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I have now finished reading Deuteronomy and what stood out to me in the last chapter were the words: "There has never been a prophet in Israel like Moses; the Lord spoke with him face-to-face" (Dt. 34:10). This is the third time these words are said of him. The first reads: "The Lord would speak with Moses face-to-face, just as someone speaks with a friend" (Ex. 33:11). Abraham was called God's friend and all true believers are Jesus' friends!
The second time was after Aaron and Miriam had criticized him. God said to them: "I have put him in charge of all my people Israel. So I speak to him face-to-face, clearly and not in riddles; he has even seen my form! How dare you speak against my servant Moses?" (Num. 12:7-8) When we criticize fellow believers we are speaking against God's friends. When we sit in judgment on church leaders we are speaking against God's appointed leaders.
Moses shared something else very special with Abraham and also with Paul. All three were willing to make a supreme sacrifice.
After the people of Israel had worshipped the golden calf they had made, God told Moses to step aside and let him destroy them, but Moses wouldn't do it. He interceded on their behalf saying: "Please forgive their sin – but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written" (Ex. 32:32). (I know I couldn't have said such a thing.)
This was similar to Abraham's readiness to obey God and offer Isaac as a sacrifice. Yet before he could do so, "the Angel of the Lord said to Abraham: 'Don't hurt the boy or do anything to him. Now I know that you honour and obey God, because you have not kept back your only son from him'" (Gen. 22:12). (I know I couldn't have done such a thing.)
Paul wrote: "My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed – cut off from Christ! – if that would save them" (Rom 9:1-4). (I know I wouldn't have been willing.)
The key to what these exceptional men of God were willing to do is surely to be found in the condition of their their hearts. "Moses was a humble man, more humble than anyone else on earth" (Num. 12:3). Like Jesus, each was humble at the core of their being.