God’s Verbal Interaction with Man, Part Seven
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Moses and the Congregation
In the Koran, Allah is said to not directly verbally communicate with mankind. In the Holy Bible, however, God is said to have verbally communicated with several men. I would like to consider them in this series and one in particular in this writing: Moses and the Congregation of Israel.
THE KORANIC ACCOUNT
It is beneath the dignity of Allah to condescend to speak to a mortal with the exception of disclosing information or from behind a covering hidden from view or by dispatching a messenger who reveals with His permission what He pleases; certainly He is Exalted and exercises good judgment (Surah 42:51).
Allah made direct contact with Moses when speaking to him (Surah 4:164).
There is no comprehension of Allah’s character among those who say that Allah has never revealed anything to any mortal human (Surah 6:91).
Children of Israel, recall the approval and support I (Allah) have given you and raised you in status and dignity above all the other nations of the earth (Surah 2:47).
The Christ, son of Mary, was only a servant who carried messages; servants like him had died before him. His mother was a devout woman. They both ate food from the earth (Surah 5:75).
Say: Praise be to Allah! He has not begotten a son nor has he a partner in the kingdom. He has no helper due to any weakness. Proclaim Allah’s greatness, exalt him (Surah 17:111).
COMMENTARY ON THE KORANIC ACCOUNT
According to the Koran, Allah does not lower himself to speak directly to mortals. He may reveal something of new significance to someone but not usually. He will hide himself behind a sheet or send a messenger to deliver the message he wants to send people. Such as when Gabriel was sent to speak to Muhammad in order to reveal Allah’s word to him.
The Koran contradicts itself when it says that Allah does not speak openly to mortals. Then it says that Allah spoke directly to Moses. Moses was a mortal who Allah spoke to without something between them.
The fact that Israel exists today and has defeated all of its neighbors in war should be proof to them that Israel is in fact exalted by Allah over them. This is a revelation of Allah’s power and Himself whether they realize it or not.
According to the commentary on the Koran by Maulana Muhammad Ali in his translation of The Holy Qur’an he writes that, being hungry and the eating of food reveals that both Jesus and his mother were common mortals. Everything alive needs food for nourishment; the Supreme Being alone has no need of food. Since Jesus is clearly portrayed as having eaten food while alive, it would not be possible for Jesus to remain alive without food. Surah 5:75 shows that Jesus is not still alive (The Holy Qur’an page 271). This is in direct conflict with the Koran where it says that Jesus was not crucified but Allah caught Jesus up or exalted him in the divine presence (Surah 4:157,158).
In Turin, Italy there is a burial shroud with the superimposed picture of a man who had been beaten and then crucified with his blood all over the shroud. The blood has never decayed. This my friend is the sign of Deity for the whole world to see. On the Day of Judgment it will witness against all who will not believe in Jesus as divine.
The Koran clearly states that Allah has neither son nor a helper due to weakness. When is having a son a sign of weakness?” Isn’t having a son a sign of strength? If Allah does not have a helper due to weakness could he have one due to strength? What is Gabriel to Allah if not a helper? Yet he is a created being and not deity. Is not the Holy Spirit in the Koran part deity and part angelic (Surah 19:14)” What, then, is so wrong with the Son and Holy Spirit being each totally God equal with God the Father and comprising one God?
BIBLICAL ACCOUNT
And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp. And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle. And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door. And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle (Exodus 33:7-11).
And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, (Deuteronomy 34:10).
The Lord your God will raise up unto you a Prophet from the midst of you (Israel), of your brethren, like unto me (Moses); unto him you shall hearken; (Deuteronomy 18:15).
And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead (Matthew 17:1-9).
All things are delivered to me (Jesus) of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him (Luke 10:22).
COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT
On the journey in the wilderness God came down in a pillar of a cloud and spoke face to face with Moses in the presence of the congregation of Israel. Moses represented the people before God. The meeting of Moses with God was not obscure but public.
There was to arise from the congregation of Israel another who spoke face to face with God. This is shown by the Biblical comment that there arose not another prophet like unto Moses in Israel who knew the Lord face to face.
The other prophet who arose from the congregation of Israel who knew the Lord face to face was Jesus. God the Father witnessed that Jesus was His Son to Peter, James, and John on the Mount of Transfiguration. He even said that they were to listen to Jesus. This is what Moses had said many years earlier: “To Him you will hearken.” In being the Son of God, Jesus had prior existence as God before birth; He had of course spoken with God face to face at that time.
Jesus said, “No man knows the Father but the Son and no man knows the Son but the Father.” This shows an exclusive intimate relationship between the Father and the Son. “The Father reveals to people the Son and the Son reveals to people the Father.” This means that for a correct knowledge and understanding of God; Divine revelation is needed. The Holy Bible is that Divine revelation and the Holy Spirit has to instruct us.
COMPARING & CONTRASTING THE KORAN WITH SCRIPTURE
In the Koran we read that Allah does not directly communicate with humans even though it does admit that Allah communicated with Moses. What the Koran seems to leave out is some of the details like communicating with the entire congregation of Israel. Allah is said to have honored Israel above all the other nations. What other nation has ever had God speak to them all at one time as Israel has. This is indeed a great honor. No other nation will ever match it. Ever!
The Koran claims that Jesus is not the Son of God, yet in the Holy Bible God the Father claimed that Jesus is His Son in the presence of witnesses; Peter, James, and John. Moses and Elisha, who had died many years earlier, were also their speaking to Jesus.
God appears to be quite intimate with the human race.
CONCLUSION
Which God would you prefer to serve: the one who will not humble himself to meet with mortal man, or the One who is humble enough Himself to meet with mortal man?
God so loved people, you and me, that he sent His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Wouldn’t you rather have everlasting life than to perish?
REFERENCES
The Koran’s passages is a paraphrase of several English translations.
The Koran, translated by N.J. Dawood: A Penguin Classic
The Qur’an, translated by M.H. Shakir: Tahrike Tarsile Qur’an, Inc.
The Holy Qur’an, translated by Maulana Muhammad Ali: Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at Lahore Inc. U.S.A.
The Koran, translated by Marmaduke Pickthall: Everyman’s Library
The Holy Bible is partly paraphrased from the King James Version
The Liberty Annotated Study Bible: Liberty University & Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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