Walking today, I listened to the Book of John. Early in the book, I came across the question asked of John the Baptist if he were “The Prophet.” Note, not “a prophet.” See John 1:21. I found that in Deuteronomy 18:15, Moses refers to an unnamed prophet who would be “like Him” and would come after him. Moses declares,
The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.
Apparently, the identity of “The Prophet” has been a source of rabbinical discussion, but Rabbi Baruch states that there is a rabbinical consensus that “The Prophet” refers to Messiah.
I speculated that perhaps, Moses was directly referring to Joshua, and that may well have been what was in his mind. However, even if that is what Moses thought, Joshua, though his successor and a great leader, especially in battle, did not fit the description of “The Prophet.” Deuteronomy 34:10-12 says:
Since then [the time of Moses,] no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
The Encyclopedia Britannica records that the Book of Deuteronomy, though passed done in various form orally, was not completed ion writing until about the 7th Century BC. Many of the great prophets of Israel did not live before that time. Even those who did, i.e. Elijah and Elisha, did not fully meet all the qualification that Moses stipulated, supra.
The last of the Old Testament prophets, John the Baptist was asked if he were “The Prophet.” He was correct in denying that he was “The Prophet.” I have heard it stated that John the Baptist never claimed to be a prophet. That’s not entirely accurate. John never said that he was not a prophet, he just never claimed to be “The Prophet” or any particular prophet redivivo, Elijah was suggested by John’s questioners. In Matthew 11:7-10, Jesus proclaimed John to be a prophet – and much more.
As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John [the Baptist]: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.”
Jesus, Himself, is the only one who meets and surpasses the comparison with Moses.
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