Amir Tsarfati: A Prophet Like Moses

This morning we are going to start with a message called:

A Prophet Like Moses.

So, let’s start with a prayer, shall we?

Father, I thank you for your Word.

I thank you that your Word is truth.

I thank you that Jesus himself said that all that is written,

in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms concerning him, must be fulfilled.

So, this morning we want to see the promises, their fulfillments,

and through that also, Father, we thank you that we can gain assurance, full assurance,

of all the great things that you promised all of us and the assurance of their fulfillment.

We thank you and we bless you, in Jesus name.

Amen. Amen.

So, good morning, again.

This morning we’re going to touch a subject that is, again, dear to my heart.

I believe that Jesus in the Old Testament is a fascinating thing.

We can see him literally, from the first page of the Bible, when God said, “Let there be light”.

There was absolutely no sun, no moon, and no stars on the first day,

and certainly not in the second, not in the third.

They were only created on the fourth day.

Yet there was a light in the world and that was Jesus,

who said, “I am the light of the world”.

And that is exactly why, at the very end, when God will make all things new:

New heavens, and new earth, and new Jerusalem.

There will be no more need for sun, moon, or stars because the Bible says,

“The Lamb of God will be the Menorah, will be the lamp, will be the light of that thing.

So, we know that he was the light of the world.

Then he told us that we are the light of the world.

Then he will become again the light of the world, and it’s going to be beautiful thing.

But I want to take you now to an interesting subject,

which is the Messiahship in the view or in the mind-set of the Jewish people.

You’ve got to understand the Jewish people are not expecting a man to be God,

or God to be a man.

In their mind-set the term, Messiah, Mashiach, means anointed, an anointed person.

And throughout history, the Messianic expectation of the Jews was around 3 people.

Let me explain what I’m talking about.

Again, there were many messiahs and when I’m saying, “messiahs”,

I’m not talking about the Messiah.

I’m talking about the anointed ones.

They are mentioned in the Old Testament and they were legitimate.

They were anointed people to lead the nation at the time,

anointed by God, chosen by God, appointed by God.

But when we come to the prophesized Messiah, the Messiah, the One and only?

There were three principal prophecies of an individual to come.

And that individual to come, who would perform major and powerful roles in history.

These 3 major Messianic prophecies about this individual to come, in the future is:

One from Moses; One from Joseph; And one from David.

I could teach forever about Joseph as a type of a Messiah.

By the way, I do have a teaching on it, maybe next year I’ll do it.

And there’s, of course, David as a type of the Messiah.

Messiah himself, Jesus, son of David, people used to call him.

In some of the prophecies of the Old Testament,

they call the one who will rule from Jerusalem in the Millennial Kingdom: David.

So, why is it?

Because, of course, David, Joseph, and Moses were all figures that were anointed by God,

that were leaders, and that were very key in the history of Israel.

All of those three are to be fulfilled by one person,

and that was, of course, Jesus Christ.

The Jewish people had all of these prophecies in front of them.

They had it in front of them and they did not know if these 3 individuals,

these 3 messiahs in their mind, 3 anointed ones, were one and the same?

Or separate?

They just didn’t know that.

It seemed like they would be separate because,

how can you be from the tribe of Levi, from the tribe of Judah, and from Joseph?

How can you be?

So, they thought maybe there is a messiah from this, and a messiah from that.

They didn’t understand that there is going to come someone:

Who in the flesh is from the line of Judah;

But in all of his roles could fit perfectly to the type of Joseph;

And to the type of David being the king, and being the savior of his nation,

and being sent for such a time as this, and all of these amazing things.

We’re dealing this morning with, “Like Moses…”

It’s very interesting because it is Moses himself,

who was given a prophecy about someone who will be greater than him,

but who will be like him in many ways.

I want to run through the, “like Moses” things we have in the Bible.

Then at the end, we’ll see the differences between Jesus and, of course, Moses.

So, the first thing, let’s start.

Are you ready?

Let’s start with our race against time.

[Number 1] The first thing, he’s definitely from “among the brothers” of Israel,

because the prophecy was, “he will be from among the brothers”.

The Prophet must be Jewish, and Jesus’ heritage is from the tribe of Judah.

Micah chapter 5 verse 2,

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah,

yet out of you shall come forth to me the One to be Ruler in Israel,

whose goings forth are from old, from everlasting.”

And Matthew in chapter 1, speaking of the lineage of Jesus says,

“And she will bring forth a Son and you shall call his name Jesus…”

Or in Hebrew, Yeshua.

You’ll see the name, Yeshua, throughout this message,

simply because I want you to understand the word, Yeshua, means salvation.

When he says, “And you shall name him Yeshua, for he will save his people from their sins.”

His name is “Salvation” because he provides salvation from sins,

and that’s why he was called that way.

Hebrew 7:13-14,

“For he of whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe,

from which no man has officiated at the altar.

For it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah,

of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.

Very interesting.

Revelation 5:5, “But one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep.’ ”

When nobody could open the scroll, John was so depressed and he started weeping.

Who is worthy to open it?

“Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah,

the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its 7 seals.”

We all know the 7 seals and the judgment that came in each and every one of them,

and the 7 bowls, and the 7 trumpets, and all of that.

… Number 2: Both were shepherds.

Remember, Moses was a shepherd.

He tended the sheep of his father-in-law, Jethro.

Yeshua said, “I am the good Shepherd”,

and Moses also tended sheep, of course, figuratively and literally.

He tended the sheep, sheep, when it comes to in the desert of Midian,

and, of course, he tended the flock of the people of Israel throughout the desert.

Exodus 3:1, “Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian.

And he led the flock to the back of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

Exodus 14:13, “And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid.

Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will accomplish for you today.

For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again, no more, forever.’ ”

He tended first the regular sheep,

and then he tended the people of Israel giving them protection, assurance, and, of course, a lot of hope.

In John 10:11, Jesus testified of himself, ” I am the good shepherd.

The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.”

In Revelation 7:17, “For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them,

and lead them to living fountains of waters.

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Hebrews 13:20, “Now may the God of Peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead,

that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

make you complete in every good work to do his will,

working in you what is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.

Amen.”

Number 3: Both were sent to bring salvation after 400 years of apparent inactivity from God.

Isn’t that interesting.

You see, the Israelites had been enslaved for 400 years in Egypt,

and the 400 years before Yeshua, Jesus, came had been notably silent years from God.

Remember that.

In Genesis 15:13, “Then he said to Abram:

‘Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs,

and will serve them, and they will afflict them 400 years.’ ”

Interesting how that number is there.

Then, of course, Exodus 12:40,

“Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was 430 years,” it says.

Now Acts 7:6, “But God spoke in this way:

That his descendants would dwell in a foreign land,

and that they would bring them into bondage and oppress them 400 years.”

Galatians 3:17, “And this I say, that the law,

which was 430 years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ,

that it should make the promise of no effect.”

Malachi concluded his writing… around 430 BC.

In Galatians 4:4, “But when the fullness of the time had come,

God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law…”

You see, God had a set time, and when the time came,

in order to be like Moses, he had to come on that very day.

Number 4: Both fasted for 40 days and nights.

Moses while on Mount Sinai,

and Yeshua in the Judean desert, when being tempted by Satan.

Exodus 34:28, “So, he (Moses) was there with the Lord 40 days and 40 nights.

He neither ate bread, no drank water.

And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the 10 Commandments.

In Matthew 4 verses 1 and 2,

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

And when he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, afterward he was hungry.”

Well, I would be hungry also after 40 days.

But think about it.

The similarities, the need to be… in complete fulfillment of the requirements,

of the things that Moses himself did, because he is like Moses in that area.

Number 5: Both spent time in Egypt as children.

Isn’t that interesting?

Even Jesus, Yeshua, had to be hidden there, for a while as a baby, in order to escape Herod.

Ladies and gentlemen, Exodus 2:5-6 speaks of Moses,

“Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river.

Her maidens walked along the riverside.

