Hear Him! (Mk.9:7)

Acts 3:22-26

22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.' 24 Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' 26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities." NKJV

In our previous studies we discussed Israel’s need for repentance. I had the opportunity to share an illustration of repentance with my daughter in yesterday’s Heritage Studies class. Our lesson was about immigration into Ellis Island, New York in the mid to late 1800’s. The statue of Liberty was dedicated in October 28, 1886. In 1892 Ellis Island was turned into an immigration station for the twelve million immigrants pouring into America looking for the promise of freedom. But before they could enter this “promised land” they had to go through Ellis Island. The station at Ellis Island was a fearful sight for the incoming immigrants. For the incoming immigrants the buildings on Ellis Island looked like a castle and the uniformed workers reminded them of the soldiers from their previous countries. They were also confused because of the language barrier when the workers ‘shouted’ at them. They may have been frightened because they could not understand what they were shouting and they looked like prison guards. They were probably thinking, 'What did I get myself into?' Once inside the station the immigrants were forced to leave all of their belongings in the baggage room and proceed up crowded stairs for a medical checkup and to answer questions. The examiners were staring at them as they proceeded up the steps and the crowds were shoving each other into confined spaces. Once they made it up the steps they were asked interrogating questions like, “What is your name? Are you married? How much money do you have?” When some of the people went back to get their belongings, they may have been stolen, or if they failed the exams they may have been shipped back home; and in this way all the immigrants were “tested” before they could enter into the “promised liberty”.

For Moses truly said to the fathers, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you.

I was then able to briefly explain repentance to my daughter. I told her repentance is like leaving all of your baggage behind and entering into God’s narrow way to be tested by His love. God looks us over and breaks us down to nothing before we can enter into the freedom and abundance of His promises. Repentance is like the struggle that these immigrants had to go through in order to gain access into God’s liberty. Those who are unwilling to repent will never make it into the “promised land”, because the promise is not for them; but only those who have been given the desire by God to enter in through the struggle of repentance. This is what Israel must do in order for God to restore His kingdom to them and this is what every Gentile must do in order for God to reign, even now, in their heart (Lk.17:21).

For Moses truly said to the fathers, . . .

Peter calls Israel’s attention to what Moses said to the fathers about Jesus Christ and all the prophets who prefigured Him. When we go back and read about the fathers and the prophets we will always be able to see Christ’s character in them and will always hear them speak of their need of a future redemption. Commenting on Deuteronomy 18 the Midrash Rabbath said,

As was the former redeemer so shall the latter redeemer be. While of the former it is said (Ex. 4:20) “And Moses took his wife and his sons and set them upon an ass,” so of the latter: for it says (Zech. 9:9) “He is lowly and riding on an ass.” And while the former redeemer brought down manna (Ex. 16:4) “Behold I will rain bread from heaven for you,” so the latter redeemer shall bring down manna. [1]MacArthur, John: Acts. Chicago : Moody Press, 1994, c1996, S. 121

In other words, all that the previous prophets did, the Messiah will also do; and all that the prophets said, the Messiah will also fulfill.

'The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren.

When Moses says that the Messiah will be like him it is never to be regarded to Moses’s sin, but to Moses’s righteousness; for it was God who made Moses righteous. This statement also testifies of the humanity of Christ, that is; God will be among the people – Israel, and raise Him up with them as fellow countrymen.

Matt 1:23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." NKJV

Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you.

This is in the ‘indicative’ which makes it a statement of fact. Israel shall hear Christ in “all things”. But as Gentiles we should be all the more attentive, for we are only beneficiaries of the covenants. It was only because Israel first rejected that we were also made ‘benefactors’. The emphasis here is to “pay attention” as I always tell my little ones. We are to pay close attention to detail when God speaks through His infallible Word.

Prov. 30:5-6 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar. NKJV

And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.'

This phrase brings in the concept of eternal hell. In Hebrew culture, those who failed to comply with God’s law were stoned to death. For the law says:

Lev 24:13-23 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Take outside the camp him who has cursed; then let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him. "Then you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. And whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall certainly stone him, the stranger as well as him who is born in the land. When he blasphemes the name of the Lord, he shall be put to death. 'Whoever kills any man shall surely be put to death. 18 Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, animal for animal. 'If a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor, as he has done, so shall it be done to him — fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as he has caused disfigurement of a man, so shall it be done to him. And whoever kills an animal shall restore it; but whoever kills a man shall be put to death. You shall have the same law for the stranger and for one from your own country; for I am the Lord your God.'" Then Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and they took outside the camp him who had cursed, and stoned him with stones. So the children of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses. NKJV

Because Christ became a curse for us, and was crucified outside the camp, fulfilling this Law we do not apply this in the same manner. God has not changed His mind about sin. Those who practice such things will not have a ‘rest’ with the people of God and with Christ.

Heb 4:4-7 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: "And God rested on the seventh day from all His works"; and again in this place: "They shall not enter My rest." Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, again He designates a certain day, saying in David, "Today," after such a long time, as it has been said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts." NKJV

Those who will hear the message of Jesus, that is; His life, death, and resurrection will have everlasting life.

John 11:25-27 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." NKJV

Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities."

Peter is reminding them that all the prophets who foreshadowed and consummated into thee Prophet – Jesus Christ, testify of the man from Nazareth, a fellow Jew. Peter is also reminding them that all Israel are the sons of the prophets and the covenant; and that is why Christ came to the Jews first. Israel is God’s elect ‘nation’ that was prepared for the Messiah to come through. For God to become a man, He needed to come through a people, and Israel was His chosen nation to redeem all of mankind, not Israel only. For the promise ‘in Christ’ is not just to Israel, but to all nations in Abraham.