Islam - The Summit of Religious Evolution — Page 44
44 The same message is repeated in the same book. God says to Moses: 15 "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die". From these passages it is evident that Moses prophesied the advent of a Law-giving Prophet who was to appear after him, and who was to be from among the brethren of Israel. That he was to be a Law-giver, and not an ordinary Prophet is obvious from the words like unto Moses. As Moses brought a new Law for his people, the Prophet who was to be like Moses must also bring a Law for his people. The Promised Prophet is described as one who shall speak unto them all that I [God} shall command him. It is thus obvious that the Promised Prophet was to be a Law-giving Prophet. The promulgation of a new Law means the initiation of a new movement, a new nation. A Prophet who promulgates a new Law, therefore, is no ordinary teacher or reformer. He has to present a comprehensive teaching, incorporating fundamental principles as well as detailed rules. Without such comprehensive details, a new nation cannot be raised. It is important to note that this promised prophet would reveal all that I should commanded him. However, if the Prophet is only required to explain and annotate an existing Law, it is not necessary for him to present all that he receives from God to his people. It is possible that some of his revelations may be meant only for his personal edification, which he is under no obligation to pass on to his people. The above prophecy also lays down that the Promised Prophet will speak in my name , and those who will not listen to him, God will require it of them; that is, those who turn a deaf ear will incur Divine punishment. It is also stated that a false claimant to this prophecy will suffer an accursed death. If all the terms of the prophecy are considered and applied to prophets who appeared after Moses and before Jesus, none appear to fulfill the description of the Promised Prophet. All the Prophets who appeared between Moses and Jesus, therefore, could be ignored in the search for the Prophet of this prophecy. These intervening prophets have left no following and no people who could espouse their claims. Only Jesus remains with a large following and whom his followers regard as the last Divine Teacher for this world. However when each condition of this prophecy is applied to Jesus, it becomes obvious that not one of them applies to him. A detailed discussion of this Biblical prophecy follows. First, the Promised Prophet was to be a Law-giving Prophet. Jesus was not a Law-giving prophet by his own admission: 16 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.