Who is the prophet like Moses God will raise?

Background in Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 18:15 states, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to him.” This promise is repeated in Deuteronomy 18:18: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.” In these verses, Moses serves as the one through whom this prophetic promise is originally spoken. Because Moses was unique in God’s plan—leading the Israelites out of slavery, mediating the giving of the Law, and guiding them through the wilderness—biblical interpreters have long looked for someone who would parallel his ministry.

Characteristics of Moses to Be Matched

Moses is portrayed as a deliverer, lawgiver, and mediator. From Exodus 3–4, he is called by God at the burning bush, commissioned to perform miraculous signs, and empowered to confront oppression. Deuteronomy 34:10 says, “Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face.”

• Moses delivered Israel from Pharaoh’s bondage (Exodus 12).

• Moses confirmed his authority through miraculous signs (Exodus 7–11).

• Moses communicated directly with God, then passed on the divine instructions to the people (Exodus 19–20).

To be “a prophet like Moses,” the individual would need to fulfill a similar function on behalf of God: bringing deliverance, revealing divine truth, performing signs, and serving as a mediator.

Jewish and Historical Expectation

In ancient Judaism, many believed this prophet would be a singular, future figure. Some First Century Jewish texts spoke of a Messianic deliverer who shared Moses’ authority and would reveal God’s final word. Among the Dead Sea Scrolls (notably 4QTestimonia), Deuteronomy 18:18 is quoted, underscoring the community’s search for this coming prophet. Josephus recounts the reverence ancient Jews had for Moses in Antiquities of the Jews (II.XVI; III.V), showing that they expected someone of similarly extraordinary rank.

Samaritan communities also developed the concept of “Taheb,” a restorer figure understood from their interpretation of Deuteronomy 18, reinforcing that multiple communities in the ancient Near East were on the lookout for a great prophet parallel to Moses.

Types and Shadows in the Old Testament

While Joshua led Israel into the Promised Land (Joshua 1), he is generally not seen as the final fulfillment because he did not fully match the criteria of Moses’ direct mediation and revelatory function. Other prophets—Samuel or Elijah—likewise performed miracles and called the people back to covenant faithfulness, but still did not fulfill every aspect. The repeated call to watch for an ultimate prophetic figure suggested that the people were waiting for someone greater still.

Fulfillment in the New Testament

The New Testament presents Jesus as the complete embodiment of this promised prophet:

• Acts 3:22–23 quotes Deuteronomy 18:15 and identifies Jesus as the direct fulfillment: “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. Everyone who does not listen to Him will be completely cut off from among His people.’”

• Acts 7:37 reaffirms that Jesus is “the Prophet like Moses” in Stephen’s speech, underscoring a Messianic interpretation of Deuteronomy 18.

• John 5:46 has Jesus Himself saying, “If you had believed Moses, you would believe Me, because he wrote about Me.”

These statements highlight that those who knew the Scriptures recognized Jesus’ unique standing. John 1:45 states, “Philip found Nathanael and told him, ‘We have found the One Moses wrote about in the Law…Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’” Upon encountering Jesus’ miracles (e.g., the feeding of the five thousand in John 6), many exclaimed that He was indeed “the Prophet” who was to come (John 6:14).

Miraculous Parallels

Much like Moses showed signs in Egypt, Jesus performed miracles: healing lepers (Matthew 8), feeding thousands (Matthew 14; Mark 6), walking on water (Matthew 14:25), and ultimately rising from the dead (Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20). Moses led Israel in a major redemptive event out of Egypt; Jesus accomplished an eternal redemption from sin (Ephesians 1:7).

Additionally, just as Moses mediated a covenant involving sacrificial ordinances, Jesus mediates the “new covenant” in His own blood (Luke 22:20; Hebrews 9:15). This surpassing role confirms that “the prophet like Moses” must have the authority to both reveal God’s Word and bring lasting deliverance.

Archaeological and Manuscript Corroboration

Archaeological finds, including the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran, confirm the reliable transmission of Deuteronomy. The scrolls demonstrate that the words of Deuteronomy 18:15–18 were preserved with remarkable accuracy across centuries. The same textual consistency appears in manuscripts of the New Testament, attesting that the early followers of Jesus were confident He fulfilled these prophecies.

Historians and textual scholars point out that early believers (within the first generation of Jesus’ resurrection event) were already identifying Him as the Messiah and the definitive prophet. This rapid identification appears in the earliest Christian creeds (1 Corinthians 15:3–8) and is echoed by early church writers (e.g., Ignatius of Antioch, late First/early Second Century).

Theological Significance

The role of “a prophet like Moses” is not only instructive but salvific. In the same way Moses led God’s people to freedom, the New Testament portrays Jesus freeing humanity from the bondage of sin. In Luke 24:44–49, He shows that the Law of Moses and the Prophets pointed to His suffering, resurrection, and the preached message of repentance.

By fulfilling the Mosaic pattern, Jesus becomes the ultimate mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5). He is uniquely qualified to reveal God’s will and provide the redemption that Moses’ mission foreshadowed.

Unity of Scripture

Because the Scriptures are interwoven, Deuteronomy 18:15–18 is not an isolated prediction but a unified thread running from Genesis to Revelation. The harmonious testimony of Hebrew prophets and the New Testament writers culminates in recognizing that the Messiah, Jesus, embodies the long-awaited promise. John 6:14 exemplifies the conclusion reached by many eyewitnesses: “When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed, they began to say, ‘Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.’”

Conclusion

Taken collectively, the biblical texts, early Jewish expectations, archaeological manuscript evidence, and the recorded miracles of Jesus converge to identify Christ as the promised prophet like Moses. He has the authority of God’s revelation, demonstrates miraculous power that echoes Moses’ signs, and consummates the redemptive work that Moses anticipated. By examining the entire scriptural narrative and corroborating sources, the answer is clear: the prophet God promised to raise up “like Moses” is fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus.