Moses, significance of

Moses performed a number of major roles in the history of Israel. Many of these roles later found their perfection in Jesus Christ.

The roles of Moses

As teacher

Exodus 18:20; Matthew 23:10; John 1:38

As intercessor

Exodus 17:11, Exodus 32:11; Numbers 12:13, Numbers 21:7; Psalm 106:23; John 17:9; Hebrews 7:25

As servant of the LORD

Joshua 1:1–2; 2 Chronicles 24:6; Acts 3:13; Hebrews 3:5; Revelation 15:3

As prophet

Numbers 12:6–8; Deuteronomy 18:15, Deuteronomy 34:10; Acts 3:22

As deliverer

Exodus 3:10; Acts 7:35; Galatians 5:1

As judge

Exodus 18:13

As writer

Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 31:9; Luke 24:27; John 1:45, John 5:46

As shepherd

Exodus 3:1; Psalm 77:20; John 10:11

As the friend of God

Exodus 33:11 See also Exodus 33:17; Matthew 17:5; John 5:20

Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun would not leave the tent.

As the mediator of the law and the covenant

Exodus 19:5–6; Deuteronomy 6:1–3, Deuteronomy 31:9; Joshua 23:6; 2 Kings 18:12; Galatians 3:19; Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 12:24

Characteristics of Moses

He was a man of faith

Exodus 14:13–14; Hebrews 11:24–28

He was not eloquent

Exodus 4:10

He understood that the law meant life

Deuteronomy 32:46–47 See also Matthew 5:17–19, Matthew 19:17; Acts 7:38

he said to them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to carefully follow all the words of this law. For they are not idle words to you, because they are your life, and by them you will live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

He was passionate in his defence of the Lord's holiness

Exodus 32:19; Numbers 16:30; Luke 19:45–46

He worked miracles that brought glory to God

Exodus 14:15–18; John 2:11

Institutions established by Moses

He fathers, and is identified with, the Judaic legal system

Joshua 1:7–8; 1 Kings 2:3; Ezra 3:2; Nehemiah 13:1; John 5:45, John 7:23; 1 Corinthians 9:9

He inaugurates the ritual slaughter of the Passover lamb

Exodus 12:21 See also John 1:29

Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and told them, “Go at once and select for yourselves a lamb for each family, and slaughter the Passover lamb.

He sprinkles the people with the blood of the covenant

Exodus 24:8; Leviticus 17:11; Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 9:13–14, Hebrews 11:28

He orders the atonement sacrifice

Numbers 16:46; Romans 3:25

Moses enters the glory of the LORD

Exodus 24:17–18, Exodus 34:29; Matthew 17:2; 2 Corinthians 3:7; Revelation 15:3–4

Moses present at the transfiguration

Mark 9:4 parallels Matthew 17:3, Luke 9:30

And Elijah and Moses appeared before them, talking with Jesus.

Jesus Christ is superior to Moses

See also Hebrews 3:3, Hebrews 3:5–6