What role does Moses play as an intermediary in Deuteronomy 5:27? Setting the Scene • Israel has gathered at Mount Horeb. • God’s audible voice, thunder, fire, and darkness (Deuteronomy 5:22–26) overwhelm the people. • Out of holy fear they plead, “If we hear the voice of the LORD our God any longer, we will die” (v. 25). The Request in Deuteronomy 5:27 “Go near and listen to all that the LORD our God will say. Then tell us whatever the LORD our God tells you; we will listen and obey.” • The people voluntarily appoint Moses as their go-between. • They accept his words as God’s words, binding themselves to obedience. Moses’ Unique Position • Chosen Listener – Moses alone is invited to “go near” the blazing presence (cf. Exodus 20:21). • Faithful Messenger – He must report “all that the LORD… will say,” nothing added or withheld (Numbers 12:7–8). • Covenant Mediator – He conveys not only commands but also covenant blessings and curses (Deuteronomy 28). • Intercessor – When Israel later sins, Moses stands in the gap, pleading for mercy (Exodus 32:11–14; Deuteronomy 9:18-19). Why an Intermediary Was Necessary • God’s Holiness vs. Human Sinfulness – Direct exposure would consume them (Exodus 19:21-24). • Assurance of Accurate Revelation – A single, appointed spokesman avoids conflicting voices. • Foreshadowing the Need for a Greater Mediator – Galatians 3:19 speaks of the law “ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.” Fruit of Moses’ Mediation • Delivery of the Ten Commandments and the full Law (Deuteronomy 5–26). • Establishment of a covenant community ordered around God’s revealed will. • Preservation of Israel’s life; they are not destroyed but instructed (Deuteronomy 5:32-33). Moses as a Type of the Coming Mediator • Deuteronomy 18:15-18 promises “a Prophet like me” whom the people must hear. • Hebrews 3:1-6 presents Jesus as the faithful Son over God’s house, superior to Moses yet fulfilling the same mediatorial pattern. • 1 Timothy 2:5 ultimately identifies Christ as “the one mediator between God and men.” Key Takeaways • Deuteronomy 5:27 highlights the essential biblical theme of mediation. • Moses stands between a holy God and a fearful people, ensuring revelation, obedience, and covenant continuity. • His role points beyond itself to the perfect, final Mediator, Jesus Christ, who brings sinners safely into God’s presence. |
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