66. “Like unto me”

I thought I would share a little study on the life of Moses and how he was like Christ. I began the study after reading Acts 3:22:

“A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall ye hear…”

This would be much too long if I were to write it out, so I have just given it to you in outline form, for your meditation and amplification. For those reading via email, you may visit the website to easily read the cited verses.

Acts 7:17-44

Acts 7:19  Both born with the expectation of death
Acts 7:20  NASB “lovely in the sight of God” — Beautiful, beloved

• Christ: Men saw no beauty in Him, but God had infinite delight in Him.
• Their character:
• Meekness
• Moses: Num 12:3 “above all” on the earth
• Christ: Matt 11:29 “I am meek and lowly”; Matt 21:5 NASB
• Servant
• Moses: “Servant of the LORD” Josh. 8:31
• Christ: “Behold My servant” Isa. 42:1

Acts 7:21 Brought up in a foreign environment

• Moses was laid in an ark,
• but Christ came voluntarily from heaven, laid in a manger.
• Moses was brought up in the palace of the king,
• Christ WAS a king, but brought up in a carpenter’s home in despised Nazareth.

Acts 7:22

• Moses was wise and “mighty in words and deeds”
• Christ: Unlimited wisdom (John 21:17)
• Christ: “mighty in word and deed” (Luke 24:19)
• Christ greater than Moses: “upholding all things by the word of His power” Heb. 1:3

Acts 7:23-28

• when they began their public ministry they were rejected while seeking to bring deliverance; unrecognized
• Moses ran
• Christ died

Acts 7:29

• A stranger
• Christ was also a stranger (Ps 69:8)
• A bride
• Moses: received a Gentile bride in his rejection
• Christ: purchased a Gentile bride in His rejection
• A shepherd
• Moses: shepherd of his father-in-law’s sheep (Ex 3:1)
• Christ: the Good Shepherd of His Father’s sheep
• Moses: Faithful over God’s house (flock) as a servant (Heb 3:5)
• Christ: Faithful as a Son (Heb 3:6)

Acts 7:34  Sent by God to relieve the afflicted
Acts 7:35  Ruler, judge, deliverer (or redeemer, ESV)

• Ruler rejected: Luke 19:14 “we will not have this man to reign over us”
• Judge: John 5:22, Acts 10:42 (Judge of living & dead)
• The work became too much for Moses alone, Ex 18:18 (but not for Christ)
• A deliverer: Deliverance from slavery & redemption by blood
• Moses: lamb for a HOUSE
• Christ: HIMSELF a lamb for the WORLD (John 1:29)

Acts 7:36  Worker of Miracles

• “Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind.” (John 9:32 NASB)
• “if I had not done the works which none other man did” (John 15:24)

Acts 7:36  “brought them out” = “led them forth”

• Leader
• Moses led by experience: learned leadership through experience in the wilderness
• Lord: didn’t need experience, but did learn by experience what it was to obey, Heb. 5:8
• Led by example
• Christ an example in service & humility: “I have given you an example” John 13:13-15
• Christ an example in love (John 13:34)
• Christ an example in suffering & death (John 13:36)
• Led by encouragement: reminding of past (Egypt), of the future (land of milk & honey)
• Christ: John 14:3, 16:33
• Led by expressing God’s word
• Christ WAS the living Word (John 1:1)
• “No one ever spoke like this man!” (John 7:46 ESV)
• Moses couldn’t bring them into the blessing
• Christ: “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself” John 14:3

Acts 7:37  a Prophet

• Moses: spoke face to face (Ex 33:9-11, Deut 34:10)
• Christ: perfect communion with the Father

Acts 7:38  a Teacher, Instructor

• Moses brought the law on tables of stone
• Jesus Christ brought grace and truth and puts it on the heart (2 Cor. 3, Heb. 10:16)

Acts 7:40

• On the mountain: All Moses could do was break the tables
• Heb 12 — a physical mount connected with fear and death
• On the mountain: Christ kept the law and made provision for rebellious mankind
• Heb. 12 — Mount Zion, a heavenly Jerusalem, connected with joy; Jesus mediator of new covenant

Acts 7:44  a Priest

• Mediator, Intercessor
• Moses: “Blot me out of Thy book” Ex 32:32
• Christ: 1 Tim 2:5 one mediator; Is 53:12 “bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors”
• Helper, Heb. 2:18, “merciful & faithful high priest”
• He is the reason we can be in God’s book (Rev. 21:27)

Both died on a mountain, and their body was not found

Both seen on the mountain of transfiguration

• Christ has the preeminence: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him.” Matt. 17:5

So… How Christ-like am I?

******************
There was none like

Moses & his connection with God; his meekness (Deut. 34:10, Num. 12:3)
Solomon & his wisdom (1Kings 3:12)
Hezekiah & his faith (2Kings 18:5)
Job & his righteousness (Job 1:8, 2:3)
(contrast) Ahab & his wickedness (1Kings 21:25)
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah (Daniel 1:19)

But truly above all others, there is none like

the LORD (Ex. 8:10, 9:14; Ps. 86:8…)
the Lord Jesus (John 7:46, John 9:32, John 15:24, Acts 4:12)