Moses The Deliverer

by L.M. Ross, Aberdeen, Scotland | Category: Christ In Type And Shadow | Nov 1989

"I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling... with all lowliness and meekness... giving diligence to keep the~ unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace".

So wrote Paul to the Ephesians. Moses might well have been the author, for Paul's sentiments are clearly reflected in Moses' life. He was a unique man - "there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face" (Deut. 34:10) - who lived for the well-being of the people of God. "Set your heart unto all the words which I testify unto you this day ... it is your life" (Deut. 32:46-47). God's people were his life. So too with the Lord Jesus, who for those forty days taught His beloved apostles "the things concerning the kingdom of God". Forty days to teach them about the kingdom! Forty days for Moses to receive on Sinai the law and the commandments!

The Early Days

Moses' life falls into three periods of forty years. The first eighty years are covered in Exodus by a few chapters. How like the story of the Lord Jesus! God has largely limited our knowledge of His early days to this "Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men", no mean feat. Both had been cared for in infancy by godly parents; both were saved from the murderous decrees of rulers; both were delivered to become themselves deliverers (Acts 7:35; Rom. 11:26; 1 Thes. 1:10). Moses was nourished first by his parents, then by Pharaoh's daughter (Acts 7:20-21). A similar word is used of the Lord Jesus "...and He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up" (Luke 4:16).

As a result of these first forty years Moses was "mighty in his words and works". The world was at his feet, but God was in his heart, and thus by faith he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, and chose to be associated with his true brethren, counting "the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt" (Heb. 11:26). To walk in the way of Christ, in any age, is to obtain eternal treasure, "the recompense of reward".

Peter testified of our Deliverer that He too was a man approved of God "by mighty works and wonders and signs" (Acts 2:22). To Him, Satan had the audacity to offer the kingdoms of the world. As in all of Satan's bargains there is an Lf None of his conditions could ever be acceptable to the Lord, and neither can they be acceptable to His true disciples. "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36).

His delight was to do the will of God.

Counting the cost, Moses refused the glory of earth knowing that the real glory is in enduring "as seeing Him who is invisible" (Heb. 11:27). Although mighty in Egypt, there was evidently a work of God progressing in his heart, drawing him towards his brethren. But they would not receive him (cf. John 1:11). He was thrust away and fled to Midian "a sojourner in a strange land" (Ex. 2:22), becoming a shepherd (so despised by the Egyptians whom he had just left, Genesis 46:34), for almost forty years. Forty years! "What a waste" some might say. But these were invaluable years, for the work of God is not always necessarily public. He had been nourished in Egypt's ways, now he would learn something of the ways of God in a different school. He had been respected in Egypt because of his words and works; now, like Apollos (Acts 18:24) he would learn how to be mighty in spiritual life and perception.

Little did his companions during those forty years realize that the deliverer of Israel was among them: little did those of Nazareth who daily passed the carpenter's shop realize that there was the Saviour of the world! About eighteen years would pass since first He astonished those in the temple of Jerusalem. He would come to Jordan to be baptized. His Father, reflecting over those years, said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased". The day of His public ministry had dawned. What was perhaps just another day to Moses was transformed when God also spoke to Him, but from a burning bush (Ex. 3), and set him also forward on his public role as deliverer.

His Outstanding Role in Life

It was "the LORD that appointed (or advanced) Moses" (1 Sam. 12:6) and He also equipped him for his work both as a mediator and as an advocate.

As a Mediator

In Galatians 3:20 Paul defines the work of a mediator: "a mediator is not a mediator of one: but God is one". Paul is contrasting the law and the promise. There was no mediator in relation to the promise to Abraham, but there was in the giving of the law. Moses acted as the "middle-man" between God and His people. The law was given to them "by the hand of a mediator" - Moses (Gal. 3:19). As Stephen says in Acts 7:38, Moses "received living oracles to give unto us". Moses himself recalled "I stood between the LORD and you ... to shew you the word of the LORD" (Deut. 5:5). Great man indeed, but just a shadow of One who in a later day was called the "one Mediator also between God and men ... Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2). "Only by being possessed both of deity and humanity could He comprehend the claims of the One and the needs of the other" (W.E. Vine). The needs of mankind were great, but the law was "weak through the flesh". God sent His own Son (Rom. 8:3) "Mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises" (Heb. 8:6). Today, we come to "Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant ... " (Heb. 12:24).

