Moses and Jesus: A Typology

Throughout the Scripture, we find typologies of the Lord Jesus Christ. Today we will be looking at Moses and the similarities between himself and Jesus.

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We find Moses cast as a type of Christ in:

• I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. (Deuteronomy 18:18-19)
• For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. (Acts 3:22-23)
• This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. (Acts 7:37)

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The similarities between Moses and Jesus:

1.  Hebrews
2. Chosen leaders (Ex 3:10, Isa (9:6)
3. Born under foreign occupation
4. Forced to hide in Egypt as children to avoid being killed by the reigning kings (Acts 7:19-21, Mat 2:14)
5. Raised by men who were not their natural fathers (Acts 7:21, Mat 1:20)
6. Fasted 40 days (Exo 34:28, Luke 4:2)
7. Saviours of their people (Mat 1:21, Acts 7:25)
8. At the initial start of their ministry, neither men were recognised by the people they came to save (Acts 7:25, John 1:10)
9. Moses turned water into blood. Jesus turned water into wine. (Exo 4:9, John 2:9)
10. Victims of attempted stoning (Ex 17:4, John 10:31)
11. Moses was a shepherd in the wilderness for 40 years. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. (Exo 3:1, John 10:11)
12. Moses was the mediator for the children of Israel. Jesus is the mediator for his people. (Exo 32:11, 1 Timothy 2:5)
13. Both had prophetic prediction of their birth/role. (Isa 9:6, Acts 7:25)
14. Moses brought the dispensation of Law. Jesus brought the dispensation of Grace. (Acts 7:38, Rom 5:15)
15. Moses spent 40 years in the wilderness before he began his ministry. Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness before he started his ministry. (Acts 7:30, Mark 1:13)

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Moses’ messianic prophecy would play a key role in the messages of Peter to the people in the Temple and Stephen to the council of the priests. It played a particularly key role in Stephen’s message. Stephen pointed to the fact that the priests who held the Law of Moses religiously, and held Moses himself in such high esteem had ancestors who refused to listen to him; and now, hundreds of years later, they themselves were denying the Christ who Moses spoke of. It was because of this message that Stephen was martyred.

Do you know any other similarities between these two men? Comment them below! I’d love to hear of them. 🙂