GOD ESTABLISHED THE NATION ISRAEL FOR HIS PURPOSES

God chose the man Moses to establish His nation to bring them out of captivity in Egypt with great miracles. His life is miraculous from the beginning but note how God had to humble Moses after his time in Pharaoh’s court.

Pharaoh, shortly before Moses’ birth, decreed the death of all Hebrew male children. Moses’ mother Jochebed carried out a plan to save her child. She put him in a small ark and placed it in the reeds along the river hoping someone would find Moses and let him live. Pharaoh’s daughter finds the baby and immediately adopts him. Miriam (Moses’ sister), who serves the princess, suggests and arranges for her mother to nurse the child.

Moses grew up taught and trained in Pharaoh’s court. From the age of twenty to forty he was “mighty in words and deeds” (Acts 7:22). He, according to historian Josephus, became general of the Egyptian army and led a successful campaign against the Ethiopians (Antiquities of the Jews, Book 2, Chapter 10).

God then humbled him with 40 years in the wilderness as a herdsman before commissioning him through the burning bush experience. Nevertheless, he now needs Aaron as his spokesman.

After bringing the Jews out of Egypt, because of unbelief, Moses had to lead them another 40 years in the wilderness until that generation died. Because of one significant act of disobedience, God did not allow Moses to go into the Promised Land. Mind you, Moses eventually went into the Promised Land about 1400 years later with Elijah in glorified bodies to meet Jesus and three disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration.

What is astounding is that God shows Moses Israel’s future and tells him to tell it to the people before he dies and they go into their land. It is called the Song of Moses and it includes them departing from God’s commandments and being cast out of the land and scattered throughout the world. Fortunately, Moses was shown that God would eventually regather them from all around the world back to the land He had promised them. Note how the Song of Moses ends.

For the Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants, when he sees that their power is gone and none is remaining, bond or free... Rejoice with him, O heavens; bow down to him, all gods, for he avenges the blood of his children and takes vengeance on his adversaries. He repays those who hate him and cleanses his people’s land.Deuteronomy 32:36, 41-43

Before Israel went into the Promised Land under Joshua they were told their entire history. No wonder Jews are still Jews regardless of where God has scattered them. Moreover, God has begun to bring them back to their land and whilst they will go through intense persecution under the Antichrist we know from Biblical prophecy that Jesus will return to rescue them at the Battle of Armageddon and set up His Millennial Kingdom.

And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also, I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.Revelation 20:2-6

IMPORTANCE OF JESUS’ TRANSFIGURATION ON MT TABOR AND THE APPEARANCE OF MOSES AND ELIJAH

Jesus did many extraordinary things while on earth as a human. One such extraordinary event that occurred was Jesus meeting with the supposed long-dead Elijah and Moses. This episode explains the reason for this meeting and its significance to all believers. Interestingly, Jesus selected Peter, James, and John to accompany him to view His transfiguration

And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him.Matthew 17:2-3, Mark 9:2-3 & Luke 28:28-29

Jesus had already shared with the disciples His mission on Earth, that he had to die but then He would be raised to life but the disciples did not understand the full extent of what God and Jesus were accomplishing for mankind.

The fact that Jesus was transfigured before them confirmed His heavenly origins, as well the appearance in a glorified state of Moses and Elijah who had been dead thousands of years confirmed life after death. It is interesting that Peter, James and John knew who Moses and Elijah were without Jesus having to introduce them. Hence this event and its timing was important in the progression of Jesus revealing who He was and His mission on Earth.