed. The prophet who fulfills these words is Jesus Christ, the prophet like Moses. On the banks of the Jordan River, the Jews questioned John the Baptist about who he was and why he was baptizing. Their question “Are you the Prophet?” (John 1:21) shows that they were looking for the fulfillment of Moses’ prophecy. John plainly informed them that he was not the Prophet but pointed them to the One who was: “Among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie” (verses 26–27). John’s description of the Messiah as one “among you” recalls Moses’ prediction that God would raise up the Prophet “from among you” in Deuteronomy 18:15. The very next day, John specifically identifies Jesus as the One they were waiting for (John 1:29–31). In his sermon at the temple, Peter affirms that Jesus is the prophet like Moses (Acts 3:22, quoting Deuteronomy 18:15). Stephen, addressing the Sanhedrin in Acts 7:37, also quotes Moses and applies the prophecy to Jesus Christ. Jesus is like Moses in several ways. Moses was both a prophet and a lawgiver, and Jesus is, too. Jesus was widely recognized as a prophet who spoke the Word of God (Matthew 21:46), and He gave commandments for His followers to obey (John 13:34; 15:12, 17; Galatians 6:2). Both Moses and Jesus mediated a covenant between God and men—Moses the Old Covenant (Exodus 34:27; Acts 7:44), and Jesus the New (Luke 22:20; Hebrews 9:15). Both Moses and Jesus were born during perilous times, and both narrowly escaped a king bent on murdering babies (Exodus 1:22 and Matthew 2:16–18). Both Moses and Jesus had a connection to Egypt (Exodus 2:1–4 and Matthew 2:13–14).Moses was the (adopted) son of a king (Exodus 2:10), and Jesus is the Son of the Most High (Luke 1:32). Moses spent forty years as a shepherd (Exodus 3:1), and Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14). Both Moses and Jesus were known for their meekness (Numbers 12:3 and Matthew 11:29). Moses and Jesus were alike in that they both led God’s people out of captivity. With great power, Moses led the Israelites out of physical bondage and slavery in Egypt, and Jesus, with even greater power, led God’s elect out of spiritual bondage and slavery to sin. Moses stood before Pharaoh and said, “'Let my people go” (Exodus 5:1). Jesus came “to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and . . . to set the oppressed free” (Luke 4:18). “In Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2). Moses was also like Jesus in that he performed miracles—not all prophets did. Several of the miracles of Moses bear a resemblance to Jesus’ miracles, most notably the provision of bread in the wilderness (Exodus 16:35), which is comparable to Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:1–13). In fact, after Jesus multiplied the loaves and fishes, the people’s thoughts ran immediately to Moses’ prophecy: “After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, ‘Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world’” (John 6:14). Another way that Moses was like Jesus is that he held intimate conversations with God: “The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (Exodus 33:11). Jesus also had a special relationship to God: “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son” (Matthew 11:27); “The Father knows me and I know the Father” (John 10:15). When Moses stood in God’s presence, his face shone with a heavenly glory and had to be covered with a veil (Exodus 34:29–35), and this reminds us of Jesus’ transfiguration, when “His face shone like the sun” (Matthew 17:2). Another important way that Moses was like Jesus is that he constantly interceded for his people. When the Israelites sinned, Moses was always standing by, ready to petition God on their behalf and plead for their forgiveness. After the blatant idolatry at the foot of Mt. Sinai involving the golden calf, Moses interceded twice for the people (Exodus 32:11–13, 30–32), and his intercession was needed at other times, too (e.g., Numbers 11:2; 12:13; 21:7). Moses’ intercession was temporary, but our Lord’s is everlasting. “If anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One” (1 John 2:1). Jesus is right now “at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34). Jesus “always lives to intercede” for us (Hebrews 7:25). Not only was Moses an intercessor for God’s people but, like Jesus, he was willing to die for them. In Exodus 32:32, Moses offers his life in exchange for sinners. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” Jesus said (John 15:13), and Jesus proved His love when He “laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16; cf. John 10:15). (In what ways was Moses like Jesus?)