Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face … - Deuteronomy 34:10

Today’s Scripture Reading (November 20, 2015): Deuteronomy 34

Most lists of the best Presidents of the United States usually start with three, although sometimes the order changes. Those three presidents are Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Interestingly enough, all three also share something else – their Presidential careers were born out of violence. For Abraham Lincoln, his trial by fire was the American Civil War. For George Washington (and usually Lincoln and Washington are either first or second in these lists of the best) it was the American Revolutionary War. And for F. D. R., it was World War II. Their characters were forged by fire. George Washington might make the list without the American Revolutionary war, after all he was first. But who knows where Abraham Lincoln would rank without the civil war or Roosevelt without World War II. The unique abilities of both men were released in the some of the worst moments of history. And it probably doesn’t hurt that their lives belong to generations that have long preceded ours – their legends just continue to grow.

Moses career in some ways mirrors the career of George Washington. He was first. His career began in what amounted to Israel’s revolutionary war of independence. He became the lawgiver and he set the boundaries for a nation. He held a group of independent tribes and convinced them that they were stronger together (it is absolutely amazing that Washington was able to do that in the early days of the United States.) And Moses gave Israel a picture of their God.

There were others. Joshua was an able leader who led Israel through the battles in the taking of Canaan. He waded through the division of the land among the tribes of Israel. But his major weakness might have been that he seemed to have no idea about who would take over for him when he decided to retire - a decision that would result in Israel being thrown into their dark ages known as the period of the Judges. And David would be a great king and a man after God’s own heart, but he would never be a Moses. He would never be first and a man who had met with God face to face.

But there would be another Moses, another lawgiver – and another first. His name would be Jesus. He would be the Messiah and the one predicted to be “a prophet like Moses.”

One more note on the dating of Deuteronomy. Regardless of when the rest of the book was written, this epilogue was written much later. How much later, we are not sure. But enough time had passed that leaders had come and gone and no one had measured up to Moses.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 91