Moses is a celebrated figure who made the first covenant with God. Besides liberating the Israelites from slavery, he also lays the foundation of God’s salvation. The Exodus, which symbolizes the freedom from bondage in Egypt to Israel, is one of the crucial moments of the Old Testament (Enz, 1957). The Exodus is vital to understanding the Jewish people, and the God they serve. Moses is represented as a God’s leading figure, who interceded for the Jewish, demanding for the liberation. Through God’s power, Moses raised his arm, separating the waters of the Red Sea, symbolizing the crossing over from bondage to freedom. The liberating story of Exodus illustrates God’s love, wrath, and promises to His people. As an intermediary, Moses delivered the Ten Commandments and beseeched God to have mercy upon His people. Moses not only brought the Laws and God’s to the Israelites, but also prepared the Christians for the coming of Jesus and final liberation.
Moses is depicted as a figure of God’s commandments and liberation plan. Through the Laws, Moses laid the foundation stone for the coming of Jesus. Christ’s intention was not to change the Laws but to stress the importance of the Ten Commandments under a new covenant. Moses’ tabernacle was a representation of God’s sanctuary in heaven. It also illustrated the plan of God in defeating sin. Moreover, it symbolized the coming of the Messiah and the salvation of the Lord’s children. By building the tabernacle, Moses foreshowed Jesus and His ministry. Modern Christians who look back in history can equate the figure of Moses to that of Jesus. The blood offering to consecrate the tabernacle represents the blood of Jesus, who washed our sins. The building of the tabernacle and sacrifices or offerings served as a pointer to the coming of Jesus. Palmer (1999) draws a connection between the coming of Jesus and Moses’ Laws. Palmer (1999) clarifies that John the Baptist typified the Ten Commandments by preparing the way for the Messiah. Indeed, the Gospel Books also demonstrate the continuation of the Mosaic covenant. Jesus did not come to amend the Mosaic laws but to authenticate them. Therefore, Jesus came to apply Moses’ laws to save the world (Palmer, 1999). John validates this statement by writing, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17, NIV). Hence, Christ not only represents the truth of the laws but also the grace of God. Through the Ten Commandments, Christians can learn about the master plan of God. It is through these laws that Moses laid the foundation for saving humanity. During His ministry, Jesus illustrated the importance of Moses' laws. He spoke, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matt 5:17, NIV). Overall, the Mosaic covenant laid the foundation of the coming of Jesus, and the liberation of God’s people.
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Learning the account and theology associated with Moses and the commandments is crucial in appreciating God’s plans in liberating believers. God used Moses to lay the foundation of the Laws that would liberate humanity. Bartholomew and Goheen (2014), for instance, clarify that God used figures like Moses to start preparing the coming of Christ. The first two chapters of Exodus introduce the theology of God’s salvation. Salvation is the central theme in Exodus and it appears in the initial chapter as the life of Moses takes shape. For instance, God directs Moses into the wilderness where he saves Jethro’s daughter (Ex 2:19, NIV). From the beginning, God prepares Moses to deliver His people into salvation. As chapter 2 of Exodus ends, the nature of God’s salvation begins to take shape. Chapter 2 depicts Moses as a deliverer, who is about to initiate God’s liberation. At this time, God’s people are in bondage, crying out for help (Ex 2, 23, NIV). Moses, therefore, symbolizes the commencement of God’s salvation plan. The Exodus story illustrates the love of God and plans to save His children. God answered the prayers and cries of His people, saying, “Indeed, I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering” (Ex. 3:5, NIV). The Exodus represents the initial salvation plan of God by guiding Moses to lead His children out of slavery. God directed Moses to tell His children that he is God who will bring them out of Egypt. (Ex 6: 6, NIV). Overall, the history, culture, and theology associated with Moses help to illustrate God’s redemption plans.
