Ver. 15. The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet, &c.— Plain as this prophecy is, it has been strangely perverted and misapplied: but it is conceived, that nothing will be wanting to the right understanding both of the prophecy and the completion, if we can shew, first, What prophet was here particularly intended. Secondly, That this prophet resembled Moses in more respects than any other person did. And, Thirdly, That the Israelites have been, and still are, severely punished for their infidelity and disobedience to this prophet.
I. Then, some have been of opinion, that Joshua was the person, from Sir 46:1 and Judges 1:17 or that Jeremiah is strongly alluded to in this prophecy; and Abarbanel, in the preface to his Commentary upon Jeremiah, reckons up fourteen particulars wherein they resemble each other; observing, that Jeremiah prophesied forty years, as did Moses. Others, more numerous, understand this of a succession of prophets; and they found their opinion upon the context: but all the favourers of these different sentiments generally agree, that the main end and ultimate scope of the prophecy was the Messiah. The passage in chap. Deuteronomy 34:10 plainly refers to this prediction, and entirely refutes the notion of Joshua's being a prophet like Moses; because it expressly asserts, that there arose not a prophet since in Israel, like unto Moses. If that passage was added after Moses's death, as it evidently was, and, as some imagine, by Joshua himself; then consequently the latter was not a prophet like unto Moses, in the general opinion. If the addition was made at some considerable distance of time after the death of Moses, as the words themselves imply; there arose not a prophet SINCE, &c. it will follow, that the Jewish church had no conception of a perpetual succession of prophets to be raised up like unto Moses; and, if the addition was made, as is commonly believed, by Ezra, after the Babylonish captivity, then it is evident, that neither Jeremiah, nor any of the ancient prophets, was esteemed like unto Moses. Besides, as Houbigant well observes, Joshua could not be meant, as he was then alive, whereas this prophet is spoken of in the future; I will raise. Nor was Joshua a lawgiver like unto Moses. The word is in the singular number, a prophet; and why then should we understand it of a succession of prophets, or depart from the literal construction, without any apparent necessity for it? and as the whole runs in the singular number, nobody, with the least knowledge of the Hebrew language, can imagine a succession of prophets to be meant. Other nations hearkened unto enchanters and diviners, ver. 14 but the Lord would not suffer them so to do: he had given them a better guide already, and would raise up unto them another prophet, superior to all the enchanters and diviners in the world, unto whom they should hearken. If we appeal to fact, we shall find that there never was any prophet, much less a succession of prophets, whom the Jews esteemed like unto Moses. The highest degree of inspiration is by them termed the Mosaical; and they enumerate four circumstances, in which he had the advantage of all other prophets. The claim of Jeremiah is given up by Abarbanel himself, who, in his preface to the lesser prophets, acknowledges him to be inferior to Isaiah, and in many things not to be compared to Ezekiel: but yet a prophet was to be raised up like unto Moses; and who ever resembled him in his characteristic superiority, but Jesus the Messiah? Abarbanel has a noble flight in his commentary on the lesser prophets, which limits the prophecy entirely to Christ. "He shall be exalted above Abraham, lifted up above Moses, and be higher than the angels;" and so he was, as we learn from his own words: before Abraham was, I am.
