24.09 | Read Through Jesus

Hebrews 3:1-4:13

‘For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.’

Hebrews 3:3

---

There’s a tool that will transform how you read the Old Testament.

Read it through Jesus.

You have to imagine the Bible as a line, with each image (e.g. sacrifices, temple, priesthood, kings, warfare, law, etc.) of the Old Testament story running along to, at some point in the future, meet the person of Jesus. And, in each and every instance, that image finds its fuller and more perfect meaning in Him. The Scriptures are so organised around Jesus, that we find the fulfilment of every Old Testament emblem in Him.

The author of Hebrews takes us on this exact journey. 

He reads everything through Jesus. 

And today he begins with this core character of the Old Testament story: Moses.

Moses towers in the Old Testament, as a figure of near unparalleled significance. If you were to draw up an A-list of Old Testament celebrities, Moses would always be on the list. Moses, who was drawn from the river in that basket. Moses, raised as a prince in the household of Pharaoh. Moses, who stepped down from his privileged position to fight for the enslaved. Moses, who received the name of God at the burning bush. Moses, who proclaimed the plagues upon Egypt. Moses, who stood with his staff raised above the Red Sea, as the waters parted. Moses, who received the Law from the presence of God Himself at the top of Mount Sinai. Moses, who wrote the first five books of the Scriptures, together named The Law (Torah) by the Jews — the foundation of their every way of understanding righteousness and truth. Moses, who was called to bring a nation of slaves into a land of rest.

And we read Moses, too, through Jesus.

Because our author wants us to know something.

Because the life of Moses pointed beyond himself. He was a shadow of what was substantial, a reverse-echo of the coming sound. Moses showed the people the menu. But the meal was still to come.

Read Moses through Jesus.

Jesus, who escaped death as a child. Jesus, who abdicated the royal glories of heaven to restore an enslaved humanity. Jesus, who revealed the character of God in His every word and action. Jesus, who confronted the false gods and religiosity and falling powers. Jesus, who leads His people through the waters to the liberty of life beyond. Jesus, who brings us into the true ways of righteousness and life. Jesus, who came not to write down words, but to be the living Word, making manifest the thoughts and ways and heart of God upon the earth.

The macro-call on Moses life was to bring an enslaved nation into a land of rest.

Read Moses through Jesus.

We need this.

Because the Moses story is a foretaste of the story in which we now find ourselves.

It speaks to every place of our slavery and heaviness, our heavy burdens and suffering, our broken identities and obstacles to the life that is truly life. 

It speaks that Jesus is He who confronts every power set against us, every difficulty, every enslaving principle and desire and being—and brings us out of them, through water and wilderness, into new ways of holiness and intimacy and freedom and life. It is He who leads us from the exhausting slaveries of this age toward the inbreaking liberty of the age to come. 

Keep going, child of God. Do not fall away. Do not let your hearts become hard in discouragement and despair. You may walk through a wilderness today, but your Guide is sure. There is no ocean or river, no disease or famine, no army or obstacle, that can obstruct the lead of your King.

---

Reflect:

Read through Jesus.

How does Moses’ story show how Jesus may lead you in this season?

---

Pray:

Lord Jesus,

Everything that was true in Moses

Is truer in You.

When I find myself feeling enslaved,

Liberate me;

When I find myself opposed by powers beyond my strength,

Fight for me;

When I find myself with an army behind and ocean before,

Part the waters for me;

When I walk through wilderness,

Feed me;

When I come in trembling to your mountain,

Define for me the ways of holiness,

Renewing me to walk it.

And Lord, 

Lead my every step from this moment,

Towards the land called Rest.

In Your Name,

Jesus, my Liberator, Leader, and Lord,

Amen

Old Testament: 

For those also reading the Old Testament this year, your additional readings are here:

1 Chronicles 18-20 | Proverbs 24:7-10