Who Are the Prophetic Forerunners of the Man-Child/144,000 of the Book of Revelation? Part 4
Moses Part 1
Introduction
In previous articles we have seen thematically that the man-child of Revelation 12, the 144,000 in Revelation 7 and 14, and the overcomers of Revelation 2 and 3, are all one in the same entity—an end-time army of saints whom Adonai will use to crush the devil’s head at the end of this age. Furthermore, we’ve identified five themes based on events in Revelation 12 that will characterize the 144,000. Those five foundational themes are shown below. The objective of the next few articles is to identify prophetic forerunners of the Revelation 12 man-child, those from the Tanakh and Apostolic writings that have already walked in the power and authority of the man-child of Revelation 12. We can identify these prophetic figures the same way we identified the 144,000 in Revelation 12, by noting the foundational themes listed below in their lives.
Let’s review our foundational themes that are associated with the man-child:
The man-child is born from a woman in great travail (Revelation 12:1-5 and Genesis 3:16).
There is a deadly conflict between the man-child and the serpent (Revelation 12:1-5, Genesis 3:15, Psalm 2, Psalm 8, and Psalm 91).
The man-child is given authority to exercise dominion on Adonai’s behalf (Revelation 12:5, Genesis 1:26-28, Psalm 2, Psalm 8, and Psalm 91).
Adonai will supernaturally preserve the life of the man-child, protecting him from the wiles and destructive schemes of the serpent (Revelation 12:5, Genesis 3:15, Psalm 2, Psalm 8, and Psalm 91).
The man-child is someone of very lowly status who will be exalted to a position of authority, power, dominion and rulership (Revelation 12:5, Genesis 1:26-28, and Psalm 8).
If you are new to RTM and this is the first article you will be reading in this series, please consider starting at the first article . . .
Moses—The Quintessential Forerunner of the Man-Child/144,000
When Adonai first began to open my eyes to the truths about the man-child through thematic study of the Scriptures, it became clear to me that one of the biggest hindrances to understanding the identity and mission of the man-child is the presupposition that the man-child of Revelation 12 is Yeshua! This idea is so ingrained in Christian theology that even the Bible translations promulgate the idea. The translators of the New King James Bible and the New American Standard Bible have all supposed the man-child to be Yeshua. This is evidenced by the use of capital letters when referring to the man-child, since they surmise that the man-child is Yeshua.
And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. 5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne (Revelation 12:4b-5, NKJB).
And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her Child. 5 And she gave birth to a Son, a male, who is going to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her Child was caught up to God and to His throne (Revelation 12:4b-5, NASB).
The conclusion that the man-child is Yeshua is partly the result of group think and shoddy exegesis. At some point, any expositor has to sit back and carefully compare Revelation 12:1-5 to events in Yeshua’s life and honestly ask, “Can we find evidence that Yeshua completely fits the prophecy of Revelation 12:1-5?” If people would honestly seek this out, I’m sure they’d see that Yeshua is not the best candidate for being the man-child of Revelation 12. At this point I’d like to reference a chart I developed and presented in a previous article. It compares the prophecy of Revelation 12:1-5 to Moses’ life and Yeshua’s life. Look at it point for point and you’ll see that Yeshua comes in a distant second place compared to Moses! Furthermore, you’ll notice that even though Moses fulfills the prophecy of Revelation 12:1-5 significantly better than Yeshua, even his life does not match in all particulars.
Comparing the Man-Child of Revelation 12 to Moses and Yeshua
As you can see, we most definitely should NOT insist that the man-child is Yeshua, when quite obviously we cannot find the fulfillment of major portions of the Revelation 12 man-child prophecy in His life! Just because a few portions of the prophecy of Revelation 12 match Yeshua’s life does not mean we can ignore the majority of the prophecy and assume the man-child is Yeshua. Should we not do due diligence and search for another candidate who fulfills the prophecy more completely? Also, the table quite clearly and objectively shows that Moses fulfills the Revelation 12 man-child prophecy to a much fuller extent than does Yeshua. After studying the comparison of the man-child of Revelation 12 with Moses and Yeshua, if anything, should we not rather be insisting that Moses is the man-child before forcing Yeshua to fit its mold?
At this point, it should be clear that Moses fits the prophecy of Revelation 12:1-5 much better than any other person we’ve considered so far. Therefore, let’s continue our journey by following the same template we’ve used for others who we’ve identified as a forerunner of the Revelation 12:1-5 man-child. Let’s see how Moses’ life fits the five major themes presented to us in Revelation 12, and then we’ll search Moses’ life to find out what we can learn from him about the identity and mission of the man-child of Revelation 12.
Moses
A Man-Child is Someone Born from a Woman in Great Travail
According to Revelation 12:1-2, the man-child will be born from a woman in great travail:
Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. 2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.
Notice how seamlessly Revelation 12:2 thematically connects to Genesis 3:16:
To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”
As you can see, the woman who gives birth to the man-child will be in great travail. I’ve also noted previously that the travail of the woman spoken of in Genesis 3:16 is not limited to the physical travail of childbirth! This prophecy is also stating there will be much sorrow that will accompany the bringing forth of the seed of the woman, even the very conception of a child will be fraught with agony and suffering. This sorrow in conception can most readily be seen in the matriarchs who suffered many troubles just to conceive a child, let alone bring the child forth! Joseph’s mother Rachel suffered extreme barrenness as did Sarah, her ancestress. It can easily be said that most of the troubles suffered by Jacob and his family were a direct consequence of Rachel’s barrenness and her efforts to overcome it!
Now, we are brought to the suffering of Jochebed! Exodus 1:22 sets the stage for her suffering. Pharaoh decreed that all male babies were to be thrown into the river, obviously to their death. Thus, when Jochebed’s baby was born, he was born into a world where there was a death sentence upon him. Can you imagine the agony she had during the nine months of her pregnancy?! Once Moses was born, she was able to nurture him for three short months and then the inevitable decision came. Knowing she could no longer hide him, she did what would rip any mother’s heart to shreds. She placed him in an ark and set him afloat on a river! Can you imagine setting your newborn infant afloat on a river? The grief must have been overwhelming knowing that he would surely die. And no matter how he died, whether by beasts or exposure, the death would be a miserable one for the lad. But, as with many of the other mothers who bore a man-child into the world, Moses’ mother had to suffer not only the physical pain of childbirth, but also the agony within her soul, knowing that the specter of death shrouded her little baby. Therefore, as you can see, thematically, Moses fulfilled the criterion of being born to a woman in great travail.
A Man-Child is Someone of Very Low Status Who Will Be Exalted to a Position of Authority, Power, Dominion and Rulership
One of the themes that characterizes the life of a man-child is his exaltation from a lowly state to becoming one who exercises Adonai’s authority and dominion. This theme was developed for us by connecting Revelation 12:5 to Psalm 2:9. Revelation 12:5 informs us that the man-child of this verse will be given authority to rule over the nations.
She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne (Revelation 12:5).
Revelation 12:5 is simply a reference to Psalm 2:8-9:
Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Lastly, Psalm 2 is thematically connected to Psalm 8:3-6:
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, 4 what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? 5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet.
Taken together, these passages teach us that Adonai’s man-child will be exalted from a lowly status to inherit Adonai’s authority. Some may say, “But Psalm 2:8-9 is a messianic prophecy, applying only to Yeshua!” To that I say Psalm 2 surely is a messianic prophecy pertaining to Yeshua’s exaltation from the status of a lowly human being to Lord of all. But, Psalm 2:8-9 has a dual fulfillment in that it also applies to the man-child of Revelation 12, who is synonymous with the overcomers of Revelation 2-3. Proof that Psalm 2:8-9 is not exclusively a messianic prophecy but also pertains to other human beings can be found in Yeshua’s own words!
And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; they shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels—as I also have received from My Father . . . (Revelation 2:26-27).
Thus, Yeshua himself quoted a portion of Psalm 2:8-9 verbatim and applied it not to Himself, but to other people!
Moses was born a slave and later in life he was forced to flee Egypt as a fugitive wanted for murder. Not exactly the typical source for kingly stature. Finally, Moses spent forty years in the wilderness as a shepherd. Shepherds were particularly despised by the Egyptians.
“that you shall say, ‘Your servants’ occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians” (Genesis 46:34).
It is from this lowly status that Adonai raised up Moses as a prince in Israel! Just like Joseph, Moses was exalted from the lowest of states to a position of preeminence. Notice how Joseph and Moses are thematically connected, in that both of them were raised from being lowly slaves to ones who would lead the covenant family in victory over all their enemies.