And when she saw the ark among the reeds, she sent her maid to get it.

And when she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the baby wept.

So she had compassion on him and said, ‘This is one of the Hebrews’ children.’ ”

In Matthew 2:13,

“Now when they had departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream saying,

‘Arise, take the young Child and his mother, flee to Egypt,

and stay there until I bring you word.

For Herod will seek the young Child to destroy him.’ ”

Isn’t that interesting?

That God used Egypt as a shelter both for Moses and for Jesus.

Number 6: Both were born at a time when evil kings pronounced death to all Jewish baby boys in the area.

Pharaoh had commanded all Hebrew baby boys to be drowned at birth.

And Herod had issued a command to kill all baby boys under the age of two.

Both were miraculously rescued from that threat.

In Exodus 1, “Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives,

of whom the name of one was Shiprah and the other one was Puah.

And he said, ‘When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women,

and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son then you shall kill him.

But if it is a daughter, then she shall live.’ ”

In Matthew 2:16,

“Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry.

And he sent forth to put to death all the male children…”

Look, isn’t that interesting.

Both were seeking for the male children.

“… all the male children who were born in Bethlehem and in all its districts from two years old and under,

according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

Number 7: Both were called by God to lead and save.

Isn’t that interesting.

Exodus 14:31, “Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt.

So, the people feared the Lord, and believed in the Lord and his servant Moses.”

In acts 7:25, “For he (Moses) supposed that his brethren would have understood

that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand that.”

Luke 19:10, “For the Son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

And John 3:16, we all know, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten, Son

that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

And in John 6:38, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will,

but the will of him who sent me.”

Number 8: Both performed miracles to testify to their God-given authority.

Exodus 7:20, “And Moses and Aaron did so, just as the Lord had commanded.

So he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in the river,

in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants.

And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.

In Numbers 20 verse 11,

“Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod,

and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.”

Matthew 8:23-26, “Now when he got into a boat, his disciples followed him.

And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves.

But he was asleep.

Then his disciples came to him and awoke him saying,

“Lord, save us! We are perishing!”

But he said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you little faith?’

Then he arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”

In Mark 8, “Then he came to Bethsaida.

And they brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him.

So he took the blind man… by the hand and led him out of the town.

And when he had spit on his eyes and put his hand on him, he asked him if he saw anything.

And he looked up and said, ‘I see men like trees, walking.’

And then he put his hands on his eyes again and made him look up.

And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.

… Number 9: Both instituted a covenant of blood that brought salvation for many.

Moses with the Passover lamb’s blood on the doorposts of the Israelites,

and Yeshua, the Lamb of God, brought in the new covenant in his blood on the beams of the cross.

Isn’t that interesting.

Exodus 12, “Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year.

You may take it from the sheep or from the goats.

And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts,

and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.

Now the blood shall be a sign for you on their houses where you are.

And when I see their blood, I will pass over you.”

That’s why we call it, Passover: I will pass over you.

God is not saying that he will pass over you:

If you are Jew, or if you are Filipino, or if you are Muslim, or a Christian, or a Buddhist.

What matters is, is the blood, ladies and gentlemen.

Do you understand?

You can call yourself Christian as long as you want.

Because you were born maybe to a Christian family, it doesn’t mean anything.

If you do not apply the blood of Jesus on the doorpost of your heart, it’s not going to work.

“… Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are.

And when I see the blood, I will pass over you.

And the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.”

Exodus 24, “And Moses took the blood, sprinkled it on the people, and said,

‘This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.’ ”

Interestingly enough in Matthew 26,

“For this is my blood [Jesus said at the last supper] of the new covenant,

which is shed for many for the remission of sins.’ ”

In Luke 22:20, “Likewise he also took the cup after supper saying,

‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you.’ ”

Jesus says, it’s my blood and it’s better than sheep and goats.

It is the perfect blood and it’s not something you need to apply, every day, all day.

Because it’s once and for all.

And that is the beauty of that sacrifice that was given to us 2,000 years ago.

Number 10: Both were given God’s public stamp of approval with an audible voice from heaven,

heard by the crowd: Moses at Sinai, and Yeshua at his baptism.

