The Parallel Lives of Moses and Elijah... and Jesus

In the last year of Jesus’ earthly ministry, a remarkable scene unfolded. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record that Jesus climbed a mountain to pray with his three closest disciples. The last city he had been in was Caesarea Philippi (Mt 16:13), so the nearby Mount Hermon was likely where it took place. Hermon’s towering peak is routinely covered in snow during the winter, so it certainly fits Matthew’s description of a “high mountain” (Mt 17:1). Getting away to pray wasn’t an uncommon occurrence for Jesus (Lk 5:16). However, when the disciples climbed the mountain for another all-night prayer session, it’s safe to say they probably didn’t expect to meet anyone along the way, let alone two legendary prophets from ages past.

Before long, Jesus’ appearance changed drastically. 

As [Jesus] was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. (Lk 9:29-31)

It was like the doors to the Kingdom of Heaven opened and both the light and inhabitants of that supernatural world entered ours. Biblical scholars call this event the Transfiguration. Matthew records that Jesus was so bright “his face shone like the sun” (Mt 17:2), while Mark adds that “his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them” (Mk 9:3). However, perhaps the most striking occurrence was the appearance of two Old Testament prophets with him. Never before had dead men miraculously appeared in the flesh. The disciples, naturally, were terrified. Peter blurted out that he should pitch tents for them all to stay. However, before he could act on that, “a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, ‘This is my beloved Son; listen to him’” (Mk 9:7). After this, the two legendary prophets had disappeared and Jesus and his bewildered disciples were once again alone.

Wild, right? Now, there’s a lot to explore in this extraordinary passage, but here the question we’ll focus on is about Moses and Elijah. I mean, why them? There are dozens of people in the Bible who could have met with Christ that night, each with an equally impressive spiritual heritage. Take Adam for example. He was the first man on earth and represented all of us when he sinned in Eden. Both he and Jesus were literally the sons of God. One ushered sin into the world, while the other paid for it all with his blood (“as one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous,” Rom 5:19). So why not Adam? Noah would also have been a great choice for the Transfiguration. He was the only righteous man on the face of the earth before the flood, and he was instrumental in God re-creating mankind after it. Meeting Jesus, who was about to re-create the family of God with his death and resurrection, would’ve been fitting. Or Abraham, the father of all who have faith. Jesus’ work on the cross ultimately fulfilled the promises made to him. Why not him? Or David, the ancestor of Christ himself and the greatest king Israel had ever known? It would’ve been a rags-to-riches story of how the little shepherd-boy saw his distant grandson save the world. Or what about the women in Jesus’ ancestry - Sarah, Rebekah, Ruth, and the rest? Everyone enjoys quality time with their grandmas. And let's not forget about the great prophet Jeremiah. He suffered enormously for his prophecies, which were often delivered as parables. Like Jesus, he was rejected by the religious authorities his whole life. Why not meet the one he'd been foreshadowing? 

As you can see, there are many people who would have been excellent choices to meet face-to-face with Jesus. So why Moses and Elijah? Sure, they played pivotal roles in God’s plan for his people, but the Bible is full of people like that. And why only them? Why not a dozen of the most prominent figures in biblical history? Well, the answer may be because of their similarities. In fact, of all the people in the Bible, Moses and Elijah had the most in common with one another, both with regard to their lives and ministries. In fact, one might argue that no two prophets are more similar to one another, and that those same similarities foreshadowed the life of Christ hundreds of years later. 

Let’s explore these two men, how they relate to Jesus, and how it all applies to us today.

SIMILAR TO ONE ANOTHER

Moses was born sometime between 1600 and 1300 BC, during a time when the whole nation of Israel was enslaved in Egypt. He narrowly escaped execution as an infant when Pharaoh decided to cull the Hebrew population, but then, ironically, he was raised as a prince in the royal court. After murdering an Egyptian he found beating a fellow Hebrew, Moses fled to Midian. However, he was later called to lead his people out from slavery in Egypt and deliver them to their new home in Canaan. In dramatic fashion, he did just that. Through miracles in Egypt, the parting of the sea, more miracles in the wilderness, military victories, and the transcription of the Law, Moses led Israel for over four decades right to the doorstep of the Promised Land. However, before he set foot on the ground he’d been walking towards his whole life, he left the earth. His successor, Joshua, took over where Moses left off, leading Israel across the Jordan River into Canaan. 

