Jesus is known as the Prophet, Priest,
and King. Each of these titles portrays a particular function of Christ,
and, when understood in the Biblical context, is a great insight into
the greatness of Jesus. The purpose of this study is to look at Jesus
in light of the Prophet who was to come. The background of the long
anticipated Prophet is found in Deuteronomy 18:15-19. It is here that
Moses, who was a great prophet himself (Deut. 34:10), told that second
generation of Israelites about Jesus, the Prophet who was to come
From God
Moses said that the Prophet who was to come was to
come from God. "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a
Prophet from the midst of thee" (Deut. 18:15a). This should
not be surprising, for God sent all true prophets (2 Chr. 24:19).
They belonged to God (1 Chr. 16:22), and were among his servants
(2 Kgs. 9:7). The true prophets were not to take their orders from
anyone except God. They were the ones through whom God spoke (2
Kgs. 21:10). For this reason they often began their prophetic teachings
with the expression "Thus saith the Lord," or "The
Lord God said unto me." Furthermore, all true prophets functioned
for God. They brought God's commands to the people (2 Chr. 29:35);
they testified against sin (Neh. 9:26, 30); and they tried to turn
the people back to God (Jer. 35:15). The prophet, because he was
the "mouth piece" of God, was so important to God's scheme
of redemption that those who proclaimed their own will as if it
were God's will were to be put to death like those who spoke in
the name of other gods (Deut. 18:20).
That Jesus was the Prophet who was to come from God is abundantly
evident in the New Testament. Following the feeding of the five
thousand, "Those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus
did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into
the world" (Jn. 6:14). After hearing Jesus' teaching on the
last day of the feast, "Many of the people therefore, when
they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet"
(Jn. 7:40). When Stephen addressed the "stiff-necked"
Jews concerning Jesus, he declared, "This is that Moses, which
said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your
God raise up unto you" (Acts 7:37). Indeed, Jesus was sent
by God (Jn. 3:17). Jesus belonged to God like no other prophet (Jn.
1:1-3; 17:21). Jesus came for the sole purpose of doing and speaking
God's will (Jn. 4:34). Not only did he bring the word of God, he
was the Word (Jn. 1:1-2, 14)! Jesus came with the complete revelation
of God (Heb. 1:1-2). Therefore, as the Prophet, we must hear Jesus
Christ and do what he says (Mt. 17:5).
With Ultimate Authority
Moses also said that the Prophet who was to come was
to be heard by all. "Unto him ye shall hearken...And it shall
come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my [God's] words
which he shall speak in my [God's] name, I [God] will require it
of him" (Deut. 18:15b, 19). Since all of God's prophets were
to speak God's word (Jer. 50:1; Hos. 12:10; Zec. 7:7), we can know
assuredly that the Prophet who was to come would express God's word,
not merely His own opinion. Since every word spoken by the Prophet
was God's word, we know that every word he spoke was true, infallible,
and authoritative. Since every word the Prophet spoke was true,
infallible, and authoritative, it behooves each one of us to hear
and obey those words. God always has and always will bring retribution
upon those who do not respond favorably to the message he speaks
through the prophets (cf. Isa. 65:12). This principle is especially
true of that Prophet whom Moses said was to come, and who did come.
"He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one
that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge
him in the last day" (Jn. 12:48).
To Save Our Souls
The Prophet who was to come, as announced by Moses, came in the
form of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh (Jn. 1:14). He was sent
by God to speak his word. He came for the purpose of seeking and
saving the lost (Lk. 19:10) through teaching the will of God (Jn.
6:63). Have we heard and obeyed the Prophet who came to this earth?
He loved us enough to die for us (Rom. 5:8), and he wants us to
heed his message (Mt. 11:28-30). Only we can make the choice for
our-selves. Are we following him?
©Brian Kenyon
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