Listen, in Exodus 19:9, “And the Lord said to Moses,

‘Behold I come to you in the thick cloud that the people may hear when I speak with you,

and believe you forever.’ ”

And Matthew 3:17, “And suddenly a voice came from heaven saying,

‘This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ ”

Peter later on testified.

He said, not only that I saw Jesus, I heard with my ears,

how God testified of him on the Mount of the Transfiguration that, “This is my beloved Son.”

Number 11: Both gave up great riches to lead a humble life of service and poverty.

Moses from the palace of the King of Egypt; Yeshua from the heights of heaven.

Both were noted for their great humility.

In Hebrews 11,

“By faith Moses, when he became of age refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,

esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.

For he looked to the reward.

By faith he forsook Egypt… not fearing the wrath of the king,

for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.”

Philippians 2:6-8, “… who, being in the form of God,

did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,

but made himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant,

and coming in the likeness of men.

And being found in the appearance… as a man, he humbled himself,

and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross .”

Not just death, but the most humiliating form of death that was only reserved for criminals in those days.

Number 12: Both were initially rejected by the Jews,

when… the foretold salvation didn’t seem as if it was going to happen.

And when Moses first challenged Pharaoh,

things got a lot worse for the Israelites, leading to despair and anger.

Yeshua’s crucifixion looked like a helpless defeat.

Both salvation situations initially looked like the promises were not going to come true,

but they did.

Ladies and gentlemen, Numbers 14,

“So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night.

And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron,

and the whole congregation said to them,

‘If only we had died in the land of Egypt!

Or if only we had died in this wilderness!

Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword,

that our wives and children should become victims?

Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?’

So they said to one another, ‘Let us elect a leader and return to Egypt.’ ”

How sad.

And in Matthew 23,

Jesus looking at Jerusalem as he entered into the city in that triumphal entry,

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!

How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,

but you are not willing.’ ”

All you want is the opposite!

In Acts 2,

“Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus,

whom you crucified, both Lord, and Messiah, and Christ.”

Acts 4, “This is the stone which… was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.”

There was a rejection but then God flipped it to be the most important Stone.

Number 13: Both were criticized by their own families.

Mary and Yeshua’s brothers in Mark 3:20-21 and Moses’ sister and brother.

Isn’t that interesting.

In Numbers 12:1, “Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses,

because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married.

For he had married an Ethiopian woman.

Wow.

I bet most of you didn’t know that.

Mark 3:20-21, “Then the multitude came together again,

so that they could not so much as eat bread.

But when his own people heard about this,

they went out to lay hold of him, for they said, ‘He is out of his mind.’ ”

… Number 14: Both were willing to sacrifice their own lives for the sake of those they were leading,

and to pay for the sins of their people.

I don’t know if you know that, but Moses, believe it or not?

Moses was willing to pay for the sins of his own people,

when he came down from Mount Sinai, in Exodus 32.

And, of course, Yeshua’s own readiness to die… on our behalf is evident in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Exodus 32, which is one my favorite chapters, 32 and 33 are my favorite chapters.

They’re very sad but also very true.

Exodus 32, “Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God and said,

‘Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people,

whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?

Turn from your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to your people.’ ”

And in verse 30, “Now it came to pass that the next day that Moses said to the people,

‘You have committed a great sin.’ ”

The golden calf if you remember.

“So now I will go up to the Lord.

Perhaps I can make atonement for your sins.”

Isn’t that interesting.

And in Matthew 26, “He went a little farther and fell on his face, and prayed saying,

‘O my father if it is possible let this cup pass from me.

Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’ ”

Number 15: Both miraculously provided the people with bread to eat.

Manna was sent from heaven for the Israelites,

and Yeshua famously fed the multitudes, twice.

He also testified of himself as the bread from heaven.

We know that in Exodus 16,

“So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp.

And in the morning that dew lay all around the camp, and when the layer of dew lifted,

there on the surface of the wilderness was a small round substance as fine as frost on the ground.