Generations later, Elijah spent the majority of his life in the land Moses was never able to enter. Born around 900 BC, Elijah was never Israel’s political or religious leader. During his years of ministry, King Ahab sat on Israel’s throne, alongside his idolatrous wife Jezebel, who both encouraged Israel in the worship of false gods. Elijah roamed the land as a prophet, preaching against idolatry. As with Moses, miracles were commonplace. The pinnacle of Elijah’s ministry was a contest between Baal and the Lord. While the nation looked on, the prophets of Baal cried in vain for supernatural fire to consume their sacrifice. Nothing happened. However, when Elijah called on the Lord to do the same, no sooner were the words out of his mouth than fire fell from heaven and devoured everything, even the stones of the altar. At the end of his life, Elijah was miraculously swept up into heaven, with his place taken by his successor Elisha.

Despite ministering to Israel during vastly different periods in its history, Moses and Elijah share many similarities, arguably more than any other two prophets in the Old Testament. At both times, the nation was morally bankrupt. In Egypt, Israel’s national identity was virtually non-existent. A nation of slaves, Israel was just another ethnic group becoming assimilated into the all-consuming Egyptian empire. Even after their exodus, they fell into idolatry just like their Canaanite neighbors (Ex 32). Similarly, in Elijah’s time, King Ahab had led Israel so far away from God that their national identity was almost beyond repair (1 Ki 16:29-34). They disregarded Moses’ sacred laws and worshiped false gods, and as a result they were attacked on all sides. Israel seemed like just another pagan nation in Palestine. Thus, at the times of both Moses and Elijah, the people of Israel were spiritually lost, which is exactly what prompted the Lord to send these two prophets to his people. Moses was sent to command Pharaoh to “let my people go” (Ex 5:1). Elijah was sent to confront Ahab regarding his abandonment of the Lord and idolatry toward Baal (1 Ki 18:18). Unfortunately, both their messages fell on deaf ears. Pharoah repeatedly refused to release his slaves and Ahab refused to heed the words of the prophets, even after his own death was predicted (1 Ki 22). 

Life wasn’t easy for either of them, with both experiencing rejection many times. Moses’ own brother and sister spoke against him, until a sudden case of leprosy smartened them up (Num 12). Upon scouting out the Promised Land, the whole nation rebelled against Moses’ leadership, preferring instead to return to slavery in Egypt. It was only Moses’ selfless intercession that saved Israel from being completely wiped out (Num 14). Soon afterward, Moses faced yet another rebellion - this time the Lord caused the earth itself to swallow up the guilty parties (Num 16). Elijah, after the enormous success of Mount Carmel, was nearly killed by the wicked queen Jezebel. Terrified, he fled to neighboring Judah and was so distraught he begged the Lord to die (1 Ki 19:1-4). Moses also ran for his life (Ex 2:15) and was so upset at the pressure of caring for God’s people that he too asked to die (Num 11:15). Nothing seemed to come easy for either of them.

Fasting for forty days is only mentioned twice in the Old Testament. Moses did it while receiving the terms of God’s covenant with Israel on Mount Sinai (Ex 34:28) and Elijah while journeying to Mount Horeb (1 Ki 19:8). Coincidentally, these two mountains may be one and the same (Ps 106:19), and it was here that they both encountered the glory of God. 

Miracles, miracles, miracles. Supernatural signs occurred often around both of these men. Moses performed wonders to prove his divine appointment: his staff turned into a snake, then back into a staff; his hand became leprous, then healed; and water from the Nile was turned to blood (Ex 4:3-9,31; Ex 7:9-10). Moses unleashed ten devastating plagues on Egypt, culminating in the first Passover (Ex 7-12). After Israel’s escape, Moses miraculously purified undrinkable water in the wilderness (Ex 15:23-26). Other times, when no water could be found, he made it flow from a rock (Ex 17:1-17; Num 20:10-13). Centuries later, Elijah ushered in three and a half years of drought so severe that even dew wouldn’t form on the ground (1 Ki 17:1-7); it only ended when he gave the word (1 Ki 18). However, during that time, he fed a poor widow with a never-ending jar of flour and jug of oil (1 Ki 17:7-16). Elijah also performed the first resurrection in the Bible (1 Ki 17:17-24), while his successor Elisha was responsible for the second and third (2 Ki 4:18-37; 13:21). Both Moses and Elijah were fed supernaturally - Moses and the people of Israel ate manna and quail (Ex 16, Num 11); Elijah was fed by ravens (1 Ki 17:1-6). Both of them parted bodies of water to cross on dry ground - Moses the Sea of Reeds (Ex 14) and Elijah the Jordan River (2 Ki 2:8). Both of their successors also miraculously parted waters (Josh 3; 2 Ki 2:14). We already mentioned Elijah’s sacrifice being consumed with fire on Mount Carmel, but the same thing happened to Moses’ sacrifice (Lev 9:24). They also both witnessed the fiery judgment of God: Aaron’s two sons, Nadab and Abihu, were put to death by the Lord with supernatural fire (Lev 10:2), while two bands of fifty soldiers were similarly killed when they tried to apprehend Elijah (1 Ki 1:9-12).

