Jesus the Prophet:

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=150 BGCOLOR="#993300" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2734b640.gif" border=0 width="75" height="100" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> <B>Jesus the Prophet   </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" ><B>Part 1</B></FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="152" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#0099CC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> <B>Wild prophet?</B></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> Jesus the Prophet, is this an image we have of Him? </div> <div> The word ‘prophet’ can create a picture in our mind, of a rugged man, dressed in rough clothes, and shouting out warnings from God. </div> <div> Jesus didn’t really fit that picture. </div> <div> But, it is interesting to see that the people of that time, <B>saw</B> Jesus as a prophet. </div> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >When Jesus raised a dead young man from out of his coffin, the crowd </FONT>“were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great <B>prophet</B> has appeared among us,” they said. "God has come to help his people.”<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >Luke 7:12-16 (NIV)</FONT></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >Then when Jesus entered Jerusalem, with the crowds shouting hosanna </FONT>“the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the <B>prophet</B> from Nazareth in Galilee.”<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >Matthew 21:9-11 (NIV)</FONT></div> <div> Whether the people agreed with Jesus or not, they <B>did</B> see Him as a prophet.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="198" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#0099CC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> <B>What is a prophet?</B></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> What does the word ‘prophet’ mean? </div> <div> Well, the dictionary states: </div> <div> ‘One who foretells future events, a revealer, or <B>interpreter</B> of the <B>Divine</B> will.’ </div> <div> In other words; someone who <B>reveals</B> God’s will and purposes, someone who reveals what is on God’s <B>heart</B>. </div> <div> Do you think that is a description, of what Jesus did while on this earth? </div> <div> And is this what He still does? </div> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >Well yes, Jesus said: </FONT>“When someone looks at <B>Me</B>, they <B>see</B> the <B>One</B> who sent Me. I have come into the world as a <B>light</B>.”<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >(John 12:45)</FONT></div> <div> And Jesus said:</div> <div> “For I have come <B>down</B> from heaven, not to do My own will, but to <B>do</B> the <B>will</B> of Him who sent Me.” <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >(John 6:38)</FONT></div> <div> and if that is not enough, one of Jesus’ Names is: <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" >‘The Word of God.’</FONT> </div> <div> So, yes Jesus does <B>reveal</B> what God’s will and purposes are. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="208" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#0099CC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> <B>The special prophet</B></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> Throughout history, most of the Jews have looked out for a <B>very</B> special Prophet, and some are still looking even today. </div> <div> In Deuteronomy Moses said:</div> <div> “The Lord your God will raise up for you a <B>Prophet</B> like me, from among your own people; you must listen to <B>everything</B> He tells you.” </div> <div> They even believed that this prophet would be <B>born</B> at Bethlehem, and this became a stumbling block to some of them, because Jesus lived at <B>Nazareth</B> in Galilee. </div> <div> When the crowds were discussing whether Jesus was the Prophet or not, the Pharisees said to the crowd:</div> <div> “Are you from Galilee too? Look into it, and you will find that the <B>Prophet</B>, does not come out of Galilee!”  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >(John 7:52)</FONT></div> <div> And earlier they had said:</div> <div> “Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David’s family, and from <B>Bethlehem</B>!”</div> <div> <IMG SRC="274b4750.jpg" border=0 width="180" height="117" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >They were referring to Micah chapter 5 which says:</FONT></div> <div> “But you, <B>Bethlehem</B>, in the land of Judah, are by no means least, among the rulers of Judah; for <B>out</B> of you will come a <B>Ruler</B>, who will be <B>the</B> shepherd of My people Israel.” </div> <div> If their minds hadn’t been so <B>hostile</B> towards Jesus, they would have discovered, that Jesus was in fact born in Bethlehem.</div> <div> Let’s look at that passage from Deuteronomy. </div> <div> This is Moses speaking, teaching them what God had said:</div> <div> “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him.... I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.”<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >Deut 18:14-19 (NIV)</FONT></div> <div> We’ve just heard that <B>this</B> Prophet would be raised up from <B>among</B> them. </div> <div> This speaks of Christ’s <B>birth</B>, He was One of their nation, a <B>Jew</B>. </div> <div> He lived <B>among</B> them, <B>Emmanuel</B> - God with us. </div> <div> God living among His people. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="337" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#0099CC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> <B>A prophet like Moses but greater</B></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> Moses said that <B>the</B> Prophet would be <B>like</B> himself. </div> <div> So let’s look at some of the similarities: </div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="152" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#0099CC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="146"><div> <B>Law giver:</B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> The prophet Moses was a lawgiver, </div> <div> Christ the Prophet, was also a lawgiver. </div> <div> Perhaps we don’t tend to see Jesus as a lawgiver, but Paul wrote:</div> <div> “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will <B>fulfill</B> the <B>Law of</B> Christ.”  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >(Galations 6:2)</FONT></div> <div> And also: </div> <div> “let them acknowledge that what I <B>am writing is</B> the Lord’s <B>command</B>.”  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >(1 Corinthians 14:37)</FONT></div> <div> Yes, Jesus is also the Lawgiver. </div> <div> But Christ’s laws were <B>not</B> there, for us to <B>try</B> to obey, so as to get to heaven. </div> <div> Because in Romans 8 Paul writes:</div> <div> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" >“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life,”</FONT> that is <B>Christ's Law</B>, has <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" >“<B>set me free</B> from the law of sin and death,”</FONT> that is the <B>Law</B> given <B>by Moses</B>.</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="224" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#0099CC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> <B>To lead out of slavery:</B></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> Moses led the people from out of the slavery of Egypt. </div> <div> Christ leads His people from out of the <B>slavery</B> of Satan. </div> <div> Jesus said </div> <div> “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you <B>free</B>.” They answered Him, “We are Abrahams descendants and have <B>never</B> been slaves of anyone. How can You say that we shall be <B>set free</B>?” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who <B>sins</B> is a <B>slave</B> to sin.””  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >(John 8:31)</FONT></div> <div> Multitudes of people are slaves to sin, and to Satan, and they just don’t <B>realise</B> it. </div> <div> It is the <B>Truth</B> that breaks the chains of our slavery. </div> <div> The Truth is the Word of Christ, the Word of God. </div> <div> The words in the Bible are God <B>breathed</B>, and they have the power to set people free. </div> <div> Paul wrote: </div> <div> “you are no longer a <B>slave</B>, but a <B>son</B>; and since you are a son, God has made you also an <B>heir</B>.”<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >  </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >(Galations 4:7)</FONT></div> <div> Moses led the people out of Egypt, but Jesus not only leads people <B>out</B> of the slavery of sin, but also <B>into sonship</B>, <B>and</B> an eternal <B>inheritance</B>! </div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="263" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#0099CC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 ><NOBR><div> <B>To create new worship:</B></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="06c60390.gif" border=0 width="96" height="313" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Moses was the founder of a new era of <B>worship</B> and of serving God, where the people were taught to have a fearful reverence, and that God was <B>too</B> Holy to approach, except for one person, and that <B>once</B> a year, and that was for the High Priest <B>only</B>. </div> <div> All this was ushered in by miraculous signs and wonders. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> But Jesus was the founder of a <B>better</B> era of worship and of serving God, where He opened up a way into the Presence of God, for <B>all</B> of His followers, at <B>any time</B>, 24 hours a day, 365 days in a year. </div> <div> This new era was also ushered in with wonderful, and miraculous signs.</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="151" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#0099CC > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="145"><div> <B>Conclusion:</B></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div> So, what is the conclusion in looking at the similarities between Moses, and <B>the</B> Prophet, the Lord Jesus Christ? </div> <div> It is summed up in Hebrews 3:2 where it says:</div> <div> “Moses was faithful in all God’s house. Jesus has been found <B>worthy</B> of <B>greater</B> honour than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honour than the house itself.” </div> <div> Then in verse 5:</div> <div> “Moses was faithful as a servant <B>in</B> all God’s house. But Christ is faithful as a <B>Son over</B> God’s house..”</div> <div> Moses was a great leader, but Jesus <B>far</B> outshines him, because:</div> <div> “The Son is the <B>radiance</B> of God’s Glory, and the exact representation of His Being, sustaining <B>all</B> things by His powerful Word.”<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >(Hebrews 1:3)</FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id157.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Bible Explained"><U>Comment or contact</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Prophet, Priest and King"><U>Back to the Prophet, Priest & King menu.</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bible Explained"><U>Home</U></A></div> <bR> <div> Moses & Jesus images: thanks to GSP 100,000 clipart CD.</div> <div> Wise men image: thanks to ‘The Pictorial Dictionary’ published by The Educational Book Company, London. </div> <div> ©  2003 Bible  Explained part of www.seeking-god.co.uk</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>