Moses: Prophet and Priest

2009-03-23

Moses has a unique role compared with other prominent personalities in the Old Testament. He served as both prophet and priest; that is, he brought messages from the Lord to the people and also made intercession of the Israelite community before God.

As a prophet, he spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt and pronounced the coming judgments on his kingdom (Exodus 4-11). He commanded the Israelites about the Passover (Exodus 12), the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20), the Tabernacle (Exodus 25-40), and the sacrifices (Leviticus 1-8). He also pronounced judgment on those who rebelled against the Lord in the cases of the Sabbath-breaker (Numbers 15:32-36) and the rebellion of Korah and others (Numbers 16).

Moses also served as a priest, though not like the sons of Aaron. He asked the Lord when certain issues came up that were unclear in the Law (Numbers 9:8; 15:33-35). He made intercession for the people when they sinned; Moses prayed for them for forgiveness, that God would spare them. This is the case when the community worshipped the golden calf (Exodus 32:7-14), when Aaron and Miriam had spoken against Moses (Numbers 12:1-15), when the people spoke against Moses when they were afraid of entering the Promised Land (Numbers 14:10-20), and when they were angered by the deaths of Korah’s rabble (Numbers 16:21-24, 45-50).

Nonetheless, Moses was still a man who was not perfect. Moses insisted that his brother-in-law stay to guide them in the wilderness, when the pillar of smoke and fire from God was supposed to be their guide (Numbers 10:29-32). He struck the rock at Meribah when he was commanded to speak to it (Numbers 20:8-13).

Yet Moses spoke of a Prophet that would come later that would be like him (Deuteronomy 18:17-19). We know that prophet to be Jesus Christ, who also is the Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14), who sacrificed himself as an offering once for all (Hebrews 7:27). He sits at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us (Romans 8:34). He also serves as prophet, as he gave commands to believe in him to be saved and to love all people. He gives us command to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth. The picture we get from Moses is fulfilled completely in the Messiah Jesus Christ.