In D’varim, Moshe warns that when the Children of Israel enter into the land, that they are not to do the practices that the nations that were to be expelled had done. This includes the diviners, soothsayers and sorcerers of which the goal was to receive divine revelation for the nation. However, the prophets whom the Lord would give unto them would not be like the diviners of the Heathens, who imposed on the people and deceived them. The diviners and soothsayers of those nations did all sorts of strange and ungodly things to receive that otherworldly “revelation”. Many sought after spirits. But the prophet in Israel was to be different.

The prophet receives direct revelation from G-d. It could be revelation about the condition of a people, or nation, and they are sent to speak (declare, correct, or instruct) according to every word that G-d gives those individuals. The word for prophet is  נביא (Navi). It comes from the word נבא (Nava) which means to prophesy, i.e. to speak , pour or utter forth like a spring; sing by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse).The first time we see the use of the word Navi/prophet was back in B’reishit/Genesis, with Avraham. Here, G-d reproves Avimelech for taking Avraham’s wife Sarah.

“Now therefore, restore the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.” – B’reishit 20:7

Because of the relationship and intimacy that the prophet has, it is his or her duty not only to speak forth words of instruction, edification, and declaration, but also intercession; to pray for others. The prophet is also partly an intercessor. The examples of this can be seen with Moshe (for Israel), Shmuel (for King Shaul), Yirmiyahu, and many others. Before time in Israel, when a man went to inquire of G-d… To ask doctrine of Him, or to be taught by Him; it was usually done by applying to some man of G-d, eminent for grace and piety, and having a spirit of prophecy. Because the status of a prophet is revered, or the appeal of “predicting something” and later comes to pass, many desire to be a prophet. It’s not a bad thing to desire to be a conduit for the Most High, but it is Hashem that calls those to that particular ministry of the prophet. I’ve heard those that are self-proclaimed prophets, yet their words or lifestyle do not agree with the scriptures or the Ruach Elohim. However, I have heard and seen others who do not have that label, and yet can speak—even as a word spoken at the right time- things that the Spirit of Hashem convicts you of (where there is no doubt). Will not those who hear such words tremble? Because it was by revelation. The role of a prophet is very important and is a sobering calling. The office of a prophet is not to be taken lightly. The term or title of “prophet” has very strong connotations. In the Tanak, the people had a reverence or fear of the prophets because they were in constant contact with the Creator. Rav Shaul states in his letter to Corinth concerning prophets…

Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. -1 Corinthians 14:29

Later chapters of D’varim (Parashat Shoftim), covered the law of the prophet, or the way to discern a prophet of Hashem from a false prophet, some of which is reiterated in this passage.

“You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’ “When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

-D’varim 18:21-22

What is being said is that the people are to examine carefully what is said among the prophets.In 1 Yochanan 4:1, we are told to test the Spirits. Those with Spirit of discernment will be able to tell whether what the prophet says comes from their own spirits, or from a lying spirit; from the Spirit of Anti-Mashiach, or whether it truly came from the Spirit of Hashem. Today we will take a look at the prophet that Hashem raised up. Taken from Devarim 18, speaking about the prophet like Moshe:

I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.

-D’varim 18:18

In a standard reading of the scripture, we understand that G-d has raised prophets in Israel and does appoint individuals to speak (declare, correct, or instruct) according to every word that Adonai gives those individuals. However, there is a specific difference in the scripture. In the Hebrew, it says something different.

נָבִיא אָקִים לָהֶם מִקֶּרֶב אֲחֵיהֶם כָּמוֹךָ וְנָתַתִּי דְבָרַי בְּפִיו וְדִבֶּר אֲלֵיהֶם אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר אֲצַוֶּנּוּ׃

Notice it does not say נבים /Neviim (plural; prophets) but rather נביא /Navi (Prophet). According to Ibn Ezra, it was not speaking of those prophets such as Yehoshua, Yirmiyahu, or David. Nor was the scripture relating to the succession of prophets, as Jarchi states. The targum renders the scripture thus:

נְבִיָא אָקִים לְהוֹן מִבֵּינֵי אֲחוּהוֹן דְּרוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא בֵּיהּ כְּוָותָךְ וְאֶתֵּן פִּתְגָמֵי נְבוּאָתִי בְּפוּמֵיהּ וִימַלֵּיל עִמְהוֹן יַת כָּל דְּאִיפְקְדִינֵיהּ

-Targum Yonatan on Deu. 18:18

This one has a specific designation, that of being likened to Moshe. The next verse states…

וְהָיָה הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יִשְׁמַע אֶל־דְּבָרַי אֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר בִּשְׁמִי אָנֹכִי אֶדְרֹשׁ מֵעִמּוֹ׃

It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.

-D’varim 18:19

“…I will require it of him.” The translation seems to lose the gravity of the sentence. The words אדרש מעמו “Edrosh Meimmo”, can be loosely translated to, “question against”, as in a heavy inquisition. The imagery can be that of the person standing before the Supreme Judge in the high court when all the evidence of disobedience is presented. Where it says, “I will require it of him”; it says in both of the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, “My Word shall require it of him”, or “take vengeance on him”.