So when the children of Israel saw it, and they said to one another, ‘What is it?’

For they did not know what it was.

And Moses said to them, ‘This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.’ ”

Wow.

And in Matthew 14,

“And they said to Jesus, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.’

And he said, ‘Bring them here to me.’

Then he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass.

And he took the 5 loaves and 2 fish, and looking up to heaven,

he blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples.

And the disciples gave it to the multitudes.

So they all ate and were filled and they… took up 12 baskets full of the fragments that remained.

And now those who had eaten were about 5,000 men,

[not even counting their wives and children] besides women and children.”

Thousands of thousands of people were fed by the Lord Jesus, who is God in the flesh.

Just like the millions… at least one million,

who came out of Egypt that were fed with that manna on the ground.

John 6:32, “Jesus said to them,

‘Most assuredly I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven,

but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ ”

Jesus said, I am the bread of life. I came down from heaven.

Moses didn’t… the bread; The bread came from heaven.

So I am that bread.

“Then they said to him, ‘Lord give us this bread always.’ ”

They didn’t understand yet what he’s talking about.

He was, of course, speaking of himself.

Number 16: Both were accepted by Gentiles.

Moses’ father-in-law, a Medianite, instantly believed.

The Egyptians too, came to believe that the God of Israel was real and true.

And the non-Jews readily accepted Yeshua’s message of salvation.

Isn’t that interesting.

Exodus 18, “And Jethro said, ‘Blessed be the Lord,

who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh,

and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods.

For in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, he was above them.’ ”

Acts 8, “The eunuch answered Philip and said,

‘Please…’ ” The Eunuch is an Ethiopian eunuch.

He was not a Jew, and he was there on his way from Jerusalem to Gaza.

He sat with Philip in the cart [chariot] and Philip only had one little scroll,

and that was the only book he could share with that eunuch.

And that was the book of Isaiah.

Believe it or not the Old Testament is important!

And the man, who was not even a Jew, was led to Christ through one single book,

not even the whole… Old Testament.

“And then he said, ‘Please tell me of whom does the prophet say this?

Of himself or of someone else?’

Then Philip opened his mouth,

and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.

As they went along the road they came to some water,

and the eunuch, ‘Look! Water!

What prevents me from being baptized?’

So Phillip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, [with all your heart] you may.’ ”

He didn’t say, well you need to stand before the committee of our church.

We want to ask you a few questions and we want to test you.

If you know this, this, this, and this.

We want to also check your looks, I mean, turn around please.

We want to see… No, I mean if you believe with all of your heart.

I want to tell you a story,

and you may identify with it.

My son, before his military service he turned 18,

and we thought that’s the time for him to be baptized.

So he came to our congregation and we don’t have a senior pastor.

We have elders and he sat there with all the elders, like 8 of them.

And he was scared.

I didn’t join him because it’s supposed to be him and them.

And they asked him, “Ariel, do you believe with all of your heart?”

… Do you know what he said? He said, “I’m 90% sure.”

And he was not baptized.

3.5 years later, he’s done with his military service.

He had to deal with a lot of issues, went to a discipleship program in the UK for 6 weeks.

He came back and he said, “Dad, now I’m sure.”

And he was baptized.

If you believe with all of your heart, not 90%.

Then you shall, you may.

“And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’

He ordered the chariot to stop and they both went down into the water,

Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.”

Acts 28:28,

“Therefore, let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles,

and they will hear it!”

… Number 17, Under Moses, all those who believed and followed the instructions,

putting the sacrificial blood on their doors were saved from death.

This means that all those who left Egypt had taken a step of faith and been saved.

They were no longer just Hebrews ethnically.

They had become a faith community.

Similarly, under Yeshua,

all who appropriate his sacrificial blood, shed for us to save us from the power of death,

have entered into the faith community of those who follow him.

There is no difference of color of skin, of age, and certainly not of ethnic background.

If you apply the blood and if you believe in him?

Then you shall be saved.

Hebrews 11:28, “By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood,

lest he… who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.”

Galatians 3, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female.