Moses was fully aware of his lowly status when Adonai called him to lead Israel out of Egypt. Realizing his poverty, Moses gave various reasons why Adonai should not choose him and pleaded with Adonai to choose someone else to rescue Israel.
Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:10-11).
As we listen to Moses say, “who am I,” should we not connect that to Psalm 8:4 where it says, “what is man that you are mindful of him?” These phrases and their connections to one another reinforce the theme that Moses was one of lowly stature. Moses, aware of his lackluster life, continually pleaded with Adonai to choose someone else for the important task of leading Israel out of Egypt, and he was quick to mention every one of his weaknesses (that are unbecoming of a leader) so that he would not have to deliver Israel from Egypt. But Adonai would have none of it! Therefore, as you can see, thematically, Moses fulfilled the criterion of one who was of lowly status before being exalted to a position of authority and dominion.
A Man-Child is Someone Given Authority to Exercise Dominion on Adonai’s Behalf
I’ve already listed the verses demonstrating that the man-child of Revelation 12:5 will be given authority to exercise dominion on Adonai’s behalf. This theme is the predominant theme that identifies someone as a man-child! Of the five themes I’ve noted from Revelation 12:1-5, it is this theme of exercising Adonai’s authority that is preeminent and must be present in the life of a forerunner of the Revelation 12:5 man-child. The reason will soon become clear and has everything to do with the mission of the man-child. As we look to Moses’ life, we can clearly see that he was given authority and power like no other human on earth. When Adonai first called Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt, He anointed him with power. Although Moses was born into slavery as an infant, Adonai began his exaltation immediately by having Pharaoh’s daughter adopt him, where he was raised in the household of the Egyptians, the number one world superpower of the time.
In Exodus 4, Adonai gave Moses three signs to perform in front of Israel if they did not believe he was sent by Adonai. The first sign was the ability to change a rod into a snake and back again. The second sign was the ability to turn his hand leprous and then to restore it. Lastly, he was given the ability to turn water into blood. These were the first installments of Adonai’s power and authority given to His man-child.
In order for Moses to understand his new status as a man-child, one anointed with Adonai’s power and authority, Adonai gave Moses a simple illustration of his newly-exalted status, letting him know that he will be like a God to Pharaoh!
Now you shall speak to him (Aaron) and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. 16 So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God (Exodus 4:15-16).
So the LORD said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet (Exodus 7:1).
Notice how the Scriptures note Moses’ exalted status once Adonai chose him and imbued him with power and authority. The lowly slave had been exalted to God-like status before Pharaoh, the epitome of exaltation! As the story of the Exodus continued, Adonai anointed Moses with ever-increasing authority and power. Thus, at the word of Moses, or by the lifting of his hand, he was able to inflict the most devastating plagues upon Egypt to the point that Pharaoh’s servants recognized that Egypt was virtually destroyed!
Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?” (Exodus 10:7).
Moses continued to exercise authority and power like no other man on earth. One of the greatest miracles ever performed by a human being was the splitting of the Red Sea, which occurred by Moses lifting up his staff-laden hand:
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left (Exodus 14:21-22).
Throughout the wilderness wanderings Moses performed miracle after miracle, demonstrating Adonai’s power and that he was a true man-child and forerunner of the man-child of Revelation 12:1-5, exercising Adonai’s authority and power on His behalf. Please notice the last sentences in the book of Deuteronomy which summarize the authority, greatness and power of Moses, the man born a slave, but exalted to the highest position of leadership as a man-child!
But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 in all the signs and wonders which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, 12 and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel (Deuteronomy 34:10-12).
Therefore, as you can see, thematically, Moses fulfilled the criterion of one given authority and power to exercise on Adonai’s behalf.
Adonai Will Supernaturally Preserve the Life of the Man-Child, Protecting Him from the Wiles and Destructive Schemes of the Serpent
Revelation 12:1-5 informs us that the serpent will be waiting for the birth of the man-child in order to kill him as soon as he is born. The picture is clear. According to Revelation 12:4b the dragon “stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.” Thematically, this is exactly the scenario immediately before Moses’ birth. The devil knew Adonai would deliver Israel by anointing someone from among them to lead them out of bondage. In order to “devour the child as soon as it was born,” he influenced Pharaoh to have the midwives destroy any Hebrew newborn that was a male.
Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one was Shiphrah and the name of the other Puah; 16 and he said, “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live” (Exodus 1:15-16).
