Was Jesus really the prophet like Moses? [closed]

Question

Revelation 11:5,6 describes the actions of a prophet who performs miracles like Moses (and Elijah) as the "two" witnesses who battle the wild beast on behalf of God's people for a period of 42 months. The transfiguration foreshadows this, where a glorified Jesus is seen conversing with Moses and Elijah. This means that Jesus cannot be the prophet like Moses. He will not be the two witnesses. Unless there is to be two prophets like Moses?

What is Moses famous for? God used Moses to deliver his people Israel from a tyrannical world empire. The two witnesses (as Moses and Elijah) will do the same for modern-day "Israel" (the Christian congregation). Jesus did no such thing. He did not deliver anyone from the tyrannical Roman empire. He was not like Moses at all.

The prophecy at Deuteronomy 18:15,18 and Acts 3:21-24 states that anyone from among God's people who do not listen to the prophet like Moses will be utterly destroyed. If Jesus fulfilled the role of the prophet like Moses back in his day, then how come no one was completely destroyed?

Indeed, anyone who does not listen to that Prophet will be completely destroyed from among the people. (Acts 3:23)

The same verses in Acts describe Jesus as remaining in heaven until the times of the restoration of all things:

Heaven must hold this one within itself until the times of restoration of all things of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets of old. In fact, Moses said: "Jehovah your God will raise up for you from among your brothers a prophet like me. You must listen to whatever he tells you.

So Jesus remains in heaven until the last days when a prophet like Moses is raised up to restore all things during the times of the restoration of all things (as the two witnesses, Moses and Elijah). Indeed, it is Elijah who comes to "restore all things" (Matt. 17:11). This is what the transfiguration represents. And what do Jesus and Moses/Elijah discuss? The death of Jesus in Jerusalem at the hands of Rome. Why? It is because the two witnesses suffer a similar fate at the hands of the wild beast empire (United Nations world government):

And their corpses will be on the main street of the great city (Jerusalem) that is in a spiritual sense called Sodʹom and Egypt, where their Lord was also executed on the stake (Luke 9:31; Rev. 11:8).

When God's people are delivered from the wild beast they are singing two songs - the song of the Lamb (Christ) and the song of Moses (Rev. 15:3). Why? Is it because the prophet like Moses is a separate person from the Lamb?

Answer 1

Questions for this site require one text to be quoted, then asked about, as to hermeneutic exposition of it. It is not a site for giving personal interpretations of a collection of prophecies. But, given that you comment, "Actually, the oldest manuscripts reveal that the "two" witnesses [of Revelation] are a single person with a dual role. I will address this in another post", then it seems that you already have squared up your interpretation of the seven scriptures you are asking about.

That, in itself, would warrant the question here to be closed down, but I will give a brief answer. The verses that foretell the arising of "a prophet like Moses" are:

"...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 word which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." Deuteronomy 18:15-18 A.V.

"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..." Acts 3:22-26 A.V.

I have not given the rest of the Acts quote because it goes on to show that the inspired scriptures have the apostle Peter applying the fulfilment of that prophecy to Jesus Christ. I am not here to argue with your interpretation of such prophecies, but would merely point out that the conclusion in your comment appears to be at odds with the application Peter gave - that Jesus Christ is that one.

However, the question is actually about interpretation of various verses in Revelation, and as that is outside the scope of this site, I will leave it at that.

Answer 2

There are two separate things addressed in the passages cited. Revelation is addressing two witnesses; whereas Moses spoke of one prophet. They have separate fulfillments.

The Prophet versus the Two Witnesses

Moses foretold a prophet who would come as a leader of God's people, like him. This was clearly a reference to Jesus. But John's two witnesses do not address Jesus--at least, not directly. Jesus, as the Word, may be indirectly involved, but the witnesses themselves represent the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.

We see in Revelation 11 how these "witnesses" are treated, how they are killed, and how they make a wonderful comeback after three and a half days. For forty-two months (vs. 2) the "holy city" is said to be trodden underfoot by the Gentiles, and during this period of time, 1260 days (vs. 3), the witnesses prophesy "clothed in sackcloth." Understanding that each day represents a year (see Ezekiel 4:6; Numbers 14:34), 1260 years are here predicted. This was fulfilled beginning in AD 538 when the papal power began and culminating in AD 1798 when Napoleon sent Berthier to Rome to remove the pope (who later died in custody). During those 1260 years, the Bible's two testaments prophesied "clothed in sackcloth." Bibles were burned, those carrying them were declared heretics and burned as well, and the light of the gospel grew dim throughout this time period, appropriately called "the Dark Ages" today. Candles shrouded in sackcloth do not yield much light.

The Olive Trees, Candlesticks, and Anointed Ones

Verse 4 tells us plainly that the two witnesses are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks. The olive trees are mentioned in Zechariah 4, the last verse of which (vs. 14) calls them "the two anointed ones." It is their olive oil which keeps the candlesticks alight. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" the psalmist says (Psalm 119:105). The scriptures are represented as light bearers to guide us.

These two witnesses are said to be resurrected after having been killed. During the French Revolution, they were very nearly destroyed. For several years, Bibles were burned openly in the streets--often in large bonfires. All that were discovered were destroyed. But God preserved His Word throughout this saga, and soon a reversal in the prevailing sentiment came. In 1801, the first Bible society was established, and others came soon afterward. The Bible societies made quick work of printing Bibles and distributing them so widely that they could never again be so nearly extinguished. This fulfilled the prophesy regarding the resurrection of these witnesses of the Old and New Testaments.

The Song of Victory

The song of Moses is recorded in Exodus 15, the first verse of which says: "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea" (KJV). This is a song of victory. The song of the Lamb is the song of Moses; a song of victory. This is not two songs, but one.

And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. (Revelation 15:3, KJV)

As Moses puts it:

¹ Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea. ² The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. . . . ¹¹ Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? (Exodus 15:1-2, 11, KJV)

Conclusion

Jesus is the prophet like Moses whose coming Moses foretold. The two witnesses are the Old and New Testament scriptures that are the God's Word, lighting our way. And the song of Moses is the song of the Lamb--sung after the battle is over and victory is obtained.