5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward,
Verses 5 and 6 compare Moses’ and Jesus’ roles on earth. Moses was faithful as a servant, but Jesus was faithful as a Son. As a Son He was over Israel, not simply a part of it.
5 And [on the one hand]
The word “and” shows that there is further development of the fidelity of Messiah and Moses from verses 2 and 3. Both verses 5 and 6 will show the contrast between these two modes of fidelity. Each has its corresponding honor.
Moses indeed was faithful in all His house
“His house” here is God’s house or the theocratic nation of Israel. Moses was deemed by Jews with very high regard. He was a man who was “faithful” in things regarding leading Israel as a nation (Nu 12:7,8). He was a faithful conveyor of the first five books of the Bible. He led Israel out of Egypt. There is a resemblance between Moses and Jesus, but Jesus stands superior to even this great man.
Nu 12:7 Not so with My servant Moses [Moses was not dependent upon visions or dreams to know the Lord];
He is faithful in all My house.
8 I speak with him face to face,
Even plainly, and not in dark sayings;
And he sees the form of the Lord.
Why then were you not afraid
To speak against My servant Moses?”
Moses’ faithfulness was that of his official role. He personally lapsed in several areas but he faithfully communicated revelation from God, the first five books of the Bible; he was a faithful conveyor of what God said.
as a servant,
Moses was faithful as a “servant.” The word here means attendant. This is a more noble word than the usual word for servant. He was someone who discharged his duties well. He was an honored servant who was in intimate relationship with his master. Moses managed God’s people faithfully. He was a servant in the house rather than the heir of the house.
for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward,
Moses bore witness to Christ in prophetic form. He witnessed to the coming of Christ (Jn 5:46). His revelation was a shadow of the reality to come (He 10:1). Jesus was the “substance” or the reality, but Moses’ revelation was merely a shadow of that substance.
The important role of Moses’ stewardship was to witness or give testimony to God’s purposes (Deut 18:15f). However, they were provisional words, words that anticipated the coming of the Messiah. The things to which Moses spoke in his faithful ministry were types that foreshadowed Christ and his ministry. The furnishings of the tabernacle and activities of the high priests pointed to Jesus. Moses’ work was transitory, whereas Jesus communicated a higher and permanent revelation.
PRINCIPLE:
All God expects of us is to do what we can with what we have.
APPLICATION:
Our verse does not say that Moses never sinned or made a mistake. He made many mistakes and sinned against the Lord. Yet despite all that, he was “faithful” to what God assigned him as a “servant.” God expects each believer to be faithful or trustworthy in what He assigns them (1 Co 4:2). He wants people upon whom He can rely for service. All that He expects of us is to do what we can with what we have.
