Moses versus Jesus
Heb 11:24 ‘By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God…’
Seeing the oppression of his own people, Moses gave up his position and honour on the Egyptian throne to associate himself with his Hebrew brothers.
And no great rewards for seeing how Jesus did this for us! Philippians clearly bring this out about Jesus, stating
Phil 2:6-8 ‘Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! ‘
Now that is amazing! Like Moses, Jesus wanted to deliver His people and that meant being like them. For Moses, this meant giving up the Egyptian throne and all the power, wealth and authority that went with it. Yet as great as this commitment was, Jesus went much further! Jesus’ love for us led Him to give up His position over the throne of the entire universe and was made a man. And through that act, He will always, for the rest of eternity, be the God-Man – 100% God, yet 100% man. A great mystery indeed!
The Deliverer is Rejected By His People! (See also Ex 2:11-14)
Acts 7:23-27 ‘When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites. He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?’ But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?’
Unbelievable! Having taken the great step in laying aside the Egyptian throne and associating himself with his own people, you would think that the Israelites would welcome him and allow him to be their deliverer, would you not? Nope! Their only comment was ‘who made you a ruler and judge over us?’ Of course, this rejection is only a small picture of the one who came to deliver Israel years later. Their reaction to Jesus then was far worse.
Matt 12:24 ‘But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.” ‘
Matt 27:22 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!”
Listen to Jesus’ heart for Israel even though they rejected him.
Matt 23:37 ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.’
It is also important to see that as a nation, the rejection of Jesus by Israel occurred long before the cross. The book of Mathew was written primarily to the Jews of his day, and as such, it presents Jesus as the long awaited Messiah. From this book we can clearly see the rejection of Jesus, and it’s results, in Mathew chapters 12 and 13.
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