For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses— as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. (Hebrews 3.3)
The Old Testament is filled with incredible men and women, one by one these heroes brave and true emerge from the distant past, revealing the greatness of God. Women like Deborah and Ruth. Men like David and Abraham. In all their obedience and failure, repentance and wrestling with reality, we see the fingerprints of God’s call and faithfulness on their lives. Of all of them, who cuts as large a figure as Moses? The third culture kid, survivor of childhood trauma (literally raised by the people most responsible for the wonton slaughter and oppression of his people); the runaway murderer who was chosen to lead his people out of Egypt, the giver of God’s law and conveyor of God’s design for the tabernacle.
Every Jewish man, woman and child in Israel and across the globe would know his name and celebrate the ritual heritage God gave them through his life and ministry. Is it any wonder then that the writer of the letter to the Hebrews would use Moses as another example to show us Jesus’ greatness and glory? As important as leading God’s enslaved people to freedom was, as integral as the formation of the spiritual practices His people would use to drawn near to God for millennia was, the task given to Moses pales in comparison to the task given to Jesus. Moses was a mediator of the law, Jesus fulfilled it. Moses was a member of that great and honorable house built together, Jesus is the builder.
What a great and awesome, terrifying and humbling truth: we share in the same holy calling as that great cloud of witnesses who stands alongside Moses! With these men and women deserving of glory and honor we hold fast to the same bold resolve as we boast of the greatness and grandeur of Jesus Christ, the one greater than Moses.
Jesus, thank you for building me into your Kingdom. I fix my eyes on you and rejoice in your love. You are worthy of all praise, all glory, all honor.