How Did Moses Point Toward Jesus?
Moses, the great deliverer and lawgiver of the Israelites, occupies a central place in the Old Testament narrative and in Jewish tradition. Yet, the New Testament writers, and Jesus himself, consistently present Moses as a figure who ultimately points beyond himself to a greater reality fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Moses prefigures, foreshadows, and anticipates Jesus. Drawing from both the Old and New Testaments, it becomes clear that Moses is not merely a historical figure but a divinely appointed signpost to the Messiah.
Moses as Prophet and Mediator
One of the most explicit ways Moses points toward Jesus is through his role as a prophet and mediator between God and the people. In Deuteronomy 18:15, Moses declares, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers–it is to him you shall listen.” This promise is foundational, as it establishes the expectation of a future prophet who would be like Moses, yet greater.
The New Testament affirms that this prophecy finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus. In Acts 3:22, Peter quotes Deuteronomy 18:15 and applies it directly to Jesus, stating, “Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you.’” Similarly, Stephen, in his defense before the Sanhedrin, identifies Jesus as the prophet like Moses (Acts 7:37). Jesus himself alludes to this connection, saying, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me” (John 5:46).
Moses’ role as mediator is also significant. He stood between God and Israel, interceding for the people, receiving the law, and conveying God’s words. In Exodus 19-20, Moses ascends Mount Sinai to receive the law, acting as the intermediary through whom God’s covenant is established. This mediatorial role prefigures Jesus, who is described as the “one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). While Moses mediated the old covenant, Jesus mediates the new covenant, offering a better sacrifice and establishing a relationship with God based on grace rather than law (Hebrews 8:6).
Moses as Deliverer and Redeemer
Moses is best known as the deliverer of Israel from slavery in Egypt. Through God’s power, Moses confronts Pharaoh, leads the people through the Red Sea, and guides them toward the Promised Land in Canaan. This deliverance is not only a historical event, but a foreshadowing of the greater deliverance accomplished by Jesus.
The Exodus narrative is rich with imagery that points toward Jesus. The Passover lamb, whose blood protects the Israelites from judgment (Exodus 12), prefigures Jesus as the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Paul explicitly draws this connection, stating, “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Just as Moses led the people out of physical bondage, Jesus delivers his people from spiritual bondage, freeing us from sin and death. Christ brings us to the Promised Land of eternal life with him.
Furthermore, the journey through the wilderness, with its trials and provision, serves as a pattern for the Christian life. Jesus, like Moses, provides for his people in the wilderness of this world, offering himself as the true bread from heaven (John 6:32-35) and the living water (John 7:37-38).
Moses and the Law: How Does Moses Foreshadow Jesus?
Moses is inseparably linked to the giving of the law at Sinai. The Mosaic law defined Israel’s relationship with God and set them apart as his covenant people. However, the law was never intended as an end in itself but as a pointer to something greater. Paul writes, “So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24).
Jesus fulfills the law in both its letter and spirit. In the Sermon on the Mount, he declares, “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” (Matthew 5:17). Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection accomplish what the law could not–perfect righteousness and reconciliation with God. The sacrifices, rituals, and commandments given through Moses find their ultimate meaning in Jesus, who is the true sacrifice, the perfect priest, and the embodiment of God’s will.
The writer of Hebrews elaborates on this theme, contrasting the ministry of Moses with that of Jesus: “Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son” (Hebrews 3:5-6). Moses’ faithfulness points forward to the greater faithfulness of Jesus, who inaugurates a new and better covenant.
Moses’ Intimacy with God and the Promise of Greater Revelation
Moses is described as one who knew God “face to face” (Deuteronomy 34:10). This unique intimacy set Moses apart from all other prophets. Yet, even Moses’ experience was partial and limited. When Moses asks to see God’s glory, he is only permitted a glimpse (Exodus 33:18-23).
In Jesus, the fullness of God’s revelation is made manifest. The Gospel of John opens with the declaration, “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known” (John 1:18). Jesus is the “exact representation of [God’s] being” (Hebrews 1:3), surpassing even Moses in the clarity and completeness of his revelation.
Moses and Jesus at the Transfiguration
The connection between Moses and Jesus is dramatically illustrated at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36). Moses appears alongside Elijah, representing the law and the prophets, as Jesus is transfigured in glory. The voice from the cloud declares, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Matthew 17:5). The presence of Moses at this pivotal moment underscores that the law and the prophets find their fulfillment in Jesus. The command to “listen to him” echoes Deuteronomy 18:15 and affirms that Jesus is the ultimate prophet and revealer of God’s will.
Moses as a Type of Jesus Christ
Throughout the biblical narrative, numerous parallels and contrasts between Moses and Jesus emerge, highlighting Moses as a type–a divinely intended pattern–of Christ. Both faced threats to their lives as infants (Exodus 1-2; Matthew 2:13-16), both performed signs and wonders, both instituted covenants, and both interceded for their people. Yet, the contrasts are equally instructive. Moses, though faithful, was flawed and unable to enter the Promised Land because of his disobedience (Deuteronomy 34:4-5). Jesus, by contrast, is the sinless Son who leads his people into the eternal inheritance.
The New Testament writers are very aware that Moses pointed toward Jesus. The author of Hebrews, for example, writes, “Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt–to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel” (Deuteronomy 34:10-12, quoted in Hebrews 3). Yet, even this exalted description of Moses serves to highlight the surpassing greatness of Jesus.
Conclusion: How Does Moses Point Us Forward to Jesus?
Moses stands as one of the towering figures of the Old Testament, yet his life and ministry are ultimately preparatory and prophetic, pointing forward to Jesus Christ. As prophet, mediator, deliverer, lawgiver, and intercessor, Moses anticipates the person and work of Jesus in ways both explicit and implicit. The New Testament’s consistent testimony is that Moses wrote of Jesus, and that the law and the prophets find their fulfillment in him. To understand Moses rightly is to see him as a signpost to the Messiah, the one who brings the story of redemption to its climax and offers the true and final deliverance for God’s people.