1. The Story-Line of Christian Prophetic Rhetorolect LESSON 2: PROPHETIC BEGINNINGS IN MOSES The story-line of Christian prophetic rhetorolect continues beyond Abraham to Moses. New Testament writings also do not refer to Moses as a prophet. However, the New Testament has significant discussion of a prophet “like Moses,” based on Deuteronomy 18:15-22. Deuteronomy 18:15-22 Deuteronomy 18:15-22 In addition, Moses functions like a prophet in additional ways in Christian prophetic rhetorolect.  Click to read reasons why the story of Moses is a beginning for the Christian prophetic story-line.

2. Why does the Christian prophetic story-line continue with Moses? (1) Moses is “called” by God to be a person with “words from God” that include statements about blessings and curses. (2) God’s call to Moses concerns a specific area of land identified as a place for “God’s people,” “God’s nation,” or “God’s kingdom.”  Click for further explanation of why the Moses story is a beginning for the Christian prophetic story-line.

3. Why the Christian prophetic story- line begins with Moses cont. (3) God speaks to Moses many times to give him specific directions and promises. (4) Moses’s acceptance of God’s tasks creates a covenant between God and Moses, to which God promises to be faithful. (5) Moses struggles obediently and faithfully, with only minor exceptions, in the context of God’s covenant with him.  What is the nature of God’s initial call to Moses? Click to find out.

4. Hebrew Bible Resource: GOD’S INITIAL CALL TO MOSES Exodus 3:1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the back of the wilderness, and came to God’s mountain, to Horeb. 3:2 The angel of Adonai appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. (read Exodus 3) Exodus 3 Exodus 3  Click for continuation of God’s initial call to Moses.

5. Hebrew Bible Resource: GOD’S INITIAL CALL TO MOSES cont. (1) Exodus 3:4 When Adonai saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said, “Moses! Moses!” He said, “Here I am.” 3:5 He said, “Don’t come close. Take your sandals off of your feet, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.” 3:6 Moreover he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look at God.  Click for continuation of God’s initial call to Moses.

6. Hebrew Bible Resource: GOD’S INITIAL CALL TO MOSES cont. (2) Exodus 3:7 Adonai said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 3:8 I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey; to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring forth my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”  Click for continuation of God’s initial call to Moses.

7. Hebrew Bible Resource: GOD’S INITIAL CALL TO MOSES cont. (3) Exodus 3:11 Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 3:12 He said, “Certainly I will be with you. This will be the token to you, that I have sent you: when you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” 3:13 Moses said to God, “Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you;’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ What should I tell them?”  Click for continuation of God’s initial call to Moses.

8. Hebrew Bible Resource: GOD’S INITIAL CALL TO MOSES cont. (4) Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM,” and he said, “You shall tell the children of Israel this: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 3:15 God said moreover to Moses, “You shall tell the children of Israel this, ‘Adonai, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and this is my memorial to all generations.”  Click for Christian prophetic rhetorolect about God’s call of Moses.

9. CHRISTIAN PROPHETIC RHETOROLECT PRESENTS GOD’S CALL TO MOSES in Acts 7  Click for next slide.

10. Christian Prophetic Rhetorolect: GOD’S CALL AND PROMISE TO MOSES in Stephen’s Speech in Acts 7 Acts 7:2 And Stephen replied… 7:30 “When forty years were fulfilled, an angel fo the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 7:31a When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight;  Click for continuation of God’s call of Moses in Acts 7.

11. Christian Prophetic Rhetorolect: GOD’S CALL AND PROMISE TO MOSES in Stephen’s Speech in Acts 7 cont. (1) Acts 7:31b As he came close to see, a voice of the Lord came to him, 7:32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ Moses trembled and dared not look.  Click for continuation of God’s call of Moses in Acts 7.

12. Christian Prophetic Rhetorolect: GOD’S CALL AND PROMISE TO MOSES in Stephen’s Speech in Acts 7 cont. (2) Acts 7:33 The Lord said to him, ‘Take your sandals off of your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. 7:34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning. I have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you into Egypt.’” (read Acts 7) Acts 7Acts 7  Click for continuation of Christian prophetic rhetorolect that uses God’s call of Moses.

13. CHRISTIAN PROPHETIC RHETOROLECT PRESENTS JESUS RECITING WORDS FROM GOD’S CALL OF MOSES IN RESPONSE TO SADDUCEES WHO DID NOT BELIEVE IN RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD  Click for next slide.

14. Christian Prophetic Rhetorolect: JESUS USES GOD’S IDENTITY IN RESPONSE TO SADDUCEES Matthew 22:29 Jesus answered them, “… 22:31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read that which was spoken to you by God, 22:32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” (cf. Mark 12:26-27; Luke 20:37-38) Mark 12:26-27Luke 20:37-38Mark 12:26-27Luke 20:37-38  Click for Peter’s use of God’s statement of identification to Moses.

15. CHRISTIAN PROPHETIC RHETOROLECT PRESENTS PETER RECITING WORDS FROM GOD’S CALL OF MOSES TO RESPOND TO ISRAELITES IN JERUSALEM  Click for next slide.

16. Christian Prophetic Rhetorolect: PETER USES GOD’S IDENTITY IN RESPONSE TO ISRAELITES IN JERUSALEM Acts 3:12 When Peter saw it, he responded to the people, “… 3:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up, and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had determined to release him.” (read Acts 3) Acts 3Acts 3  Click for Moses’ statement about “a prophet like me.”

17. Hebrew Bible Resource In Deuteronomy 18, Moses tells the people of Israel about a prophet like himself who will arise. Deuteronomy 18Deuteronomy 18  Click to read about a prophet like Moses.

18. Hebrew Bible Resource: MOSES SPEAKS ABOUT A PROPHET LIKE HIMSELF Deuteronomy 18:15 Adonai your God will raise up to you a prophet from the midst of you, of your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him. 18:16 This is according to all that you desired of Adonai your God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, “Let me not hear again the voice of Adonai my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I not die.”  Click to continue about a prophet like Moses.

19. Hebrew Bible Resource: MOSES SPEAKS ABOUT A PROPHET LIKE HIMSELF cont. (1) Deuteronomy 18:17 Adonai said to me, “They have well said that which they have spoken. 18:18 I will raise them up a prophet from among their brothers, like you; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I shall command him.  Click to continue about a prophet like Moses.

20. Hebrew Bible Resource: MOSES SPEAKS ABOUT A PROPHET LIKE HIMSELF cont. (2) Deuteronomy 18:19 It shall happen, that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. 18:20 But the prophet, who shall speak a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.”  Click to continue about a prophet like Moses.

21. Hebrew Bible Resource: MOSES SPEAKS ABOUT A PROPHET LIKE HIMSELF cont. (3) Deuteronomy 18:21 If you say in your heart, “How shall we know the word which Adonai has not spoken?”, 18:22 when a prophet speaks in the name of Adonai, if the thing doesn’t follow, nor happen, that is the thing which Adonai has not spoken: the prophet has spoken it presumptuously, you shall not be afraid of him.  Click for Christian prophetic rhetorolect about a prophet like Moses.

22. CHRISTIAN PROPHETIC RHETOROLECT PRESENTS PETER SPEAKING IN JERUSALEM ABOUT A PROPHET LIKE MOSES  Click for next slide.

23. Christian Prophetic Rhetorolect in Acts 3: PETER SPEAKING ABOUT A PROPHET LIKE MOSES Acts 3:12 When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, “… 3:22 For Moses indeed said to the fathers, ‘The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you. 3:23 It will be, that every soul that will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.’  Click for continuation of Peter preaching about a prophet like Moses.

24. Christian Prophetic Rhetorolect in Acts 3: PETER PREACHING ABOUT A PROPHET LIKE MOSES cont. Acts 3:24 Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and those who followed after, as many as have spoken, they also told of these days. 3:25 You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘In your seed will all the families of the earth be blessed.’ (Gen 12:3; 18:18; 22:18) Gen 12:3 18:1822:18Gen 12:3 18:1822:18 3:26 God, having raised up his servant, Jesus, sent him to you first, to bless you, in turning away everyone of you from your wickedness.”  Click to read Stephen speaking about a prophet like Moses.

25. CHRISTIAN PROPHETIC RHETOROLECT PRESENTS STEPHEN SPEAKING IN JERUSALEM ABOUT A PROPHET LIKE MOSES  Click for next slide.

26. Christian Prophetic Rhetorolect in Acts 7: STEPHEN SPEAKS ABOUT A PROPHET LIKE MOSES Acts 7:2 And Stephen replied, “… 7:37 This is that Moses, who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord our God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me.’ 7:38 This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living oracles to give to us.” (read Acts 7) Acts 7Acts 7  Click to read about Philip and Jesus speaking about Moses.

27. CHRISTIAN PROPHETIC RHETOROLECT IN GOSPEL OF JOHN PRESENTS PHILIP AND JESUS IMPLYING THAT THE “PROPHET LIKE MOSES” IS JESUS  Click for next slide.

28. Christian Prophetic Rhetorolect in Gospel of John: PHILIP AND JESUS SAY MOSES WROTE ABOUT JESUS John 1:45 Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” John 5:19 Jesus said to them, “… 5:45 Don’t think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you, even Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 5:46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me. 5:47 But if you don’t believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”  Click to read a summary.

29. Good Work! In this lesson you have learned that: Moses is “called” by God to be a person who confronts people with “words from God” that include statements about blessings and curses. Similarly to Abraham, God’s call to Moses involves land. Figures in the New Testament, such as Jesus and Peter, use the statement of identification God made to Moses: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” (Exodus 3:6, 3:14-15) 3:6 3:14-153:6 3:14-15 Click to continue the summary. Click to continue the summary.

30. Excellent! In Deuteronomy, Moses tells the people of Israel about a prophet like himself who will arise. Both Peter and Stephen in turn speak of a prophet like Moses. In the Gospel of John, Philip and Jesus imply that Jesus is the prophet about whom Moses wrote. Click to continue the summary.

31. Congratulations!!!! THIS WAS THE SECOND LESSON on the Christian Prophetic Story-Line. Every good wish as you continue with Lesson 3 on Samuel and Nathan.