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JrnymnX
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Re:
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Reply #140 -
03. Dec 2006 at 12:26
There are
only two possible interpretations that can arise from Devarim 18:15ff,
that the prophecy refers to one specific individual, a messiah, or that
it refers to the Office of Prophet, a position I have previously taken.
Below I post a supporting argument for the first position, that it
refers to a specific, messianic, prophet. It should be abundantly clear
that according to this possible interpretation it can only be fulfilled
by a Jew. A position you will recall I have said in the past many
times.
Quote:
Yehoshua (Joshua, Yeshua) is
called "the servant of the L-rd"
in the book of Joshua. [11] Like Caleb, Joshua is also a sign-
man, an ominous mofet of the King Messiah, for Joshua is an agent
of chessid (undeserved, unmerited mercy e.g. in the case of the
prostitute Rahab) and of wrath and judgment or condemnation, in
the holy war of G-d against the seven wicked nations in the
Promised Land. The prophet Daniel, who also speaks of both the
chessid of chayei olam (eternal life) as well as judgment and
condemnation,[12] gives us a glorious apocalyptic picture of this
coming King, this Moshiach of the Clouds.[13] Furthermore,
Devorim (Deuteronomy) 18:15-19 [14] foretells the prophet like
Moses that G-d will raise up in the Promised Land, the Prophet-
Moshiach.
A rabbi might interrupt right here and say, "Wait! This
reference to a Moses-like prophet who is to come is not
necessarily referring to the Moshiach!" Again, let the Jewish
Bible interpret itself: Yeshayah (Isaiah) [15] infers that the
Moshiach will be a new Moses. Therefore, don't argue with man,
argue with G-d's Holy Word. Argue with Isaiah 42:15-16;
49:9-10.
The immediate (not final) fulfillment of the Deuteronomy
18:15-19 prophecy is Yehoshua (Joshua/Yeshua). The Sages (Avot
1:1) tell us that Moses accepted the Torah from Sinai and
transmitted it to Joshua/Yeshua. Not only that, Joshua/Yeshua is
indeed a Moses-like prophet, because it was to Joshua and not to
Moses that G-d gave the revelation of the boundaries of the
tribal portions of Eretz Yisrael. Moses died in the wilderness because
he angered G-d, but Joshua led the people victoriously to the
promised new life in the Holy Land. Thus, Joshua (the Aramaic
form of whose name is Yeshua--see Nehemiah 8:17) is a prophetic
sign of the King Moshiach, the ruler from among his brethren who,
like Moses and Prince Joseph, the Savior in Egypt, would lead
Israel's true faithful remnant all the way from the rebellious
unbelief resulting in death in the wilderness to the eternal
salvation and Messianic deliverance foreshadowed in the book of
Joshua.
That the rabbis were not ignorant of the Messianic
interpretation of the Torah given above is shown in the Midrash
on the Psalms (translated by Rabbi William Braude, Yale University
Press, 1959, Volume 1, pages 4-7). In this rabbinic work we find
David explicitly likened to Moses and, on the same page, Devarim
(Deuteronomy) 18:15 is quoted, `A prophet will the L-rd thy G-d
raise up unto thee, from the midst of thee, of thy brethren,
like unto me (Moses)."[14] That Deuteronomy 18:15, then, is a
Messianic prophecy fulfllled ultimately in the Moshiach, the Son
of David, should be clear enough. Confirmation comes in II
Samuel [16] and in Isaiah,[17] which tell us that David's "house" will
bring the Moshiach, and also in Ezekiel, which gives us the title
of Moshiach, "David my Servant". [18]
The deduction of the thoughtful, then, is that Rashi's
interpretation of Deuteronomy 18:19 [14] is all the more
frightening. According to Rashi, the text of this passage means
that unbelievers will be put to death. So it is no light thing
to refuse to believe in the divine clues to the identity of the
Moshiach set forth in the Tanakh. That is why the following
material should be read prayerfully, with careful study of each
Biblical reference in the Tanakh (Torah, Prophets, and Writings
of the Hebrew Bible). Tanakh-refusers, take heed!
link
Note that in this position it clearly says, and is backed up by the
prophets, that, "David's 'house' will
bring the Moshiach." David was a Jew. His house would be made up of
his immediate family (Jews), or his descendants (all Jewish).
The other interpretation is that Devarim 18:15ff was intended to
establish the Office of the Prophet.
This interpretation, widely accepted, is seen below in several quotes I
will post for your erudition.
Quote:
Deuteronomy 18:15
The L--rd, your G--d, will raise up for you a prophet like me [Moses]
from among you, of your brethren; to him you shall hearken....
The New Testament claims that Jesus was this prophet, fraudulently
adding:
Acts 3:23
And it shall be that every soul that does not listen to that prophet
shall be destroyed from the people.
Yet the verse under discussion refers not to any specific individual,
but to future prophets in general. In ancient Israel, a great many men
and women strove to be worthy of Divine Inspiration, attending special
schools run by acknowledged prophets. The Hebrew Bible calls these
students "prophets" and "sons of the prophets":137
link
and
Quote:
Deuteronomy 18:9-22 does not
speak of any one prophet in particular who will emerge. As has been
demonstrated, any claims that it points to Jesus are self-defeating and
create additional problems for Christian theology. Rather, this passage
contains a generic reference to the line of prophets of which Moses is
the "progenitor", and it formally establishes the Office of the Prophet
for Israel, the requisite tests for distinguishing between true and
false prophets, and the penalty for false prophets. Just as the Davidic
dynasty was established forever, regardless of whether the throne is
occupied by a king at all times, so is the Office of the Prophet
established for eternity, even at times in history when there are no
prophets in Israel.
link
and
Quote:
The Office of the Prophet is
thus conceived not so much as one who foretells the future, but, in
spiritual succession to Moses, as the teacher and religious guide of his
age. The gift of predicting the future, where this serves a moral
purpose, is bestowed on him as well.
link
and
Quote:
Finally, the Jewish
interpretation of this verse has always been that G-d would raise other
prophets to speak for Him. He did that, their words are in the Tanach.
link
So which of these two interpretations do you choose? That there is no
one specific prophet, or that there is one specific prophet, who as the
prophets foretell is a descendant of King David? These are the only
choices you have, as they are the only interpretations allowed by the
context of Devarim 18:15.
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