This morning I finished reading Deuteronomy. From Exodus through Deuteronomy, Moses is not just the leader of Israel, he is a prophet to the people.

In the Old Testament, a prophet is a person who reveals God to the people and speaks God’s words to the people. Later in the Old Testament, you see how they spoke God’s words with absolute authority - they often say, “Thus says the Lord…” These are words that must be absolutely obeyed, because they are God’s very words. To disobey a true prophet was to disobey God Himself.

Back to Deuteronomy. Moses has just died, and the author wrote these words:

“And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face…” Deuteronomy 34:10.

It reminded me of a promise God made through Moses a few chapters earlier:

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me [Moses] from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen…” Deuteronomy 18:15.

There were plenty of prophets who showed up in Israel’s history. Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and so on. But none of them were like Moses. None of them spoke to God face to face.

This promise–this expectation of a prophet who would speak to the people directly from God–went unmet for millenia. What happened? Did God forget His promise?

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