52 Weeks at the Table – Week 10
At a time when God’s people had lived under the domination of foreigners, and no one had spoken for Him for years, a baby was born whose very life was soon endangered by the regime in power. He was delivered from danger by the hospitality of Egypt, and grew to manhood experiencing a call of God Himself to lead His people, to give them instructions that would bless their lives, to bring them from slavery to freedom. He would display God’s power through miracles; God’s wisdom through teaching; God’s purity through a glorious transfigured face; God’s love through selfless service. He would bring deliverance through water. He would care for the hunger and thirst of thousands through God’s own providence. He would establish a meal to celebrate deliverance and freedom and fulfillment that would endure for generations.
The similarities between Moses and Jesus are made even more deeply astounding by the fact that they were prophetic. Both Peter in one of his earliest sermons and Stephen in his last sermon quoted God’s promise to reassure Moses, which Moses repeated to reassure Israel: “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. For this is what you asked of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, ‘Let us not hear the voice of the LORD our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.’ The LORD said to me: “What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.”~ Deuteronomy 18:15-19
“I will raise up.” “A prophet like Moses.” “Put words in his mouth.” That prophet’s name?
Joshua. Yeshua.
Jesus.
A Prayer Over the Bread
God of Moses and Israel and Abraham, hear our prayer and incline Your heart to our words, for we have listened and obeyed Yours with such uneven faith. We have wandered long in deserts of sin. We needed a deliverer and You sent Your Son. When our sin and rebellion brought the threat of certain death, You raised Him up in the wilderness, and by lifting our eyes on the One lifted up, we were healed. Bless now this bread, His body, which feeds our starving souls as we anticipate a promised land in which we find ultimate deliverance through Him. Amen.
A Prayer Over the Cup
Lord God, we praise You and honor You for sharing Your power, Your wisdom, Your purity, Your love through a prophet from among our own brothers, Jesus, who shared this cup, His blood. Thank You for our deliverance through water. Thank You for the thirst for righteousness that only Your grace can slake. Thank You for this meal; this cup which commemorates Jesus’ blood, which provides it. Amen.
Blog In My Own Eye 
Great thoughts. Lately i’ve been chewing on some thoughts of N.T. Wright who posits the view that part (or maybe all when seen from a certain perspective) of Christ’s mission was to live up to the calling that God had given Israel–in a sense, to be what God had expected Israel to be. This is certainly a parallel between Moses and Jesus–that Moses “internalized” God’s commands and instructions while Israel, even then, had a habit of superficial compliance to God’s laws. Jesus’ sermon in Matthew 5 seems to harp on that very point, and He, Himself, lived the Old Law ‘from the inside out.’
Keith, no comment, why? because I might be accused of beating a dead horse, I just hope people with your special belief, can post such things with a straight face, and a good conscience.
Wonderful words for us all Keith. I enjoy reading your blog. It is definately worth the time and energy in reading your thoughts I know as build my faith and helped my relationship the Christ. The way you make make me think and connect scriptures is amaLing. Keep up the great work!Laymond,I needed a good laugh this morning.Thank yo for helping brother.Love ya!