Animals, Colors, Metals, Numbers and Signs in Scripture.

Two -- Witness

Moses and Christ  Witnesses of a Special Prophet

Two are often paired together in the scriptures as a witness to testify unto us basic bible doctrines. Moses and Christ are paired together to teach us concerning Christ's office as a Prophet. Men often preach of the Kingship of Christ or of the Holy Priesthood of Christ. They do not preach nearly as much about Christ as "that Prophet." Deu. 18:15 "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; 16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, 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. 17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. 18 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. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."

Jesus Christ is that prophet like unto Moses. According to John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." Moses was a prophet, but he was not just any prophet, for he had been appointed of God to deliver unto the children of Israel "the law." By the term, "the law," is meant not only the ten commandments, but also all the laws and ordinances that were to govern Israel in her worship, service, and government unto God. Included in the law were all the qualifications, requirements and service of the priesthood and High priesthood, as well as the tabernacle and its service and the instruments thereof, along with the feasts, ordinances, and sacrifices.

Prophets were given the word of God to give unto the people. Frequently, what they were given of God pertained to future events, but always it was the word of God. God identified to the people that a man was a prophet in that God gave the prophet to perform certain signs, wonders, and miracles by the power of God manifest at his hand.

There were a number of parallels between the life and actions of Moses and Christ. Children were being slaughter at the time of Moses birth and young childhood. The same was true of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Second, Moses had been, according to the law, cast into the water but was drawn out of the water by Pharaoh's daughter. This parallels the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist and points to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Third, Moses came out of Egypt. After that Joseph was warned of God that Herod would seek to kill Jesus, Joseph took Mary and the child Jesus into Egypt. The scriptures tell us this was done that it might be fulfilled, "Out of Egypt have I called my son."

Fourth, Moses went into the wilderness. Likewise, Jesus, after his baptism, went into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil.

Fifth, Moses fasted forty days and forty nights when God gave him the law. Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights before he was tempted of the Devil.

Sixth, God used Moses to bring judgment upon the land of Egypt that the children of Israel might be freed from their bondage. Jesus suffered the judgment of God in the hands of a just God at the cross of Calvary so that the elect might be delivered from the bondage of sin.

Seventh, the enemies of Israel (Pharaoh and his army) who sought to destroy Israel, were destroyed at the Red Sea. The enemies of the elect, who would have destroyed the elect (sin, Satan, hell, death, grave) were destroyed at the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

Eight, God performed many miracles at the hands of Moses both in the judgments upon Egypt, the crossing of the Red Sea, and in the wilderness. Jesus performed more miracles in the three and one half years of his personal ministry than all the other prophets put together.

Finally, just as Moses had been selected of God to deliver the law to the children of Israel, Jesus brought forth grace and truth to the family of God. Jesus established the New Testament church, gave us her ordinances, her government, her doctrines, and her manner of worship. He was indeed a prophet like unto Moses, only much greater than Moses.

Moses and Elijah  Two Faithful Witnesses

The scriptures speak of two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth:

Zec. 4:11 "Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? 12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? 13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. 14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth."

These two anointed ones are identified for us in Rev. 11:3

"And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. 6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will." 

It was Elijah who commanded that fire come down and devour the two captains and their fifties and it was Elijah who prayed that it rain not for three and a half years. It was Moses who stretched forth the rod and the rivers were turned to blood and it was Moses who stretched forth the rod and plagued Egypt with ten plagues. Thus, the two anointed ones and two faithful witnesses that stand by the Lord of all the earth are Elijah and Moses. Yet Moses and Elijah represent something beyond themselves. They represent the law and the prophets. It is the law and the prophets that empty the golden oil out of themselves and that prophesied throughout the Old Testament dispensation. It was the law and the prophets that gave testimony or witness of Jesus Christ throughout the Old Testament.

The Lord told some unbelieving Jews to "search the scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testify of me." The Jews had thought the scriptures were a roadmap or plan whereby they could obtain eternal life. The Lord corrected them and told them that the scriptures did not give eternal life, but were a witness of Jesus Christ. The scriptures to which Jesus was speaking were the Old Testament scriptures for the New Testament had not been penned at that time. The Old Testament scriptures (law and the prophets) were a continual testimony of Jesus Christ.

It was Moses and Elijah that appeared with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration and spoke of his demise. While there should be no doubt that it was Moses and Elijah with Jesus, yet they were there representing the testimony of the law and the prophets testifying of Jesus. Throughout the Old Testament we find that the scriptures speak of one who would come and give his life for his people and through his death would justify his covenant people. When we read the Old Testament we should be looking for Jesus on every page for they are testifying of him and his atoning sacrifice.

Sarah and Hagar

Gal. 4:21 "Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free."

Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondwoman, Hagar. The other son was by the freewoman, Sarah. We are told that these two women are an allegory. An allegory is a natural truth that points to a spiritual truth. Sarah was the actual wife of Abraham and was a free woman. Hagar was an Egyptian bondmaid of Sarah. She was in bondage and not free. She was Sarah's servant.

Hagar represented the covenant that God made in Mount Sinai with the children of Israel. This covenant, like Hagar, brought those who were under it into bondage. As the scriptures read, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them." Every one that was under the law was under the curse of the law and become bondservants to the law. The scripture says that Hagar answers to Jerusalem, which now is and is in bondage with her children. Thus, the law was a works system and brought those under it into bondage and a curse.

In contrast, Sarah represented the covenant of grace, under which we worship God in Spirit and in truth. Sarah, or the covenant of grace, is also described as Jerusalem which is above and is said to be free and to be the mother of us all. We who worship God in Spirit and in truth under the covenant of grace are free from the bondage of the law as Christ was made to be a curse for us, thus freeing us from the bondage of the law. We do not go about trying to establish our own righteousness, but rather understand and believe that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness and by his righteousness and sacrificial atonement we have been made righteous in the eyes of a just and holy God.

In summary, the Old Testament sets forth the Old Covenant of worship which was made with the children of Israel on Mount Sinai. We worship God in Spirit and in truth in the New Testament or under the New Covenant, giving all praise, honor, and glory unto God for our salvation from sin.

We are told to cast out the bondwoman and her son for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free. We are free and not made heirs by the works of the law. We should not desire to worship under the law or to bring in parts of the law into our worship. If we bring in parts of the law into our worship, we just bring ourselves under the bondage of the law. Most who claim to worship Christ today have brought in elements of a works system into their worship and have delivered themselves into bondage. God forbid that we should do so.