“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers-it is to him you shall listen- Deuteronomy 18:15
Many consider this the first messianic prophesy in the Old Testament. But why would this verse apply to the Messiah and not all the many prophets that God sent to Israel over the years? Moses was very different from the other Old Testament prophets. Most Old Testament prophets did not lead Israel. Some in fact were out of favor with the rulers of Israel. But I think the biggest difference between Moses and the others was that Moses freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.
Then we have Jesus who came to free not just Israel but all humanity from the slavery to sin. No other prophet in Israel did that. They did show us the way to the Messiah. It was no secret in Israel that the Messiah was to come when Jesus did. God had been telling His people for hundreds of years how to recognize the Messiah and when He would come. And when Jesus came He came first to the Jews just as promised but His message was for all of us also just as promised.
I have read that Jesus fulfilled over 100 Old testament prophesies. Some are extremely clear while other can be open to interpretation. But even if we only accept the clear fulfillments there is ample evidence that Jesus was and is the fulfillment of God’s promise.
Over the next few weeks we will look at some of the verses in the Old Testament that point to the coming of the Messiah and why Jesus was the fulfillment of prophesy. Some of these verses we have already looked at but no matter how many times I read, study and think about a verse God always shows me something new.
Have a blessed day,
David
So very True David, Jesus did set us free from the Slavery of sin (see below ) and we are to reckon ourselves dead to sin not continue to say, we will sin till we die. A Prophet or Prophetess is proven True by the outcome of his or her words, even if no one listens.
John 8:34-36 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
I look forward David to what you are going to share in the Old Testament that points to the coming of the Messiah and why Jesus was the fulfilment of prophesy. God has no favourites but the Jews were first in line to know the Hope we have in The Lord but sadly as Romans tells us only a remnant will be saved , a Jew is only a Jew Spiritually when they are in Christ Jesus, not by circumcision, we are the Children of the promise, we are Spiritual Jews.
Christian Love from both of us – Anne