Jesus: Prophet for an Ignorant World

We are ignorant creatures, in need of knowledge so as to live properly. Who are we? Who is God? What is the purpose of life? How does God want us to live? How can we be saved? Without a word from God, we would stumble about in the darkness of uncertain human speculation. Without a word from God, objective truth would be unattainable in a world of subjectivism.

Enter the Prophet, God’s appointed spokesman, sent by Him to authoritatively declare to an ignorant world, “thus says the LORD”.

Long ago, Moses, God’s first major prophet, spoke of a prophet ‘par excellence’ whom God would one day raise up from among the nation of Israel.

"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- just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, 'Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.' And the LORD said to me, 'They are right in what they have spoken. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him." (Deuteronomy 18:15-19)

Many years later, the Apostle Peter declared that Moses’ prophecy had at last been fulfilled. The Prophet had come. Jesus is the prophet like Moses.

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. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.' God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness." (Acts 3:22-26)

Jesus, being God’s final word (Hebrews 1:1-2), has perfectly addressed our ignorance problem, providing all the knowledge we need for faith and practice (i.e. what we are to believe and do). With this in mind, the Father’s words to Peter are very appropriate for us. "This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!" (Luke 9:35).

Jesus: Priest for a Sinful World