Moses the prophet whom God used to redeem the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt was a man of exceptional qualities. He was born at a time when Hebrew or Jewish new born baby boys were supposed to be drowned in the Nile River. However, he escaped miraculously and grew up as the Prince of Egypt. Similar to Moses, as a young child, Jesus faced a decree that took the lives of many young innocent children but God through His angels delivered Jesus and He was hidden in Egypt until the evil Herod died. The people God uses are not without challenges. Like many of us, they face their own share of life's daily challenges, yet, they rise above all these challenges and with the help of God, they become men and women of honour. As Moses fled Egypt, he departed as a fearful prince who had committed murder. However, he returned as a prophet of God empowered to bring deliverance to God's people.
The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. (Deuteronomy 18:15)
The ministry of Moses is highly influential in the history of Israel. Till date, when the books of Moses are read in Jewish communities, the reaction is that of honour and reverence. This is definitely so because God's presence with Moses was so great that God spoke with him face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he saw the form of the Lord (Numbers 12:8). Moses received the commandments of God and handed them over to the Israelites. By the time Moses died, the disorganized people he brought out to Egypt were a nation ready to possess the lands God had given to them. At one point in time, after an encounter with the Lord, Moses' face was so radiant that he had to put a veil on his face (Exodus 34:35). This was how God's power was mightily demonstrated through Moses.
One might conclude that Moses was the most powerful prophet ever lived. Yet, Moses himself was aware that after him will come another prophet. Before Moses died, he told the people this: "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him." (Deuteronomy 18:15). This prophecy found its fulfillment in the birth of Jesus. The author of Hebrews mentioned that "Jesus has been found worthy of greater honour than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honour than the house itself." (Hebrews 3:3). He continued that, “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory." (Hebrews 3:5-6).
The helpless baby in the Manger was also a prophet of God. He spoke the mind of God and told the people what to expect in the future. Jesus’ words were so powerful that the people listening to Him confirmed that; “He taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.” (Matthew 7:29). Jesus knew exactly what will happen to Him and His followers in the future. As a prophet, He prepared His disciples to know the times and the seasons. As we celebrate Christmas, we shouldn't take this for granted; the baby in the Manger was no ordinary child. As helpless as He was in the Manger, He was Saviour of the world, the Son of God, the one who paid off humanity's sins. Our prophet knows our past, our present and our future. Let's open up to Him and allow Him to speak the words of life unto us.
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