The Hope Given Us Through Moses

We have been talking about the hope that God gave to both Old Testament and New Testament believers through four strange verses. We have covered Enoch, the Ark of Noah, and Elijah. Today, I want us to take a look at Moses.

Before we get to Moses, though, we need to first go back to the beginning. Genesis tells us: Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground’” (Gn 1:26-28, NIV).

Mankind is not like any other creature, is above and over all creatures on this earth, and has dominion over the animal and plant kingdoms yet with a responsibility to take care of and nurture these kingdoms. Humans are stewards of them but not equal with them.

In addition, as God is triune, so are we: body, soul, and spirit.

Body: our physical makeup

Soul: that which makes us as we are – our personality

Spirit: that which connects us with God on a spiritual level

Our body decays when we die, but that is not the end to our body. If that was not the case, then Christ would not need to return for his bride and bring those who have died back to receive their body and then glorify it. Paul tells us: For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first (1Th 4:16, NIV).

He also tells us: But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable, it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. And just as we have borne the image of the earthy man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man (1Co 15:20, 42-44, 49, NIV).

So, somehow, our body is fused with our spiritual body for us to become glorified for our eternal existence. This then ties us back to our puzzling verses about Moses: And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is (Dt 34:5, 6, NIV).

And the verse we read before: But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (Ju 9, NIV)

This begs the question: why did Satan argue with God over the body of Moses?

Some say God buried him so a shrine could not be erected and worshiped. That may well be true as mankind has fallen too often worshipping shrines. Yet, this verse seems to imply more. The dispute was likely over God resurrecting Moses, and Satan claiming he had to remain in Sheol. Why do I say that? As we have already shown, the physical body is needed for glorification. Also, remember what Moses was symbolic of. Here are two verses to remind us:

The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me [Moses] from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him (Dt 18:15, NIV).

Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel (Dt 34:10-12, NIV).

The following were characteristics of Moses: Deliverer / Lawgiver / Prophet / Mediator / Performed signs & Miracles. Christ also did these same things but by his own power. Moses was therefore a type of Christ in life and in death. He is an archetype of all those who will enter Christ’s kingdom after they have died and have been resurrected into their glorified bodies.

Let’s not forget what Solomon told us: What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun (Ec 1:9).

Paul also tells us in 1Co 10:14 that the happenings in the Old Testament are examples and warnings for us. While Moses’ resurrection is not equal with that of Christ by any means, it is an archetype for us to consider and ponder.

Why was Moses needed to be glorified before the death of Christ? Well, we find this verse in Matthew’s gospel: There he [Jesus] was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus (Mt 17:2, 3, NIV).

Jesus likely met with only Moses and Elijah (and not Enoch) on the Mount of Transfiguration because his death is what would usher in his Church, his Bride, of whom they both represented:

Moses: those who died and will be resurrected and glorified and then enter his Promised Kingdom.

Elijah: those who will be translated and glorified and then enter his Promised Kingdom.

This then raises two important questions: (1) Why are these examples important? and (2) Why were these acts achievable by these and not by others?

We will explore the answers to these questions next time. I hope you join me for an understanding of these very important questions. Until next time. God bless.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens