More than Just a Second Moses- Hebrews 3:1-11

The first five books of our Bible were written by one of the Old Testament’s most beloved characters—Moses. Viewed by many in the Jewish community as one of the greatest saviors of God’s people, Moses has always been one of my favorites. In his account of the Exodus, we catch a glimpse of the awesome power of God who intervenes on behalf of His people when they cry out to Him for saving. After God’s people spent hundreds of years enslaved in Egypt, Moses was eventually used of God to lead them to the Promised Land through a program of miracles and grace.

This is an inspiring story that I yearn to be realized in my own life, not just for eternity, but for this day. Though I must admit that I’m not enslaved in the same way that the Israelites were and not on a journey to the same Promised Land, so often I find myself inhibited by discouragements, frustrations, confusion, and subsequent despondency as I journey toward the destiny God has for me in heaven. I tire often of the journey to this Promised Land, and like the Israelites of old, grow hardened to what God is doing and complain about what I perceive to be unnecessary delays in the wilderness, in spite of the many miracles I’ve beheld and the provision that God has so faithfully given me.

This saga is in large part due to a lack of understanding concerning the Savior God has given me who, as is taught in Hebrews 3:1-11, far exceeds Moses—Yes, even Moses! Today we are going to witness two historical presentations that demonstrate Jesus’ superiority to Moses in Hebrews 3:1-11 and learn how Jesus is the Savior who leads us out of a more worrisome Egypt.

I. PRESENTATION #1: Historical Comparison-3:1-6

Having introduced the concept of Jesus as a “high priest” in the previous passage (2:17), the author now transitions to a detailed explanation of what this means. In fact, the preacher encourages a close examination of Jesus as the High priest in verse 1 of chapter 3 saying, “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession…” (3:1). So then, let us follow the instructions of our preacher.

Two ideas are shared when Jesus is called “the Apostle and High Priest of our confession…”(3:1). First, “apostle” (“sent one”) suggests that Jesus is God’s representative among human beings. In the incarnation, Jesus was sent from heaven to man for redemption. Second, “high priest” means that Jesus is man’s representative before God, who intercedes on their behalf and makes adequate sacrifice for sin. As the sent one of God (“Apostle”), Jesus is the perfect revealer of God (see John 1, Hebrews 1). As man’s representative before God (“high priest”), Jesus provides the perfect response to this revelation.

In both His apostolic and high priestly office, Jesus was found faithful, “He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house…”(3:2). The combining of the two roles (apostle, “sent one,” and high priest) is not common in the Old Testament aside from a few exceptional characters. Moses is one such character. As Moses was sent to a captive people in a dangerous land, Jesus was sent to captive sinners in a wicked world.  As Moses was an advocate for his people before God, enjoying private meetings with God and special revelations, Jesus is the believer’s advocate before God as He enjoys the most intimate of relationships with Him in the Trinity. To be sure, others around Moses received communications from God via visions or a dream, but Moses enjoyed more direct contact: “Not so with My servant Moses, He is faithful in all My household”(Num. 12:7). Moses was acknowledged by God as chief steward over his household,--his household being the family of God in his day. Similarly, others around Jesus heard from God and were even used to write the New Testament. However, the greatest of all revelations (as argued in Hebrews 1), is Jesus Christ—God Himself— the ultimate head of the household/family of God for all eternity.

It is here where the preacher takes a bold stance on Jesus’ superiority. In making his case for Jesus as a high priest, the author has compared Jesus to Moses. However, here he says that Jesus is superior even to this most beloved character in the Old Testament, “for He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house…”(3:3). The implication of these words is clear, the era that Moses ushered in (the era of the law and sacrificial system), is inferior to the era that Jesus has created (the era of grace under the ultimate sacrifice).

In fact, while both Moses and Jesus were used to build exceedingly wonderful houses, it is inferred by verse 4 that Jesus built the builder, Moses, Himself! “For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God…” (3:4). Unlike Moses, Jesus is the uncreated founder and inheritor of His household. In fact, Jesus is the uncreated builder of all things.

In continuing this juxtaposition of Moses and Jesus, the author moves suggests that “Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later,…”(3:5). In other words, Moses served and administered the household God gave him as one who was himself part of the household. In this service, Moses provided a testimony of things to come (i.e. a foreshadowing of greater things). Hebrews 10:1 calls what Moses provided in his ministry a “shadow of the good things to come.”

However, while Moses was a servant in the household, Jesus is an heir of the household. When Moses administered as one who was himself part of the household; Christ rules over the household as Son of the Owner. While Moses service was a sign of greater things to come, Jesus’ ministry is that greater thing. This is what is meant when the preacher says in verse 6, “but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are…”. Though some sects of Jewish Christians believe that Jesus was primarily a second Moses; here He is presented as being much more than that and far greater than this beloved Old Testament figure.

This historical presentation is part of the preacher’s bold plan to establish Jesus as better than one of the most beloved Old Testament heroes. Truly, in all Old Testament stories, God is ultimately the hero as He appoints these fascinating and flawed men and women to do His bidding. Because Jesus is God Himself made flesh, He is not flawed, and therefore totally capable of serving as the world's best and only ultimate Savior.

II. PRESENTATION #2: A Historical Quote-3:7-11

These ideas are reiterated in the second part of this passage in which a historical quote is given in verses 7-11. The first part of the quote includes an important warning, “Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, ‘Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, as in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your father tried Me by testing Me, and saw My works for forty years…” (3:7-9).

Before this quote from Psalm 95 can be appreciated for all that it is worth, we must understand something about how early Christians interpreted the redemptive work of Christ. Many, drawing from the obvious similarities between what Jesus did and what Moses was used to accomplish, interpreted Jesus’ redemption in terms of the Exodus. For instance, the death of Christ is itself called an “exodus” in Luke 9:31 (that is in the original language). The Last Supper is given by Jesus at Passover—a festival that was originated in the exodus. The lamb used to cover the doorposts is likened to Jesus—a lamb without blemish and without spot (1 Pet. 1:19). Similarly, the baptism of believers into Christ is the antitype of Israel’s passage through the Red Sea (1 Cor. 10:1ff). Also, the observance of the Lord’s Supper is compared to the nourishment the Hebrews found in the wilderness (1 Cor. 10:3ff). These ideas would have been firmly in place by the time this sermon was written and near common interpretations of Jesus’ life and ministry for both the preacher and his audience. Therefore, the author of Hebrews is well within bounds when he gives the warning he does in verse 7-9.

Ultimately, this warning is against disobeying Christ. This advice is then reinforced by a reminder of what happened to Israel in the wilderness because of their rebellion. The Psalm referenced calls to mind the rebellion of God’s people at Meribah when the Israelites threatened to revolt against Moses because there was no water there. On that occasion, Moses asked “Why do you rebel against me? Why do you put Yahweh to the test?” (Ex. 17:2, 7). Repeatedly this same situation must have played out in the forty years of wandering. Repeatedly the Israelites tested God’s patience and the patience of His appointed servant. However, the specific situation that Psalm 95 has in mind is found in Numbers 14:20ff. On the edge of the Promised Land, Moses sent out several scouts to do a preliminary survey of its contents and inhabitants. When the majority of these spies brought back an unfavorable report, the people revolted and even began to choose new leadership that would take them back to Egypt. Moses interceded on behalf of his people and God refrained from wiping them out with a plague. However, God did say, “None of the men that have seen my glory, and my signs, which I wrought in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put me to the test these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice, shall see the land which I swore to give their fathers, neither shall any of them that despised me see it.”

Hebrews 3:10-11 reiterates this sentiment when it says, “Therefore I was angry with this generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they did not know My ways’; as I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest’…” (3:10-11).

The preacher’s point in this: just as the Israelites were kept from knowing the rest of the Promised Land because of their rebellion against God in spite of His many acts of grace, so too will people be kept from entering the rest of Jesus’ salvation if they harden their hearts when God speaks to them through the voice of a messenger or a miracle. If it was grim for those in the ancient world to rebel against Moses, how much worse is it for those in today’s world to rebel against Jesus who is far greater than Moses?

So What?

Ultimately, the historical comparison and the historical quotation in this passage demonstrate that in Christ we have been given the greatest of all Saviors. He traveled a far greater distance (from heaven) than Moses did (from Midian) to meet us. He found us in a far worse land than Egypt. He provided a way out of slavery under a far worse regime (Satan and this world) than was witnessed under Pharaoh. And He leads us to a far greater Promised Land—Heaven. Jesus is more than just a second Moses; He is God and He is with us. Therefore, we would do well to listen to Him and not harden ourselves to His voice. Neglecting the voice of Jesus spell disaster, not rest.

To be sure, Jesus is not just a Savior ultimately for salvation in the future. He is a Savior presently in the many things that you face today. Just as we are called not to harden ourselves to His salvation for our sins, so too are we called not to harden ourselves to His voice that speaks in the midst of our everyday struggles. Like the Israelites in Exodus, when we harden ourselves to the voice of God we are in some ways asking to return to the Egypt from which He saved us. When we do this, when we complain as the Israelites did time and time again, we forget that Jesus does not just promise the Promised Land to be realized one day, He also promises provision to accomplish His will for this day. Therefore we must be careful to listen to His saving voice—a greater voice, calling us out of a greater slavery, to a greater destiny.