Question:

I wanted to ask about how JESUS OUR LORD fulfilled the prophecy of the PROPHET LIKE MOSES. Did Moses mean he would be like him in life similarities such as his infancy in Egypt, being rejected, etc. or more because of the miracles he worked? Thanks in advance

Answer:

A good rule of thumb is to let the facts of the fulfillment interpret the original prophecy.  This is the case with Deuteronomy 18:18.  Here we have the bare facts that Moses is told that God would send a prophet like him.  Let us read the passage:  “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him.”

One thing seems clear, and this is that this prophet-to-come would be Jewish like Moses.  How is Jesus like Moses?  I would need several pages to answer this question.  Let us consider a few.  First of all, there is the matter of their birth.  Both were born as poor and obscure Jewish boys, yet both had a very powerful king who, for some reason, decided that a Jewish boy would take his power.  The two were Pharaoh and Herod.  Both Pharaoh and Herod did not know who in particular to kill, so they decided to kill many Jewish male children to take care of the threat.  In both cases, God saved the boy from the murderous king.  In both cases, the boy came out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1).

Another parallel.  Moses was raised at the right hand of the king of Egypt.  Yet, he willingly walked out of the palace to live among slaves to save the slaves.  This is exactly what Jesus did.  He was at the right hand of his Father.  He, too, left his comfortable position to come down to the earth to live among us slaves (to sin) so that he can save the slaves from their slavery (to sin).

Here is another parallel.  Although Moses left the palace to save God’s people, he was not yet prepared to minister to the people and to save them, so he went into the desert for forty years to be prepared.  Jesus, before his ministry, went into the desert for forty days to prepare.

Moses had them prepare the Passover lamb so that they could be saved from death and be saved from slavery.

Jesus is our Passover Lamb, by which we escape slavery to sin and death as a result of our sin.

Moses gave them bread.

Jesus is the bread of life.

Moses gave them water in the desert.

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit which is the spring of water welling up to eternal life.

Moses saves physical Israel from physical slavery in physical Egypt.

Jesus saves spiritual Israel (the Church) from spiritual slavery in spiritual Egypt.

Moses went up on Mt. Sinai to meet with the Father.

Jesus went up on the Mt. of Transfiguration to meet with the Father.

Moses lifted up a snake on a wooden pole so that the people could be saved from death due to snake bites. (Numbers 21:4-9)

Jesus was lifted up on a wooden pole, so that all who look to him can be saved from death due to sin. (John 3:14)

Moses gave them the Law.

Jesus fulfilled the Law (Matthew 5:17)

I could give many more examples.  Jesus is “like Moses” in so many ways it is beyond any possible doubt that God set this all up.  This is one of the most amazing examples, both of the inspiration of the Bible, and of God’s intent to send Jesus to save us from our sins.

John Oakes