The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear, according to all you desired of the Lord your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, nor let me see this great fire anymore, lest I die.” (Deuteronomy 18:15-16)
You will recall that when God spoke to Israel from Mount Sinai, the people were so frightened, they entreated Moses to ask God to stop speaking lest they die. God agreed to this request, even saying that the people were right in what they said — had He continued to speak they would have died. However, He also made it clear that He would raise up a prophet “like unto Moses” and that it would be required of them to listen and to heed His words.
Judaism has interpreted this to mean that, in every generation, God would raise up a prophet to guide the people of that generation. While there may be legitimacy to that notion, it is also clear that the prophet Moses speaks of was more than just a prophet — He was the prophet who would arise from the midst of the people and speak with an authority not realized since Moses. Judaism also acknowledges this interpretation and considered that “the prophet” would appear just before or at Messiah’s coming. That is why John was asked, “Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” (John 1:21).
Obviously, the prophet Moses referred to is the Messiah. This is substantiated by than Stephen (Acts 7) as well as many of the people who saw the signs and wonders performed by Him. They said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world” (John 6:14). And while recognizing this is important, I believe it is more important to remember what is expected of those who hear His voice — “Whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.” Yeshua said over and again that He was only saying what the Father had told Him to say; He was bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to God’s people, then and now. Therefore let us be those who, hearing His Words, take them to heart and do them. As He said, “I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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