Day 8 of 365
CHRIST, THE PROMISED PROPHET
Throughout the first five books of the Bible (the Pentateuch), Moses served the people of Israel in three primary offices or ways: prophet (Dt 34:10 - 12), priest (Ex 32:31 - 35) and as a type of king or ruler (Ex 18:24 - 26). The people of God relied on Moses to lead them as a forming nation and in religious practices according to God's Word, as well as petitioning the Lord on their behalf.
Moses foretold of another prophet that God would raise up to serve Israel in the same vein. Deuteronomy 18:15 states, "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." This verse established a culture of anticipation that went unfulfilled for hundreds of years. The people of Israel longed for the next great leader, one who would lead them as a king, priest and prophet. Moses foreshadowed the one for whom Israel waited. He was a type of Christ, looking forward to the Messiah who was yet to come.
Jesus proved to be the long-anticipated prophet, following in the offices of Moses and fulfilling the anticipation of Israel recorded in the Old Testament (Mt 4:12 - 17; Lk 4:16 - 21). Although many Israelites looked for a military leader, Jesus came as a humble servant, even willing to face the most humiliating form of execution within the Roman Empire (Php 2:5 - 8). He is a king - whose kingdom is not of this world - who came to serve his people by atoning for their sin on a cross to rescue them from the judgment of God. He is a prophet who proclaimed the commands of God and showed his followers the right path to please the Lord (Jn 14:15, 23). Finally, he is a priest, going before the Father on behalf of the people of God, an office he currently fulfills at the right hand of the Father without ceasing (Heb 7:23 - 25).
Ultimately, all of the Old Testament authors - from Moses to David and the other prophets - looked forward to the day when the Messiah would come and bring finality to their anticipation, a day when they would see their ultimate Prophet, Priest and King.
Jesus, you are the perfect Prophet, the only Priest I need and the King of my life. Thank you for coming into this broken world and giving sinners a path to redemption. Amen.
Deuteronomy 18:15-19 NASB
15 "The L ord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him. 16 This is according to all that you asked of the L ord your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, 'Let me not hear again the voice of the L ord my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, or I will die.' 17 The L ord said to me, 'They have spoken well. 18 I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.
Matthew 4:12-17 NASB
12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been taken into custody, He withdrew into Galilee; 13 and leaving Nazareth, He came and settled in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: 15 "T he land of Z ebulun and the land of N aphtali , B y the way of the sea , beyond the J ordan, G alilee of the G entiles - 16"T he people who were sitting in darkness saw a great L ight , A nd those who were sitting in the land and shadow of death , U pon them a L ight dawned ."
17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Luke 4:16-21 NASB
16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. 17 And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, 18 "T he S pirit of the L ord is upon M e , B ecause H e anointed M e to preach the gospel to the poor . H e has sent M e to proclaim release to the captives , A nd recovery of sight to the blind , T o set free those who are oppressed , 19 T o proclaim the favorable year of the L ord ."
20 And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
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