However, the midwives did not obey Pharaoh’s command and let the male children live. Because of this, Pharaoh commanded, “Every son who is born you shall cast into the river.” Notice that Pharaoh’s attack was on any son that was born! Why? Because the devil was trying to prevent the birth of the man-child, Moses, by using Pharaoh to do his bidding. The devil’s primary concern is to kill any would be man-child as soon as he’s born so that he doesn’t have to deal with him later as an adult filled with Adonai’s power and authority. Actually, Moses’ birth is also a prophecy of Yeshua’s birth. Remember that soon after Yeshua’s birth, Herod had all the male children who were two years old and younger slain. This again was a satanic plot to destroy Yeshua, Adonai’s consummate man-child, at birth.
Once again, we can see how Moses is a perfect thematic fit for the man-child of Revelation 12. Not that Moses is the man-child of Revelation 12, because he isn’t. The point is that the man-child of Revelation 12 is the last man-child in a long list of people who thematically fulfill the criteria of the man-child. And, as I’ve said before, this is the reason so many people presume the man-child of Revelation 12 is Yeshua. The problem is at a minimum, two-fold. First, sometimes people assume the man-child of Revelation is Yeshua because group think and lazy exegesis. Secondly, people have not realized that there are other people in the Bible who bear the marks of a man-child. Hopefully, these teachings will help you understand these things.
A Man-Child Will Be in a Deadly Conflict with the Serpent and the Seed of the Serpent
In previous articles, we’ve seen that Revelation 12 is a direct fulfillment of Genesis 3:15:
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15).
Revelation 12 and Genesis 3:15 teach us that Adonai’s man-child will be in conflict with the serpent and the seed of the serpent. Moses’ battle with the serpent and his seed started at his birth, but it continued well into his life. The devil’s enmity against Moses picks up again in Exodus 2. Here, we read of how Moses killed an Egyptian and hid his corpse in the sand. The next day, when he tried to break up a fight between two Hebrews, the one who was in the wrong said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us?” Does that verse sound familiar? It should. We read a similar verse in Genesis 37:8:
And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.
As you can see, just as Joseph’s brothers hated him and could not fathom being under Joseph’s leadership, so likewise, this Hebrew slave did not want to subject himself to Moses’ rule. You will remember, when I proved to you that Joseph was a man-child, I noted how sometimes the devil will use relatives of the man-child to persecute him and deter him from fulfilling his role as a man-child. Such was also the case with Moses! The devil used Moses’ own people, just as he used Joseph’s own brothers to try to thwart Adonai’s plan in his life. This enmity against a man-child by his own people is simply one of the manifestations of the enmity of the seed where the devil will provoke enmity against a man-child even from those who should know better. The same pattern was seen in Cain’s persecution of Abel, Ishmael’s enmity against Isaac and Esau’s hatred of Jacob!
As noted earlier, the enmity of the seed is an enmity to the death. The serpent will used the seed of the serpent to try to kill Adonai’s man-child. Such happened with Moses also. Once he had killed the Egyptian, Scripture informs us that Pharaoh sought to kill Moses.
When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well (Exodus 2:15).
Therefore, as you can see, thematically, Moses is in a deadly conflict with the serpent and his seed.
Setting the Stage for Understanding Moses’ Work as a Forerunner of the Man-Child of Revelation 12
Let’s spend a moment and review a portion of an article I wrote entitled, The Torah and the Rapture. In that article, I posited the following:
Next, let’s look at the specific stories Paul said were so significant to the last generation. 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 is a clear reference to the splitting of the Red Sea. 1 Corinthians 10:3-4 is a reference to Adonai’s provision of bread and water to Am Yisrael (the people of Israel) once they had left Egypt. 1 Corinthians 10:5-10 is a reference to events that occurred during their wilderness journeys as recorded in the book of Numbers. Paul stated that these events are the ones that were written for the benefit of the last generation. Taken together, these events comprised two important phases of Am Yisrael’s history—their exodus from Egypt and journey to the Promised Land. So what’s the connection between these events and the last generation? The exodus from Egypt and the journey to the Promised Land were simply prophetic shadows of a greater exodus and journey which is to occur in the last days. I believe the story of the exodus of Am Yisrael from Egypt, culminating in their arrival, conquest and settlement in the land of Canaan, is a foreshadowing of the exodus of the last generation of Adonai's people from the world into the Millennial Kingdom.[1]
The theme of exile from one’s ancestral plot of land is one of the most important and powerful themes in the Bible. If you have been reading articles by RTM, you will already be aware of this fact. This theme was first introduced to us in the story of Adam and Eve, when, as a result of their sin, they were banished from the Garden of Eden. In other words, they were banished from their ancestral plot of land where they lived in communion with Adonai. We’ve also seen how their story is a prophetic picture of what would happen to the children of Israel. They too were banished from their ancestral plot of land as a result of their sins. Such has been the case for the past 6,000 years. Adonai’s people, all of His people, not just those of Israelite blood, but all people who have ever exercised saving faith in Adonai, have lived in exile on this earth, away from His direct presence. Just as Israel lived in bondage to the Egyptians, so likewise, all believers of every age have lived in exile from Adonai’s presence. All of human history is being catapulted to the future where this will no longer be true. Instead, every true believer in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be resurrected (or changed), taken out of this antagonistic world and brought to live with Him in His kingdom (see 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 and 50-57). See the parallel? Beautiful, isn’t it? As long as we live on this earth apart from Adonai dwelling on the earth with His kingdom ruling and reigning, we are in exile! This is why the Bible constantly refers to us as pilgrims simply passing through this present evil age.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth (Hebrews 11:13).
