How does Deuteronomy 18:15 connect with Acts 3:22's prophecy fulfillment? Setting the Scene in Deuteronomy 18:15 - “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him.” (Deuteronomy 18:15) - Moses, nearing the end of his life, assures Israel that God Himself will provide a future prophet who shares three key traits: • Raised up by the LORD • “Like me” (Moses) in mediation, authority, and intimacy with God (cf. Deuteronomy 34:10) • “From among your brothers,” fully Israelite, sharing their humanity and covenant identity Peter’s Declaration in Acts 3:22 - “For Moses said: ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to everything He tells you.’” (Acts 3:22) - Speaking at Solomon’s Colonnade after healing the lame man, Peter cites Moses to confirm Jesus as that promised Prophet. Key Connection Points 1. Raised Up by God • Deuteronomy: the prophet is God’s provision. • Acts: God raised Jesus from the dead (Acts 3:15) and exalted Him (Acts 2:32–33). 2. Like Moses • Moses delivered Israel from bondage; Jesus delivers from sin (John 8:36). • Moses mediated the old covenant; Jesus mediates the new covenant (Hebrews 8:6). • Moses spoke with God “face to face” (Exodus 33:11); Jesus is the Word made flesh who is “in the Father’s bosom” (John 1:18). 3. From Among the Brothers • Deuteronomy anchors the prophet within Israel’s lineage. • Jesus, born of Mary, “descended from David according to the flesh” (Romans 1:3). 4. The Mandate to Listen • Deuteronomy commands listening; failure brings judgment (Deuteronomy 18:19). • Acts urges repentance so “that times of refreshing may come” (Acts 3:19). Peter warns that rejecting Jesus fulfills the penalty Moses spelled out (Acts 3:23). Scripture Echoes Reinforcing Fulfillment - John 5:46: “If you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.” - Hebrews 1:1–2: God spoke through prophets, “but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son.” - Matthew 17:5: At the Transfiguration the Father says, “Listen to Him,” echoing Deuteronomy’s command. Why This Matters for Us Today - Jesus is not merely another prophet; He is the promised, ultimate Prophet who reveals God fully. - Listening to Him—submitting to His teaching, trusting His atoning work, and obeying His commands—is the dividing line between blessing and judgment (John 3:36). Taking It to Heart - Moses pointed Israel forward; Peter points the Church backward to the same promise fulfilled. - Scripture’s unity shines: what God promises in Deuteronomy, He accomplishes in Christ, calling every generation to hear and obey the Prophet who still speaks through His Word today. |
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