For your all one in Christ Jesus.”

It… doesn’t mean that there is no more male and female, slave and free, and Greek or Jew.

It means that in Christ Jesus there is no partiality.

God does not love the Jewish believers more than the Filipino believers.

There is no such thing.

Do you understand that?

I don’t understand why so many Gentiles want to be Jews?

Do you think he will love you more?

Number 18: Seven weeks (50 days) after the Exodus,

the Israelites waited upon God to receive the Torah, the Law.

Now that they had been saved, how then should they live?

God gave Moses his covenant and instructions on how to live as a faith community.

Seven weeks (50 days) after the resurrection,

the disciples waited as Yeshua instructed them to receive the Holy Spirit, and the church was born.

A new faith community, and a new way to live as believers.

Exodus 24:7, “Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people.

And they said, ‘All that the Lord has said we will do and be obedient.’ ”

In John 16:13, “However, when he, the Spirit of truth has come, he will guide you into all truth.

For he will not speak on his own authority,

but whatever he hears he will speak.

And he will tell you things to come.”

Number 19: Both of their faces shone with the glory of heaven,

as was noted by people who saw them.

Moses had to wear a veil over his face because it was beaming so much,

and Yeshua’s disciples saw his glory on the Mount of the Transfiguration.

In Exodus 34, we see, “So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses,

behold the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.

Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him,

and Moses talked with them.

Afterwards all the children of Israel came near,

and he gave them… as commandments all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai,

and when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face.”

And in Matthew 17, we hear, “Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother,

and led them up on a high mountain by themselves.

And he was transfigured before them.

His face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light.

Number 20: Moses chose 12 spies to explore Canaan; and Yeshua chose 12 disciples.

Moses appointed 70 rulers over Israel,

and Yeshua sent 70 disciples out to share the gospel.

Numbers 13, “And the Lord spoke to Moses saying,

‘Send men to spy out of the land of Canaan, which I’m giving to the children of Israel.

From each tribe of their fathers, you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.’ ”

Numbers 11, “So the Lord said to Moses:

‘Gather to me 70 men of the elders of Israel,

whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them.

Bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you.’ ”

And then, of course, in Luke 6 in the New Testament,

“Now it came to pass in those days that he went out to the mountain to pray,

and continued all night in prayer to God.”

Jesus did not appoint anyone without long prayer and consideration,

“And then [of course] when it was day, he called his disciples to himself,

and from them he chose…”

Isn’t that interesting.

He spent all night in prayer.

The Bible is clearly saying, “He continued all night in prayer to God,

and then out of them he chose 12 whom he also named apostles.”

… And those new apostles that show up every morning nowadays and call themselves apostles…

We better be very, very careful and how we say that…

These are the apostles appointed by God, through the Holy Spirit, that show…

You have to understand something.

That’s why the Bible says that the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,

and Jesus is the chief cornerstone built on top.

And that’s why these apostles wrote the Bible!

I mean… modern day apostles, can they write the Bible?

Can they change the Bible? No.

Now I don’t underestimate the role of an apostle, when it comes to being sent.

That’s a different story.

But if someone thinks that he is a “new version” of the apostles of the 1st Century?

That is wrong!

And then, of course, Luke 10,

“After these things the Lord appointed 70 others also,

and sent them two by two before his face into every city and place,

where he himself was about to go.”

Number 21, wow, Moses led the people out of slavery into the wilderness.

Forty years of wandering, hardship, and a lot of lessons learned the hard way.

But all with God’s help and presence.

The promised land would come only later.

Yeshua has redeemed us into life with him, still on this fallen earth.

No, we’re not immediately translated into heaven.

It’s a limited time, not without pain and struggle.

Paul says, “I ran the race. I fought the good fight.”

There is a fight.

There is a race and there is a faith to keep.

A limited time not without pain and struggle and many lessons learned the hard way,

but all with God’s help and presence.

The life we were created for with no sickness, pain, or death is yet to come.

The promised land, a new Jerusalem,

where there will be no more tears, or pain and sorrow, is around the corner.