Moses was a deliverer, and he, therefore, embodies liberation. Exodus represents Moses as a leader of God’s liberation movement. Even though he grew up in the King’s palace, he sided with the slaves of God’s people. Moses’ actions represent one of the defining moments of the liberation theology: the concept of favoring the poor. The Church should also copy Moses’ actions, and move away from embracing the status quo and side with the poor and marginalized. The story of Moses is a powerful example of how God treasures the poor and vulnerable individuals. According to Alexander (2003), God prepared Moses to draw His people from servitude and slavery. Moses’ actions represented the coming ministry of Jesus: that of serving the poor and vulnerable. Moses depicted the love and kindness of the Yahweh. The Lord answered showed his kindness by guiding His Abraham’s descendants out of slavery (2 Sam 22: 17, NIV). Exodus aims to depict the mighty and kindness of the Lord. Through Moses, Christians can appreciate the powers of the Lord and the concern He had for His people. In other words, Moses was making the name of the Lord known among the Israelites. God declares, “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but my name the Lord, I did not make myself known to them” (Ex. 6:3, NIV). In general, through the depiction of Moses, believers can learn about God’s saving grace and salvation.
The context of the Exodus story depicts that from the beginning, God had a plan for humanity. Nelson (2015) writes that God’s ways are seldom and had to understand. However, He indeed had a plan to guide His people from slavery to freedom. This not only illustrates God’s unending love, but also His desire to keep the covenant. This divine principle continues to this day: Christians suffer with Him and exalted with him. The Israelites endured servitude for several years, but at dawn break, God called Moses to guide His people to the Promised Land. Christians should continue believing in Him and calling His name. He guided the Israelites through the wilderness, providing water and food (Enz, 1957). He, therefore, fulfilled the promise made with Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac. God’s plan is deeply anchored in the Laws that God gave Moses. God tells the Israelites to obey His voice and delight in His covenant, and that through keeping His laws, they shall be called his people or possessions (Ex 19: 5, NIV). God informs that Israelites that the earth belongs to Him to clarify that all authority is His. As noted by St. Paul, God’s servant advises Christians to rejoice in the Lord’s laws for salvation comes from observing the commandments. It is through the depiction of Moses that the Christians can prepare for the coming redemption. In this way, believers can obey God’s voice and Sabbath law or worship. The modern Church also uses the spiritual meditation and the principle of worship outlined by the Ten Commandments. However, Jesus introduced a new covenant in terms of worship as outlined in Hebrew. God instructed Moses to tell His children, “You observe the Sabbath” (Ex 31: 12, NIV). The Sabbath is no longer connected with God’s covenant and the Israelites. The blood of Jesus initiated a new covenant with the Christians. Paul clarifies, “By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete…” (Hebrews 8: 13, NIV). Jesus did not enter the tabernacle by the blood of calves and goats, but by his blood. Therefore, Jesus shed His blood to save humanity.
In conclusion, it is indubitably clear that Moses not only represented God’s Laws and authority but also helped to prepare for the coming of Jesus and final salvation. That said, Exodus portrays Moses as a figure of God’s laws and liberation plan. On the other hand, Jesus’s coming fulfilled the covenant with Moses. However, Christ did not anticipate changing the Mosaic Law but to emphasize the importance of God’s commandments in the new covenant. The history, culture, and theology related to Moses reveal God’s master plan in saving humanity through Christ. Moses was the foundation of God’s larger liberation plan. The first chapters of Exodus depict Moses as a deliverer and leader. Finally, Exodus narrates the story of liberation from bondage. Christians, however, should not understand this liberation theology as kicking out other nations, but God’s vision for all humanity.
References
Alexander, T. D. (2003). Pentateuch . Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press.
Bartholomew, C., & Goheen, M. (2014). The Drama of Scripture: (Second edition) . New York: SPCK.
Enz, J. J. (1957). The book of Exodus as a literary type for the Gospel of John. Journal of Biblical Literature , 208-215.
Moses definition and meaning - Bible dictionary . (n.d.). Bible Study Tools. https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/moses/
Nelson, E. R. M. (2015). The Sabbath Is a Delight. Genesis , 1 , 26-28.
Palmer, E. F. (1999). The book that John wrote . Regent College Publishing.