One of the most striking similarities between Moses and Elijah is how they left this world. Moses climbed a mountain alone and was never seen again (Deut 34). On Elijah’s last day, he was separated from Elisha by blazing chariots and horses - the army of the Lord - and then whisked away into heaven by a whirlwind (2 Ki 2:1-12). In both cases, their bodies were never found. Fifty men searched for three days for Elijah to no avail (2 Ki 2:15-18), and the book of Jude records a strange argument between the angel Michael and the Devil about Moses’ body, presumably about its unknown location (Jude 9). 

After their departure, both men left highly capable successors to carry on their work. Joshua was Moses’ right-hand man for decades, and he led Israel on an unstoppable military campaign to seize Canaan. Elisha continued to minister to Israel as a prophet, just as Elijah had done. Miracles characterized both of their ministries too. 

So, despite being separated by hundreds of years and different geopolitical landscapes, Moses and Elijah had many similarities between their ministries, more so than any other two prophets in the Old Testament. Furthermore, in many of these same ways, their lives foreshadowed Jesus himself. 

SIMILAR TO JESUS

A prophet is someone who speaks the words of God. Their prophecies don't necessarily predict the future, they simply convey a message from the Lord to a particular audience. As such, Moses and Elijah definitely fit the bill as prophets in the Old Testament. In the same way, Jesus was easily the most prominent prophet in the New Testament. Of course, Jesus was also the physical image of God and the Savior of the world (a.k.a. the Messiah), but his role as a prophet shouldn’t be overlooked. Those who interacted with him routinely called him as such (Mt 21:11,46; Mk 6:15; Lk 7:16; Lk 24:19; Jn 4:19; Jn 9:17). Jesus was even referred to as the fulfillment of Moses’ prediction that “the Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers” (Acts 3:22; 7:37). Even Jesus hinted at his role as a prophet when he said of himself, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown” (Lk 4:24). 

Like many prophets, Jesus walked the earth during a time of spiritual bankruptcy in Israel. However, instead of blatant paganism and idol worship, the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ time were obsessed with their overly rigid religious system. Instead of using their religion to draw near to God, their hearts were actually far from him (Mt 15:7-9). Judaism was their idol. With their leaders preoccupied with obeying excessive rules (Mt 23:4) and accumulating wealth (Lk 16:14), the rest of the people were left like sheep without a shepherd (Mt 9:36). Like Moses, Elijah and every prophet before him, Jesus came into the world to draw the hearts of the people back to God. 

We don’t know about Elijah’s early life, but as infants Moses and Jesus were both in danger of being killed by their respective governments (Ex 1:22; Mt 2:16). We already discussed how Moses and Elijah were the only people in the Old Testament to fast for forty days; Jesus was the only one in the New Testament to do so. Did Jesus also journey through the wilderness to Mount Sinai/Horeb? We can only speculate where he found himself during that formative time before his ministry began (Lk 4:1). Jesus didn’t divide any waters, but he certainly demonstrated his mastery over the sea by walking upon its raging waves. 

Like any prophet, life wasn’t easy for Jesus. He was persecuted on every turn by the religious elite. His life (and death) was so difficult, Jesus also begged off his God-given role. Moses and Elijah wanted to die to be released from their calling, while Jesus wanted to not die (“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me,” Lk 22:42). Even the Son of God needed divine strengthening before he gave up his life on the cross (“There appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him,” Lk 22:43). 

