Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Matthew S. Harmon (Protestant): Moses as "a worthy object of the people's faith"

 

 

Two specific things distinguish Moses from even a prophet. First, as the servant of Yahweh he is ‘faithful in all my house’ (Num. 12:7). The Hebrew verb rendered ‘is faithful’ is the same verb (‘āman) used in Exodus 14:31, where the people are said to believe in Yahweh and his servant Moses. By demonstrating his faithfulness to Yahweh Moses demonstrates he is a worthy object of the people’s faith. The use of household imagery portrays Moses as the one to whom God has entrusted the oversight of his people. Second, Yahweh speaks to Moses ‘mouth to mouth’ and Moses ‘behold the form of the LORD’. Exodus 33:11 has already noted that Yahweh ‘used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend’. Although God had told Moses that no one could see his face and live (Exod. 33:20), he allows Moses to see his back (Exod. 33:21-34:10). Both expressions stress the unparalleled personal intimacy that Moses the servant has with Yahweh. By contrast, the Lord speaks to prophets in the form of visions, dreams and riddles. The picture is of direct and intimate communication. As the servant, Moses has direct and intimate access to Yahweh himself rather than the mediated forms of communication that God uses with his prophets. (Matthew S. Harmon, The Servant of the Lord and His Servant People: Tracing a biblical theme through the canon [New Studies in Biblical Theology; London: Apollos, 2020], 51-52, emphasis added)

 

Further Reading


Having faith "in" Prophets and Objects, not just God


Joseph Smith Worship? Responding to Criticisms of the Role and Status of the Prophet Joseph Smith in Latter-day Saint Theology