Please note the similarities between Israel’s predicament as slaves in a foreign land and the precarious situation believers of all generations have found themselves while living in “exile” from our God and the physical manifestation of His kingdom.
Israel lived in a foreign land, separated from her God. This is thematically connected to the saved believers of every generation who have lived in exile from Adonai, living on this present earth apart from His literal presence with His kingdom ruling over the nations.
But God spoke in this way: that his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into bondage and oppress them four hundred years (Acts 7:6).
By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise (Hebrews 11:9).
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia (1 Peter 1:1).
For our citizenship is in heaven (not on this present earth ruled by the kingdoms of men), from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20).
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth (Hebrews 11:13).
Israel’s Egyptian taskmasters hated, subjugated, persecuted, and abused them. This is thematically connected to how the saved believers of every generation have been hated, subjugated, persecuted, and abused by the serpent and the seed of the serpent.
Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. 14 And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward
they shall come out with great possessions (Genesis 15:13-14).Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel. 13 So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. 14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor (Exodus 1:11-14).
And you shall answer and say before the LORD your God: ‘My father was a Syrian, about to perish, and he went down to Egypt and dwelt there, few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us (Deuteronomy 26:5-6).
You shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel (2 Kings 9:7).
And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth” (Revelation 18:24).
Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us (Hebrews 11:35-40).
For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her” (Revelation 19:2).
Adonai heard the groaning and cries of His people that were brought on by their oppressors and was moved to compassion to deliver them from oppression, rescue them and bring them to a place where He would dwell with them, protect them and provide for them.
And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows . . . Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them (Exodus 3:7-9).
And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant (Exodus 6:5).
Then we cried out to the LORD God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression (Deuteronomy 26:7).
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Revelation
6:10).“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people” (Deuteronomy 32:43).
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying,
“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death,
nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:1-4).And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? 8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:7-8).
Isn’t the prophetic picture clear? The nation of Israel is a prophetic picture of all saints from every generation. Israel, away from her ancestral plot of land, was oppressed for centuries by the cultish Egyptians. But there was an appointed time that Adonai had set when He would burst onto the scene, defeat Israel’s enemies and rescue her and bring her to Himself where He would provide for her every need. This, my friends, is the story of life on planet earth, ever since the beginning with Adam and Eve. All who have trusted in Adonai since the foundation of the earth have been oppressed and persecuted by the serpent and the seed of the serpent. This has gone on from time immemorial. The story of the exodus of the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage and their travel through the wilderness wanderings to inherit the Promised Land is nothing more than the story of the final exodus of Adonai’s people from the bondage of our spiritual Egypt, the systems of the world, and our travel through the wilderness of the tribulation tests and trials to inherit the Promised Land of the millennial kingdom! Therefore, the story of the Exodus is the text that defines the who, what, when, where, why and how of the events in the book of Revelation!
Let’s consider this point further. The goal of the Exodus was to take Israel out of Egypt and bring them to the Promised Land. So likewise, the goal in the book of Revelation is to bring Adonai’s people out and bring them into the millennial kingdom, the Promised Land of all the saints of all time. Here’s where our analogy really pays dividends. Let me ask you a question. Did all of the children of Israel want to leave Egypt? The answer is a big fat, NO! Remember some of these complaints?
Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt?” (Exodus 14:11).
And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, “Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” (Exodus 17:3).
“Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” (Numbers 14:3).
As you can see, many times the people wanted to return to what was familiar to them—Egypt. Let me ask you another question. After Israel’s seventy-year exile to Babylon, when Adonai told the people to leave Babylon and return to Israel, did they all leave and return to Eretz Yisrael (the land of Israel)? No, they didn’t! Most of the Jews stayed in Babylon! While some may have had legitimate reasons to not attempt the arduous journey back to Israel, many simply found life easier in Babylon and decided to stay.
The same situation will be played out in the book of Revelation. Many of Adonai’s people will not want to “leave Egypt,” or “leave Babylon”! Many, like the captive exiles of king Nebuchadnezzar, will want to remain in Babylon. The most often used expression during the account of the Exodus is, “Let my people go.” However, the corollary to that expression in the book of Revelation is, “Come out of her my people!”
Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness’ ” (Exodus 5:1).
And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4).
In fact, the phrase, “Come out of her, my people” spoken in Revelation 18, has its origins in the book of Jeremiah!
“Flee from the midst of Babylon, and every one save his life! Do not be cut off in
her iniquity, for this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance; He shall recompense her” (Jeremiah 51:6).“Move from the midst of Babylon, go out of the land of the Chaldeans; and be like the rams before the flocks” (Jeremiah 50:8).
“My people, go out of the midst of her! And let everyone deliver himself from the fierce anger of the LORD” (Jeremiah 51:45).
Is it not plain to see that Revelation 18:4 has been taken from Jeremiah 50-51? In fact, notice how well Jeremiah 51:6-8 matches what you read about mystery Babylon in Revelation 18!
Jeremiah 51:6—Flee from the midst of Babylon, and every one save his life . . .
Revelation 18:4—And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people . . .”
Jeremiah 51:6—“Do not be cut off in her iniquity . . .”
Revelation 18:4—“lest you share in her sins . . .”
Jeremiah 51:6—For this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance; He shall recompense her.
Revelation 18:20—“Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”
Jeremiah 51:7—Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, that made all the earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore the nations are deranged.
Revelation 17:4 and 18:3—The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication . . . 18:3—For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Jeremiah 51:8—Babylon has suddenly fallen and been destroyed. Wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed.
Revelation 18:2 and 15—Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen . . . 15 The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing . . .
So, once again, as you can see, the Torah has provided the thematic backdrop for the story of the book of Revelation. By making these connections we are able to understand the backstory of what’s really going on in the book of Revelation!
Moses, the Quintessential Forerunner of the Man-Child of Revelation 12
This article has brought us to this one point. Moses, more than any other character I can think of in the Bible, fulfills the prophetic foreshadowing of the Revelation 12 man-child! In the previous article concerning Joseph and his status as a man-child, I mentioned that the primary focus of Joseph’s life, as a man-child, was to prefigure Yeshua and teach us about Him, his life, person and mission. In contrast, I posit to you that Moses’ status as a man-child has been given to us primarily to prefigure the man-child of Revelation 12 and to teach us about the man-child’s mission during the tribulation period! The proof? It’s in the fact that Moses fits the prophecy of Revelation 12 more than any other character! Remember, the entire premise of these series of articles is that we can learn about the mission and ministry of the Revelation 12 man-child by simply finding those who are their prophetic forerunners. Once we know someone is a forerunner of the man-child of Revelation 12, we simply need to see how Adonai used them. Remember, the primary theme associated with any man-child is the authority and power Adonai gives them. So, let’s see how Moses used that power and authority, for it will give us a glimpse into the ministry of the man-child/144,000!
Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, and gave them a command for the children of Israel and for Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt (Exodus 6:13).
Moses’ primary task was to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt! He was charged with leading them out of Egypt. The same will occur during the tribulation. Adonai will use the 144,000 (the man-child) to lead His people out of “Egypt/Babylon.”
Although time does not permit in this article, I have much more to say about Moses and his role as a forerunner of the man-child of Revelation 12. I will share those thoughts with you soon!
[1] Tony Robinson, The Torah and the Rapture, 2005, https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/0da55621/files/uploaded/4ZW5Bbv3Tz2gNtsgeqkL_The%2520Torah%2520and%2520the%2520Rapture.pdf.