As we mentioned, two dead men supernaturally appearing was completely unprecedented until the Transfiguration, but it wasn’t long before Jesus did the same thing. Still scarred from his crucifixion (Jn 20:25), he “presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3, ESV). Thus, all three of these great prophets appeared to others after their respective deaths.

A prophet’s main focus is the Kingdom of God, which exists anywhere his will is done. Of all the topics that Jesus taught about, God’s Kingdom was paramount. When he prayed “your kingdom come, your will be done” (Mt 6:10), he essentially said the same thing twice. Although he left the earth physically, Jesus’ work continues in the lives of believers all over the world. Every follower of Christ is his successor, tasked with the same mandate as every prophet who came before them: the expansion and fortification of our God’s Kingdom anywhere they may find themselves. Moses’ ministry ended with his successor Joshua, and Elijah’s with Elisha, but Jesus’ ministry is still ongoing thousands of years later in the lives of believers all over the world.

APPLICATION

Let’s put this all together. Looking back over the three lives we’ve examined, we can start to see why Moses and Elijah met with Jesus in the year leading up to his death. They’d been there. Their lives foreshadowed his, and their respective ministries were a taste of what was to come for Christ. It was difficult - the widespread idolatry, the rejection, and Israel hopelessly lost like “sheep without a shepherd” (Mt 9:36). The people were spiritually bankrupt. And yet, Christ’s ministry was exceedingly fruitful - frequent miracles, powerful preaching, poignant prophecies, and widespread repentance. Like the prophets who came before him, Jesus’ was anointed by God’s Holy Spirit (Lk 3:22). Even still, Jesus experienced a gut-wrenching reluctance to continue. He needed encouragement, whether from angels (Mt 4:11; Lk 22:43) or godly men who had walked a similar path. That may be why Moses and Elijah had the privilege of ministering to Jesus. That’s why their encouraging words were so effective. We’ll never know exactly what was said as they blazed with supernatural light, but their discussion about “his departure, which he was about to accomplish in Jerusalem” (Lk 9:31) must have been helpful in some way. 

We, as believers, are also prophets, called to speak light into the darkness. Moses felt inadequate to speak before Pharaoh (Ex 4) - perhaps he even felt inadequate to speak before Jesus! However, the Holy Spirit gave him powerful words over decades of ministry to Israel and also when he visited Christ on the mountain. In the same way, we may sometimes feel inadequate to speak the Lord’s words, but we need not worry. The Bible assures us that the Holy Spirit will help us when the time comes (Lk 12:12). 

Just like Jesus had Moses and Elijah to counsel and encourage him, we have similar resources in our local church. Congregations everywhere are full of spiritual brothers and sisters who have had similar experiences to us, who can relate to our current troubles. Following Christ is a team sport. Jesus wasn’t alone in his struggle, and neither are we. On our own journeys, let’s not be surprised if God sends along just the right person (i.e. a prophet) to speak just the right words (i.e. a prophecy) to encourage us. Similarly, let’s not be shy about speaking heartfelt words to one another - we may very well be that important person in someone else's time of need. The Bible says prophecy is a gift we should all pursue for this very reason (1 Cor 14:1-19), that is, for the edification of God’s people.

Let’s also not forget that all of this Kingdom work requires dedicated times of prayer. After all, that was the reason Jesus hiked up the mountain in the first place, to pray as he often did (Mt 14:23; Mk 6:46–47; Lk 5:16; Lk 6:12; Lk 22:39-44; Jn 6:15). It was during one of these seemingly routine times of prayer that he was met by two legendary prophets and received the strength to carry on. And Jesus wasn’t the only one to experience the supernatural during prayer - Daniel met with an angel while “speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God” (Dan 9:20-21), while Peter was on a rooftop praying when he received his revolutionary vision to bring the gospel to non-Jews (Acts 10). Dedicated times of prayer are integral to our spiritual health and effectiveness in the Kingdom of God.

So, just like Moses and Elijah who came before Jesus, we all have countless people who have walked a path similar to ours. By God’s grace, there’s help when we need it. We will also have the opportunity to speak into others’ lives when they need it most. The body of believers worldwide is a kingdom of priests and prophets, commissioned to mediate and communicate between God and his people. It all starts with prayer, continues with encouragement, and ends with God’s Kingdom coming to earth.

© D. B. Ryen Incorporated, February 2024.

All biblical references taken from The ESV Study Bible: English Standard Version. Crossway Bibles, 2008.