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Jesus the Prophet
Jesus the Prophet
We often speak of Jesus being the Messiah and the Son of God, less often do we talk of Him being ‘the Prophet’. He was not just another prophet thought, He was THE prophet. The people had learned many of the prophecies of the OT that pointed to this coming one: one of David’s seed, the coming king, the one who would rule over the nation, etc. We can add to this the coming of THE prophet.
Earlier, the people had asked John the Baptist: "What then? Are you Elijah?" And he *said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No." (John 1:21).
Moses had spoken of ‘another like him’ that would come as recorded in Deuteronomy 18:15: 15 "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.” He added a warning in vs. 18-19: “ '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. '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” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19)
Steven recalled this promise made by Moses as he quotes from Deut. 18:15: “"This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, 'God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren'” (Acts 7:37 ).
It is this warning that Peter brings up in in second sermon: “Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren; to Him you shall give heed to everything He says to you. 'And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.' “ (Acts 3:22-23).
Jesus IS indeed THAT prophet and we need NOT look for another. HE has the words of life. He has all authority in heaven and earth. His word will judge us on the last day. If we abide in HIS word, then we can know TRUTH and the truth sets us free.
While Moses gave Israel what is commonly called the Old Covenant, this one ‘like Moses’ gave us a NEW Covenant. He is claimed to be not just one ‘like Moses’, but one that is ‘BETTER’ than Moses (read Hebrews 3). Jesus is THE prophet who was to come. IF we hear Him, we can have eternal life. IF we reject Him and his Word, we will be condemned. Are you following this prophet?
Hugh DeLong