Joshua 5:6, “For the children of Israel walked 40 years in the wilderness,

until all the people who were men of war who came out of Egypt were consumed,

because they did not obey the voice of the Lord to whom the Lord swore

that he would not show them the land, which the Lord had sworn to their father’s

that he would give us, ‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’ ”

Romans 8 says, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

and if children, then heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ.

If indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy

to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Amen!

So we have completed all the similarities.

Let’s look at a few major differences where Jesus is unlike Moses.

1. Moses was not perfect and did not cross into the promised land.

Isn’t that interesting?

Until the transfiguration in his resurrection body, of course.

But Yeshua is perfect and has gone before us to prepare a place for us,

and sits at the right hand of the Father.

Numbers 27, “Now the Lord said to Moses:

‘Go up into the Mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given to the children of Israel.

And when you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your peopl…”

Gathered to your people means you’re going to die.

“… as Aaron your brother was gathered.

For in the Wilderness of Zin, during the strife of the congregation,

you rebelled against my command to hallow me at the waters before their eyes.”

(These are the waters of Meribah, at Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.)”

So Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land,

after he led the Israelites of 40 years,

He wasn’t perfect; He was rebellious.

Moses had his days, had his anger, had his sin.

But John 14:3 says, Jesus testifies of himself,

“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself,

that where I am…”

Jesus testifies, look I am going to be at the right hand the Father.

I am a resident of heaven.

Heaven is my home and I’m about to come,

“… and receive you so where I am you may also be.”

Romans 8:34, “Who is he condemns?

It is Christ who died and furthermore is also risen,

who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”

The 2nd major difference between the two:

God only saved one people group through Moses;

Through Jesus, Yeshua, salvation is available to every nation, every tribe, every tongue.

Interestingly enough, a 14th Century Rabbi Levi Ben Gerhson, isn’t that interesting,

said this in his commentary on the verse in Deuteronomy 18:

He said, “A prophet from the midst of thee”, about Moses.

In fact, the Messiah is such a prophet as it is stated in the Midrash of the verse,

“Behold, my Servant shall prosper”, in Isaiah 52:13.

Moses, by the miracles which he wrought, brought a single nation to the worship of God.

But the Messiah [that Rabbi said] the Messiah will draw all peoples to the worship of God.”

Amazing!

Exodus 3:11, “But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh,

and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

That’s was his mandate, only.

And, of course, in Revelation 7:9-10,

“After these things I looked, and behold a great multitude which no one could number,

of all nation, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne,

and before the Lamb.

Clothed… This is us, guys, we will be there!

In Revelation 7, the church has been already taken.

Revelation 4, John was “brought up”; This is a picture of the rapture.

And then what are we going to be doing there?

Worshiping him.

Before his throne, “Clothes with white robes with palm branches in their hands,

and crying out with a loud voice saying,

‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ ”

You better chant those verses already and learn them by heart.

That’s what we’re going to sing in heaven.

Number 3: Moses gave God’s law to the people of Israel.

Jesus gave his law to the whole world.

That beautiful.

John 1:17, “For the law was given through Moses,

but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Galatians 6:2, ” Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

It’s a different one.

Matthew 22:37, “Jesus said to him,

‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.

This is the first and great commandment and the second is like it:

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.’ ”

Number 4: Crucially, of course, Yeshua, was in fact the Son of God.

The very Word of God came to tabernacle among us full of grace and truth.

God became flesh and dwelt among us: Yeshua, the Messiah.

That’s not Moses; He is the Messiah.

Jesus is the Messiah.

John:1, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God

He was in the beginning with God.”

Moses was not in the beginning with God.

Moses was not there in the creation of the world.

Jesus was.

John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory.

The glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

I hope that you understood today that we have a beautiful picture of Jesus in Moses.

Yet there are wonderful differences as well, and that is fascinating to see.

Father, we thank you for your Word.

Your word is truth.

We see throughout the entire Old Testament, the beautiful types of the Messiah,

and only in Christ Jesus, all has been fulfilled.

We thank you and we bless you, in Jesus Name.

Amen. Amen.