וִיהֵי גַבְרָא דְלָא יִתְקַבֵּל פִּתְגָמֵי נְבוּאָתִי דִימַלֵּיל בִּשְׁמִי מֵימְרִי יִפְרַע מִנֵּיהּ

This one Prophet that would be compared to Moshe, however, was to be someone of Great importance. It is He that Adonai will inquire more strongly to those who did not heed the words that He speaks. That prophet would be a strong reflection of Moshe. In Israel’s history, Moshe is widely known as the first redeemer. He is the one that Adonai used to bring about the deliverance of B’nei Israel from Mitzrayim. But, He (Adonai) didn’t have to do that. In His power and might, He could have delivered Israel without Moshe. But this, as well as many other things that He has done in the past, in our world today and will do in the future, is for a purpose. Moshe, the first redeemer, was a prototype of the last redeemer. It says in Midrash Rabbah:

“The last Redeemer will be like the first redeemer. Just as the first redeemer revealed himself, returned and was hidden from them – so the last Redeemer will be revealed, and then be hidden from them. – (Midrash Rabbah, Numbers XI:2)

The last redeemer is the Mashiach. The first redeemer was Moshe, and the last Redeemer, Mashiach Yeshua was revealed to all Israel. We are waiting expectantly for Him to be revealed again. Mashiach was said to be like Moshe. Even in the terms המשיח, the Messiah, do we find the words “Moshe lives”.

The words of the Torah were uttered and spoken forth by Moshe. The words of the Messiah is expected to be greater in comparison to Moshe.

“The Torah that a man learns in this world is vanity in comparison to the Torah of Messiah.”  –   Kohelet Rabbah 11:7, Soncino Press Edition

We find this truth accounted through the words of the Shomronit (Samaritan Woman).

The woman said, “I know that Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” -Yochanan 4:25

This is undertood to be one of the many qualifications of Mashiach, that He will expound even the hidden and secret things of the Torah. This is what many caught onto, sensing in their hearts the authority and power with which He spoke. We can see this documented in the Besora (Gospel).

The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” The officers answered, “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.” -Yochanan 7:46

When Yeshua had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching… -Mattityahu 7:28

They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.
-Lukas 4:32

The P’rushim heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the head Kohanim and the P’rushim sent temple guards to arrest him. -Yochanan 7:32

In our modern vernacular, one would say “okay it sounds like he talked the talk, but did he walk the walk?” Mashiach was also expected to work signs and miracles like Moshe did. There was an expectation that Mashaich could do miracles but didn’t have to. The miracles that he would do would be a sign that G-d had sent him. These were in parallel to Moshe, who had been used by G-d to work miracles. In the case of Mashiach Yeshua, one particular miracle stands out. The Crowds were fed with the loaves and fish.

So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, which were left over by those who had eaten. Therefore when the people saw the sign, which He had performed, they said,

“This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” So Yeshua, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone. (Yochanan 6:13-15)

This parallels Moshe and Elisha. The parallel with Moshe is with the giving of ‘man/manna’ from heaven and the quails for meat (Sh’mot 16). Yet even more specifically (and nonetheless profound), we find this also parallels the work of Hashem through Elisha (2 Malachim 4:42-44). .

A man came from Baal-shalishah and he brought the man of G-d some bread of the first reaping—twenty loaves of barley bread, and some fresh grain in his sack. And [Elisha] said, “Give it to the people and let them eat.”His attendant replied, “How can I set this before a hundred men?” But he said, “Give it to the people and let them eat. For thus said the LORD: They shall eat and have some left over.”So he set it before them; and when they had eaten, they had some left over, as the LORD had said.– II Malachim 4:42-44

Therefore, His reputation of wonders preceded Him.

When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Yeshua, from Netzaret in Galil.”(Mattityahu 21:10,11)

And again…

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Yeshua stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Yeshua was not yet glorified.

When they heard these words, some of the people said,

‘“This really is The Prophet/navi.” Others said, “This is the Mashiach.” But some said, “Is Mashiach to come from Galil?’ (Yochanan 7:37-41)

His credentials…lets consider these passages.

‘After being Immersed, Yeshua came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of Adonai descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”‘(Mattityahu 3:17)

Lukas 9:35
‘A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”‘

‘While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”‘(Mattityahu 17:5)

So Yeshua said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. John 8:28

Was Yeshua the Prophet like Moshe? We can say with certainty Yes, and More! The prophet speaks what G-d tells him. This Yeshua did, but he also spoke as Ben Elohim. As He said:

“I and the father are one” -Yochanan 10:31.

Moshe intercessed for Israel, and Mashiach Yeshua intercesses for Israel; and even those grafted in from the nations. He is our intercessor; we have an advocate with The Father (1 Yochanan 2:1 ).At no point did Mashiach Yeshua contradict anything that Moshe said, but He clarified and strengthened the Torah (Mattityahu 5:17-20). He made its application plainer, and sometimes He related that He himself was the application.

There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. -Yochanan 12:48

Peter addressed the people in Solomon’s Portico:

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Mashiach appointed for you, Yeshua, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which G-d spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days.” -Acts/Maaseh 3:19-24

So what do we do with all of this? Every word that Mashiach Yeshua gave was for life. The Word of G-d was given to us for life. Every prophet had or has a message to deliver. The prophets had dire warnings, corrections, and yes, even good tidings.

–Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 99a

Truly, it is the voice of Mashiach that we are commanded to listen to and obey. Mashiach Yeshua was the navi like Moshe. Let us consider even the words of Albert Einstein, who spoke of the life of the ‘Nazarene’:

“As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene . . . . No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life. Jesus is too colossal for the pen of phrase-mongers, however artful.”

(Quote taken from “What Life Means to Einstein,” The Saturday Evening Post, October 26, 1929. Einstein was a physicist and professor at Princeton University. He lived from 1879-1955.)

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