Devotion: God Is Like Jesus

Moses spoke these words to the Israelites: “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken… 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” (Deuteronomy 18:15-18).  The prophet Moses spoke of is “the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee” (Matthew 21:11).  We know that some will disagree that this is that prophet, but so did the people of Jesus’ day.  Many said he was “the Prophet,” (referring to the prophet spoken of by Moses), while others claimed him to be the Christ, and yet others questioned if the Christ would come out of Galilee, thus causing a division among the people because of him (John 7:40-43).

According to scripture, Jesus tells us that he can do nothing of himself, not one thing in relation to himself, but does only what he sees the Father doing and that he does everything in the same manner in which the Father does because it is the Father who shows or reveals to him all these things that he himself, the Father does.  He goes on to say that it is the Father who will show or reveal to him greater works then these (John 5:19-20).  Jesus also tells us that he does what the Father has taught or prepared him to do, for these are the things that he speaks of.  And because the Father is always with him, he always does those things that pleases the Father (John 8:28-29).  Last, we find where Jesus tells us that he has not spoken of his own authority but on the authority of the Father who has sent him and that he speaks all that the Father has commanded him to say (John 12:49-50).

Jesus stated that he speaks all that the Father has commanded him to say, which is interestingly a reference to what God said in Deuteronomy 18:18.  More interesting is the fact that all of this was done because the people of Israel, in the day of assembly in Horeb desired this of the Lord, saying “Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not” (Deuteronomy 18:16).

We pray that this commentary will bless you, inform you, and that you will be the better for having read it.  If blessed by this message please share so that others may be blessed as well.  Amen.

Enjoy your blessings - KW