The Promised Messiah - 5-Day Advent Reading PlanНамуна

“CHRIST, THE PROMISED PROPHET”

Throughout the first five books of the Bible (the Pentateuch), Moses served the people of Israel in three primary offices or ways: prophet (Dt 34:10 – 12), priest (Ex 32:31 – 35) and as a type of king or ruler (Ex 18:24 – 26). The people of God relied on Moses to lead them as a forming nation and in religious practices according to God’s Word, as well as petitioning the Lord on their behalf. Moses foretold of another prophet that God would raise up to serve Israel in the same vein. Deuteronomy 18:15 states, “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.” This verse established a culture of anticipation that went unfulfilled for hundreds of years. The people of Israel longed for the next great leader, one who would lead them as a king, priest and prophet. Moses foreshadowed the one for whom Israel waited. He was a type of Christ, looking forward to the Messiah who was yet to come.

Jesus proved to be the long-anticipated prophet, following in the offices of Moses and fulfilling the anticipation of Israel recorded in the Old Testament (Mt 4:12 – 17; Lk 4:16 – 21). Although many Israelites looked for a military leader, Jesus came as a humble servant, even willing to face the most humiliating form of execution within the Roman Empire (Php 2:5 – 8). He is a king — whose kingdom is not of this world — who came to serve his people by atoning for their sin on a cross to rescue them from the judgment of God. He is a prophet who proclaimed the commands of God and showed his followers the right path to please the Lord (Jn 14:15,23). Finally, he is a priest, going before the Father on behalf of the people of God, an office he currently fulfills at the right hand of the Father without ceasing (Heb 7:23 – 25).

Ultimately, all of the Old Testament authors - from Moses to David and the other prophets - looked forward to the day when the Messiah would come and bring finality to their anticipation, a day when they would see their ultimate Prophet, Priest and King.

Today's Prayer:

Jesus, you are the perfect Prophet, the only Priest I need and the King of my life. Thank you for coming into this broken world and giving sinners a path to redemption. Amen.