FRANCIS MONROE BURG by FRANCIS MONROE BURG

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 4, 1914

FRANCIS MONROE BURG

By FRANCIS MONROE BURG

Moses and Christ — No. 1

FRANCIS MONROE BURG

"And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints." Rev. 15:3.

The reader's attention is especially invited in this short series of papers to the fact, as shown by the scripture quoted above, that in the great anthem which the redeemed will sing in the eternal years, the name of Moses appears along with the mention of Christ as the Lamb of God. There seems to the writer a deeper meaning to this than may be apparent from a casual reading of the text quoted. This key opens the door to an interesting and profitable field of thought.

In much of the theology of our times the effort is made to place Christ and Moses at antagonistic relationship with each other. This is fundamentally wrong and in direct opposition with the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. There is also involved in the question of the relationship between Moses and Christ some very vital matters pertaining to the subject of man's redemption. This is worth the careful thought and study of every reader.

That there is a most intimate relationship between Christ and Moses is very clear from the following scriptures:

"And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; but Christ as a Son over his own house, whose house are we." Heb. 3:5, 6.

The reader's attention is incidentally called to the mention that is made here of Moses as the "servant" of God, and of Christ as a "Son." This comparison between them becomes a key to another beautiful and interesting thought, though not in direct line with the trend of this discussion. However, in passing from this mere mention, it may be noted with interest that in the song to be sung over there Moses is called the "servant" of God. This is a very familiar appellation applied to him in the Scriptures, and has a meaning.

We shall notice another text of Scripture showing the relationship recognized in the Bible between Christ the Son of God and Moses the servant of God. In speaking to the Jews concerning Moses, Jesus said, "Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" John 5:46, 47. This language bears directly on the statement under consideration: "He wrote of me." Moses wrote of Christ. This means that the theme of his writings was Christ and his work. Not that he incidentally and occasionally made mention of Christ in his writings, but Christ was the subject about which he wrote. As an author writing on the religion of the Crescent has Mohammed and his teaching as the theme, or subject, which pervades his book, his aim being to set forth the essence, the philosophy, the real object and aim of this religious system of the Orient; so Moses in writing of Christ, the Saviour of men, wrote of his great plan and his ministry, —of his sacrifice for the salvation of the world. This was his theme; this was his subject.

If theologians today would read Moses' writings from this angle, the doctrine of antinomianism, out of which grows the teaching relative to Christ and Moses as opposed to each other, would vanish immediately.

Notice, as already quoted, Jesus asked the people, "If ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" From this language it is safe to conclude that one cannot have an adequate understanding of the work and mission of

Christ while looking upon Moses as one who maintains an antagonistic attitude toward Christ. There are teachings in the books of Moses relative to the work of Christ as man's Redeemer and Intercessor that make this view unavoidable. Following articles will present the office and work of Christ, the Saviour of the world, as set forth in the books of Moses.

Los Angeles, Cal.