SCRIPTURE: Deuteronomy 34
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt–to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. [Deuteronomy 34:10-11]. According to whoever wrote this, Moses was the most amazing of all prophets. It was His face to face relationship with the Lord, and the amazing accomplishments that resulted from this union, that set him apart.
Fast forward to Jesus’ day, and He elevates John the Baptist to the level of greatest prophet. Probably because of his role as the messenger preparing the way for the Messiah. But then Jesus says something else: I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. [Matthew 11:11]. The least in Jesus’ kingdom is greater than John the Baptist, who was greater than Moses, who was said to be the greatest prophet ever? Me, greater than John, greater than Moses? How can this be?
My greatness, our greatness, is rooted in the same special face-to-face relationship that Moses had, only even greater. Jesus is the face of God in a way that not even Moses experienced. And through Him, we have the fullness of God’s Spirit in us. We have the mind of Christ. We have been shown the glory not just of Canaan but of the universe. Moses saw the future glory of Israel, but we see the future glory of the Universe, the kingdom of God.
By His Spirit, we are also able to perform great works, even greater than Jesus. Not because we are greater than Jesus, but because we have a face-to-face relationship with Him: I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. [John 14:12] Jesus changed hearts, fed hungry people, healed the sick, raised the dead, transformed sinners, rose from the dead, overcame the devil, and so on. If we believe, if we live in fellowship with Jesus, the face of God, then we can do these things too. Even more. I am not sure HOW I will do these things; I’ve prayed for things like this, and people have been healed, transformed, helped, etc. Probably more miracles have happened than I realize or appreciate. But its not because I am so great; its because He is so great, and I am in fellowship with Him. Move over Moses, here comes Jesus. And I find greatness in Him!
PRAYER:
Lord, open my eyes to see Your greatness, and to appreciate my greatness in You. Apart from You I am nothing, I can do nothing. But with You…
Amen to that!
The Lord had great plans for the nation of Israel – He desired to use this nation to demonstrate great and terrible things. It was definately shown that these things were done by the hand of God and not by the might of the people. If God’s presence was with them anything was possible – their enemies were spread out before them. If God’s presence was not with them, their own might and strength was futile.
We have Emmanuel, God with us, living inside us. Indeed if we have fellowship with Jesus, the fellowship of the Father is with us (I John 1:3). Therefore, nothing is impossible that the Lord desires to perform through us. The greatness of the Lord our God will be shown through these earthen vessels.
Praise be to God and to Jesus our Redeemer!
He has given us the title of “beloved” in Jesus – indeed we are made great in God’s eyes because God sees His Son shining through us.