We have for several days been discussing Moses as a “picture” or a “foreshadowing” of Christ.

For example, Moses led the Jews to freedom, liberty … out from Egypt and toward Canaan. Jesus also … “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36

On one occasion a rebellious Israel was ready to “stone” Moses to death! “And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.” (Exodus 17:4) Remember when the crowds also wanted to stone Jesus, attempted to do so in fact? “Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” (John 8:59) “Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.” (John 10:31)

Moses was endowed with an extremely forgiving spirit. Even when Miriam and Aaron rose up against him, Moses was not bitter … but prayed for Miriam’s healing. (God had stricken her with leprosy for her bold words of accusation!) “And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.” (Numbers 12:13) And Jesus’ forgiveness is monumental! On the Cross even, He prayed: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

Both Moses and Jesus are Biblically noted for their faithfulness! (See Hebrews 3:5 of Moses and then Revelation 3:14 of our Lord Jesus.)

Moses was a priest according to Psalm 99:6 … “Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.” Jesus was a Priest, too! Still is, in fact! “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.” (Hebrews 4:14)

Deuteronomy 33:4-5 calls Moses a King! And Jesus is born “King of the Jews!” (Matthew 2:2)

Moses was a judge as well, Exodus 18:13. And Jesus? “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” (John 5:22)

Moses sent out 12 spies! Jesus sent out 12 Disciples!

Moses needed 70 helpers to aid in his administrative work. Jesus called 70 helpers to assist in preaching the Gospel! “After these things the Lord appointed other SEVENTY also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.” (Luke 10:1)

Moses had a few episodes of “holy anger.” So did Jesus … “And when he had looked round about on them with ANGER, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.” (Mark 3:5)

Moses fasted, as did Jesus!

Moses, on the Mountain, had a face that glowed! “And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that THE SKIN OF HIS FACE SHONE while he talked with him.” (Exodus 34:29) And Jesus was “transfigured” on a mountain as well! See Matthew 17:2.

Moses washed the Priests of Israel with water. Jesus washed the feet of His Disciples with water!

Moses “finished” the work of the tabernacle, Exodus 40:33. And Jesus finished His Work, too. “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, IT IS FINISHED: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” (John 19:30)

Moses died, still a strong man, Deuteronomy 34:7. Jesus died, still crying “with a loud Voice!” (Matthew 27:50) Jesus voluntarily laid His Life down … for sinners to be saved!

Moses did not leave the Israelites “comfortless,” a capable successor had been trained (Joshua). Jesus did not leave his disciples “comfortless” either! “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.” (John 14:16, the Holy Spirit!)

Moses had to die before Israel could enter the Land of Canaan! “Moses my servant is dead; NOW therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.” (Joshua 1:2) Likewise Jesus had to die, before we could enter Canaan, the spirit filled Christian life! “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” (John 12:24)

One more … maybe.

Moses is recorded as having a “second coming” to earth, appearing with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration, over five centuries after Moses’ natural death! “And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.” (Matthew 17:3) So too will Jesus have a Second Coming to earth some day! “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east.” (Zechariah 14:4)

Wow!

Clearly, Moses is a type of Christ!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

I am trying to share certain points in which Moses well may be a “type” or a “picture” or an “emblem” of our Lord Jesus Christ. And I have discovered there are more of these than I had ever imagined!

Watch Moses identify with his people, the Jews. “And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens.” (Exodus 2:11) Now here’s essentially the same heart-felt loyalty expressed about Jesus. “For which cause he (Jesus) was not ashamed to call them brethren.” (Hebrews 2:11)

Both Moses and Jesus relinquished great riches to identify with the poor people they came to serve. “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.” (Hebrews 11:24-26) And Jesus: “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:6) Or maybe better yet: “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)

Both Moses and Jesus were (initially) rejected by their Brethren! Israel to Moses: “Who made thee a ruler over us?” (Acts 7:27) Israel to Jesus: “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (John 1:11)

Watch both men sitting on wells! And each well was outside the area where the Jews were living, on foreign soil! “But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.” (Exodus 2:15) Our Lord: “Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well.” (John 4:5-6)

Both men were shepherds! See Exodus 3:1 and John 10:16.

Both men also spend many years in obscurity. Moses 40 years in the desert, and Jesus 30 years at home in (despised) Nazareth!

Both men worked miracles!

Both men either already have or will wield mighty rods of power! Moses’ rod is well known. And when Jesus comes again … “I (God the Father) shall give thee (God the Son) the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a ROD of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” (Psalm 2:8-9)

Others similarities exist which I have not discerned, I am sure.

But surely these are enough to prove, that even in Moses’ middle years, he was a type of our Saviour.

The Lord willing, tomorrow, the last third of Moses’ life.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

You know what?

We Christians today are supposed to be “like Jesus” in many ways!

 

 

For three more Lessons, counting this one, we shall notice the life of Moses, its numerous similarities with our Lord Jesus’ Days on earth.