As an Advocate

Moses was an outstanding advocate and pleader for Israel - he had to be! The book of the covenant had been read in their presence and they said, "all that the LORD hath spoken will we do, and be obedient" - but were they? As the Lord spoke to Moses of the precious things to be made of pure gold for His dwelling, Aaron was receiving golden rings from the people and making a golden calf. "These be thy gods, 0 Israel", they said. "Let Me alone", said God, "that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation" (Ex. 32:10).

Years before, Moses had had a brilliant career stretching out before him in Egypt, and had consciously turned his back on it. Here was another great opportunity, and with it a chance to be free of this faithless generation. What should he do? Did his thoughts return to the experiences at the Red Sea, at Marah, at Rephidim, where he had pleaded with God for the people? Could he forsake them now in this crisis? No! He used his favoured position

in God's presence not to further his own career, but to plead the cause of his people. They are your people, God tells Moses (Ex. 32:7): they are your people, Moses responds, and appeals to God on three counts, reminding Him of His grace in delivering His people, of His honour and testimony that were at stake were they to be destroyed, and of His faithful promise to the Patriarchs. The pleading of a righteous man "availeth much in its working", and so, "Moses His chosen stood before Him in the breach, to turn away His wrath, lest He should destroy them" (Ps. 106:23). Like Jacob he had "power with God ... and prevailed" (Hos. 12:3,4) as on other occasions, for example for Miriam, (Num. 12:13).

The Word of God has been given to us that we might not sin - but we do! How thankful therefore to know that "we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous", and doubly blessed in having another Advocate of the same kind (John 14:16) to keep us: in heaven, our blessed Lord, and here on earth, the gracious Holy Spirit.

As a Prophet

"The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet ... like unto me" (Deut. 18:15). Many prophets were raised in Israel, but none like Moses who, in the great breadth of his work and responsibility, was unique, and such a striking type of the Lord Jesus. He also is identified as a prophet in the Scriptures (eg. Mat. 21:11; John 6:14; 7:40) and He alone is the One

foreshadowed by Moses' words "like unto me". The work of the prophet was to convey to others the words which God had put in his mouth (cf. Ex. 4:15-16), and the Scriptures witness to the Lord's fulfilment of this role (cf. John 3:34; 8:26-28; 12:4950). As they said on the way to Emmaus "Jesus of Nazareth ... a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people".

My Servant

"It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful" (1 Cor. 4:2), and this faithfulness was an outstanding feature of Moses' life. Like Paul, he faithfully delivered to Israel "that which also I received" (1 Cor. 15:3). Like the Lord Jesus he too could have said to God "the words which Thou gavest Me I have given unto them" (John 17:8). In the presence of Aaron and Miriam God testified of him: "My servant Moses . .. faithful in all Mine house" (Num. 12:7; Heb. 3:5). He had made the Tabernacle exactly to the pattern shown to him in the mount (Heb. 8:5). Shall we also hear the commendation one day "Well done, good and faithful servant"?

As in every age, great men of God do not continue for ever. It was to Joshua that the word came from God "Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, go ... " (Josh. 1:2). The passing, to higher service of men and women of God should "teach us to number our days, that we may get us an heart of wisdom" as is recorded in the prayer of Moses in Psalm 90:12 "Return, 0 Lord; how long?" we say with Moses, "and let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish Thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it" (Ps. 90:13,17).

Yes, it's a day to arise and be doing for Him!

L.M. Ross, Aberdeen, Scotland | Nov 1989
Christ In Type And Shadow