Moses' Intercession for Israel: A Legacy of Mediation
Among the most profound and pivotal figures in the Old Testament, Moses stands preeminent not only as a prophet, lawgiver, and leader but also as a tireless and fervent intercessor for the nation of Israel. His unique relationship with God, described as speaking "face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend" (Exodus 33:11), empowered him to stand in the gap between a holy God and a rebellious people. Time and again, when Israel's sin provoked divine wrath, it was Moses' passionate and selfless pleas that averted utter destruction, revealing both the depths of God's mercy and the profound power of righteous prayer. His intercession serves as a powerful type of the ultimate Mediator, Jesus Christ, who perfectly and eternally intercedes for His people.
The Character of Moses' Intercession
Moses' intercessory prayers were not mere formalities; they were deeply rooted in his intimate knowledge of God's character and his profound love for the people he led. Several key characteristics define his approach:
- Boldness and Humility: Moses approached God with an astonishing boldness, yet always tempered with profound humility. He often fell on his face before the Lord, acknowledging God's supreme authority while simultaneously pleading with Him on behalf of Israel.
- Selfless Love: Perhaps the most striking aspect of Moses' intercession was his willingness to sacrifice himself for the people. In a moment of intense divine wrath, he pleaded, "Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written" (Exodus 32:32). This selfless love mirrored the heart of God and foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Christ.
- Appealing to God's Character and Covenant: Moses consistently appealed to God's own attributes—His mercy, long-suffering, and faithfulness—and to His covenant promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He reminded God of His glory and reputation among the nations, arguing that destroying Israel would diminish God's name.
- Persistence: Moses did not give up easily. He wrestled in prayer, sometimes for forty days and forty nights, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to his mediatorial role.
The Golden Calf: A Defining Moment of Intercession
One of the most dramatic and significant instances of Moses' intercession occurred after Israel's idolatry with the golden calf, recorded in Exodus 32. While Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments, the people, impatient for his return, compelled Aaron to fashion an idol for them. God's response was swift and terrible:
And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
In this critical moment, Moses did not hesitate. He immediately began to intercede, not for his own advancement, but for the very people who had so grievously sinned. His arguments were strategic and powerful:
Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
The result of Moses' passionate plea was miraculous: "And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people" (Exodus 32:14). This instance highlights God's sovereignty working in conjunction with human prayer, demonstrating that while God's purposes are immutable, His expressions of judgment can be stayed by the intercession of His righteous servants.
Kadesh-Barnea: Intercession Against Disinheritance
Another crucial moment of intercession occurred at Kadesh-Barnea, recorded in Numbers 14. After hearing the discouraging report of ten of the twelve spies, the Israelites rebelled, weeping and wishing to return to Egypt. God, in His righteous anger, again threatened to disinherit them and raise up a greater nation from Moses:
And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
Once more, Moses stood in the breach, appealing to God's reputation among the surrounding nations and to His own declared character:
And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
God heard Moses' prayer and pardoned the people from immediate destruction, yet a consequence remained: the generation that rebelled would wander in the wilderness for forty years, perishing there before entering the promised land. This demonstrates God's mercy in response to intercession, coupled with His unwavering justice.
Other Instances of Intercession
Moses' life was punctuated by numerous other instances of intercession, each revealing his unwavering commitment to his people and his God:
- Korah's Rebellion (Numbers 16): When a plague broke out after Korah's rebellion, Moses and Aaron quickly intervened, falling on their faces and sending Aaron to make atonement with a censer, staying the wrath of God.
- Fiery Serpents (Numbers 21): After Israel complained and was afflicted with fiery serpents, Moses prayed for the people, and God commanded him to make a brazen serpent, providing a way of healing for those who looked upon it. This prefigured Christ's crucifixion and the salvation offered through faith in Him (John 3:14-15).
- Repeated Intercessions: Deuteronomy recounts Moses' repeated intercessions for Israel, particularly after the golden calf incident, where he recounts spending forty days and nights in fasting and prayer (Deuteronomy 9:18, Deuteronomy 9:25-29).
Theological Significance: Moses as a Type of Christ
Moses' intercessory ministry holds profound theological significance, most notably in its foreshadowing of Jesus Christ. Moses served as a mediator between God and Israel, much as Christ serves as the ultimate Mediator between God and humanity.
- One Mediator: Just as Moses stood alone as Israel's primary intercessor, the New Testament declares, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5).
- Self-Sacrifice: Moses' willingness to be blotted out of God's book finds its perfect fulfillment in Christ, who actually bore the curse of sin and was "made sin for us" (2 Corinthians 5:21) to reconcile us to God.
- Eternal Intercession: While Moses' intercession was powerful and effective for his generation, it was temporal. Christ's intercession, however, is eternal and perfect: "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25).
- Covenant Keeper: Moses appealed to God's covenant. Christ Himself is the guarantor of a better covenant, established on better promises (Hebrews 8:6).
Moses' intercession demonstrates the amazing truth that God, in His sovereignty, is pleased to respond to the prayers of His people. It showcases His long-suffering, His faithfulness to His covenant, and His willingness to relent from deserved judgment when His character and promises are invoked.
Conclusion
Moses' legacy as an intercessor for Israel is a testament to the power of prayer and the compassionate heart of God. His life teaches us that true leadership involves standing in the gap for those under one's care, appealing to God's mercy and faithfulness even in the face of overwhelming sin. The effectiveness of his prayers reminds believers today of the privilege and responsibility to intercede for others, relying not on our own merit, but on the character and promises of God.
Ultimately, Moses' intercession points us to the perfect and eternal intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ. While Moses pleaded for a rebellious nation, Christ, by His atoning sacrifice and ongoing intercession at the right hand of the Father, perpetually mediates for all who come to God through Him. In Him, we find the ultimate answer to Moses' longing, a Mediator who guarantees our access to God's throne of grace, where we may "obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).