Moses being the human writer of the Book of Deuteronomy, our Bible Text for over a month now.

Both Moses and Jesus were Jewish by heritage, Moses totally so by human birth (Amram and Jochebed being his parents). Jesus became human (He was ALWAYS Divine) via the Virgin Birth (Mary of the Tribe of Judah being His earthly mother).

Both were born while their people were under bondage! Moses … the cruel thumb of Pharaoh of Egypt. Jesus … the iron fist of the Caesar of Rome!

Both were “special” babies! “Exceeding fair,” Moses in Acts 7:20. And “a goodly child” in Exodus 2:2. Jesus … Luke 2:52. “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”

Both were threatened with death in infancy! Moses by Pharaoh’s “kill all the Jews” decree. Jesus by the edict of King Herod, “Kill all the baby boys of Bethlehem!”

Both had dominant feminine influence in their lives! Exodus 2:10 says Moses “became the son” of Pharaoh’s daughter. And Jesus (the Virgin Birth again) was “made of a woman!” Galatians 4:4, Wow! Joseph was NOT Jesus’ Father!

Both spent time in Egypt, as children I mean! Moses essentially being reared there and Jesus having been kept there (temporarily) for safety’s sake, fleeing Herod’s death squads. “Behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” Matthew 2:13

Both knew as younger boys that God had special purpose in their lives! Moses … “For he supposed his brethren WOULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD HOW THAT GOD BY HIS HAND WOULD DELIVER THEM: but they understood not.” And Jesus, at just age 12 mind you, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?”

Then lastly for today … both had a deep love (passion) for the Jewish people! Of Moses Stephen told us in Acts 7:23-24 … “And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian.” And Jesus’ love for His people is apparent as well. Once He even said to a Gentile woman: “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 15:24 (Add this occasion too: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” Matthew 23:37)

It’s clear, isn’t it?

These parallels.

But wait for the next two Lessons!

Amazing!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Moses, what a man!

Unique in many ways, yet like Another in many ways!

I am today going to suggest that Moses is indeed a “picture” of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour. The Bible teachers would say he is a “Type” of Christ.

Tomorrow morning, the Lord willing (and maybe even again Monday morning) I plan to share with you some of the many ways Moses “prefigures” the Lord.

The list is impressive!

But it all begins, I think, with a single verse of Scripture, in (where else?) Deuteronomy.

In Deuteronomy 18:15 Moses is speaking to his people, the Nation of Israel.

There he, under the Guidance of God Almighty (inspiration, we often call it) he informs the Jews …

“The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken.” Again, Deuteronomy 18:15

A major Prophet is coming!

Who Else could this “Prophet” be, but Jesus?

Out of the Jewish Heritage!

And He will be (likely in many ways) “like” unto Moses!

And the people are advised to “hear” him, once He arrives …  to “obey” Him completely!

This verse clearly “links” Moses and Jesus, suggesting a number of “likenesses.”

With Jesus of course always being greater than Moses.

Hebrews 3:1-3 at least illustrates the point. “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, CHRIST JESUS; Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also MOSES WAS FAITHFUL in all his house. For THIS MAN (JESUS) was counted worthy of MORE GLORY than MOSES, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.”

Amen.

No wonder Jesus was such a Student of Moses!

Like I promised, Lord willing, more tomorrow.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

If I have counted correctly, “Moses” is mentioned in the Bible a total of 829 times! And Jesus 973 times! Even numerically, Jesus is greater!

 

The Lord is so “kind” to His servants.

In fact, to all His children.

Even after Moses’ death, God is still “complimenting” that great lawgiver.

“And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew FACE TO FACE.” Deuteronomy 34:10

Wow!

This fact is also emphasized in Numbers 12:7-8, where an insurrection against Moses was underway. One that God hushed quite soon!

To those “rebels” God said: “My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak MOUTH TO MOUTH, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”

“Face to face!”

“Mouth to mouth!”

Whereas normally God spoke to His prophets like this: “If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a VISION, and will speak unto him in a DREAM.” Numbers 12:6

The point I am making today is simply this … even with a “blot” on his record (Moses’ sin of hitting the Rock at Meribah, twice in fact, when God had commanded him to merely speak to the Rock) … God expressed great “delight” and “singularity” in Moses His servant.

I repeat myself, yet again.

GRACE … Deuteronomy is absolutely saturated with the Goodness, Mercy, and Kindness of Almighty God.

Not … “My servant Moses failed Me!”

Rather … “My servant Moses … loved to talk to Me!”

I think this is also how David the adulterer … became David the “man after God’s Own Heart!” See Acts 13:22 for the exact quote.

GRACE!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Yes, it certainly sounds like Moses was “approved of God!”

Was that not also Paul’s goal in life? “Study to shew thyself APPROVED UNTO GOD, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

And should that not also be your goal?

And mine?