II. We are to shew how this prophet resembled Moses. Eusebius, and some modern writers, have marked out a variety of striking particulars wherein Moses and Christ resembled each other, and which are mentioned in the Reflections at the end of this chapter; but the similitude, which is the characteristic distinguishing Moses from all other prophets, must be founded in his legislative capacity; and in this quality none but Christ resembled him. It is in this sense that Eusebius explains the terms, like unto thee, when he says that they signify a second lawgiver like unto Moses; and the reason assigned in the text for sending this prophet evinces, not only that he was to be invested with this character, but that this was the great point of similitude between him and Moses. The people had requested that the divine laws might not be delivered to them in so terrible a manner: God approved their request, and promised to raise up to them a prophet like unto Moses: i.e. a lawgiver, who should deliver his commands to them in a familiar and gentle way. Now, none of the Jewish prophets were lawgivers, in all the intermediate space between Christ and Moses. I will put my words in his mouth, &c. plainly prove, says Houbigant, an extraordinary legislation, and one different from that of Moses; for, had it been ordinary, and similar to that of Moses, the people were not so much to have heard that prophet, as Moses himself. In consequence of this prophesy, there was a general expectation of some extraordinary prophet to arise, which prevailed particularly about the time of our Saviour. The Jews then, as well as since, applied this prophesy to the Messiah, the only prophet whom they will allow to be as great, or greater, than Moses. The five thousand fed by miracle in the wilderness confirm this truth. This is, of a truth, said they, that prophet which should come into the world; and St. Peter and St. Stephen directly apply this prophesy to Christ; Acts 3:22-23; Acts 7:37 which they may very well be justified in doing, as he fully answers all the marks and characters given of the prophet like unto Moses. He was raised up from among their brethren; he had immediate communication with the Deity, as Moses had; he performed signs and wonders, though far greater than those of Moses; and, as we have just observed, he was a lawgiver, as well as Moses. I will raise them up a prophet, saith God;—and the people glorified God, saying, a great prophet is risen up amongst us. Luke 7:16. I will put my words in his mouth, saith God (or give my words, as it is in the Hebrew); and our Saviour says, I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me. John 17:8. Ye shall speak unto them all that I shall command, says God: and our Saviour says, I have not spoken of myself, &c. John 12:49-50.; see also ver. 46. But for more on this head, we refer to the Reflections at the end of the chapter.
III. We are to shew, that the Israelites have been, and still are, punished for their disobedience to this prophet. There is, indeed, no want of many words to prove this: it is visible to all the world: the prophesy is clear and express: unto him ye shall hearken; ver. 19 and whosoever will not hearken—I will require it of him; i.e. according to the LXX, I will severely punish him for it; the antecedent being put for the consequent. Judges first inquired, then punished. This prophesy, as we have proved above, evidently relates to Jesus Christ. God himself, in a manner, applies it to him; for when he was transfigured, Matthew 17:5 the voice said, hear ye him, alluding plainly to these words of Moses, unto him shall ye hearken, and so pointing him out for the prophet like unto Moses. It shall come to pass, says St. Peter, in quoting this prophesy, that every soul which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people: a terrible denunciation! which we know to have been fully executed upon the Jews; and for more concerning which, we refer, as before, to the Reflections. We are principally indebted for this note to Bishop Newton's Dissert. 6: vol. 1: where the reader desirous to see more upon the subject will be satisfied; no less than by consulting Bishop Sherlock on the Use and Intent of Prophesy, Discourse 6: Bishop Chandler's Defence, chap. 6: sect. 2 and Sykes's Essay on the Christian Religion. We will just add, that there is no need to be very solicitous respecting the connection of these words. The sense of the discourse is finished and complete at the 14th verse. Moses there exhorts the Israelites to avoid the superstitions of their pagan neighbours, from a reflection on the care of God for them in every particular. Upon which occasion, recollecting the promise which God had made to the Hebrews, of a future and superlatively excellent prophet hereafter to arise and instruct them, he sets down that promise; and the affinity of the subject leads him to speak of the grand and principal rule whereby they might distinguish true prophets from false. This is all the connection which need be sought for at the end of this chapter; from an attention to which we see, that the arguments which pretend to prove from what follows this important prophesy, that not one prophet, but a succession of prophets, is meant, have no foundation at all. But those who would enter more fully into this inquiry, we refer to Dr. L. Twells's Sermons, preached at Boyle's Lecture, Serm. 10: and 11: We would only observe, that the testimony given by God to Moses, Numbers 12 is posterior more than a year to the promise of a prophet like unto himself.