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  • Moses
    Aid to Bible Understanding
    • between these two great prophets, Moses and Jesus Christ. Both in infancy escaped the wholesale slaughter ordered by the respective rulers of their time. (Ex. 1:22; 2:1-10; Matt. 2:13-18) Moses was called out of Egypt with Jehovah’s “first-born,” the nation of Israel, Moses being the nation’s leader. Jesus was called out of Egypt as God’s firstborn Son. (Ex. 4:22, 23; Hos. 11:1; Matt. 2:15, 19-21) Both fasted for forty days in wilderness places. (Ex. 34:28; Matt. 4:1, 2) Both came in the name of Jehovah, Jesus’ name itself meaning “Salvation (or Help) of Jehovah.” (Ex. 3:13-16; Matt. 1:21; John 5:43) Jesus, like Moses, ‘declared the name of Jehovah.’ (Deut. 32:3; John 17:6, 26) Both were exceptional in meekness and humility. (Num. 12:3; Matt. 11:28-30) Both had the most convincing credentials that they were sent by God—astounding miracles of many sorts, Jesus Christ going farther than Moses by raising dead persons to life.—Ex. 14:21-31; Ps. 78:12-54; Matt. 11:5; Mark 5:38-43; Luke 7:11-15, 18-23.

      Moses was mediator of the Law covenant between God and the nation of Israel. Jesus was Mediator of the new covenant between God and the “holy nation,” the spiritual “Israel of God.” (1 Pet. 2:9; Gal. 6:16; Ex. 19:3-9; Luke 22:20; Heb. 8:6; 9:15) Both served as judges and lawgivers. (Ex. 18:13; Mal. 4:4; John 5:22, 23; 13:34; 15:10) Moses was entrusted with and proved faithful to his stewardship in the ‘house of God.’ Jesus likewise showed faithfulness in God’s house; Moses, however, did so as an attendant, Christ as a Son. (Num. 12:7; Heb. 3:2-6) And even in death there was a parallel, God disposing of the bodies of both Moses and Jesus.—Deut. 34:5, 6; Acts 2:31; Jude 9.

      After Moses took his stand as being a Hebrew rather than an Egyptian, Jehovah God anointed, that is to say, appointed Moses to be his prophet, and as such Moses was “the Christ” or “the Anointed (Appointed) One.” Jehovah’s spirit, of course, was upon Moses as a prophet. (Num. 11:16, 17, 24, 25) In that way Moses was “the Christ” of that time; but in order to come into that privileged position he had to give up the “treasures of Egypt” and let himself “be ill-treated with the people of God” and thus suffer reproach. But to Moses such “reproach of the Christ” was riches greater than all of Egypt’s wealth.—Heb. 11:24-26.

      A parallel to this is found in Jesus Christ. According to the angel’s announcement at his birth in Bethlehem he was to become a “Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” He became Christ or “Anointed One” after the prophet John baptized him in the Jordan River. (Luke 2:10, 11; 3:21-23; 4:16-21) Thereafter he acknowledged that he was “the Christ” or Messiah. (Matt. 16:16, 17; Mark 14:61, 62; John 4:25, 26) Jesus Christ also kept his eye on the prize and despised the shame, as Moses had done. (Phil. 2:8, 9; Heb. 12:2) It is into this Greater Moses that the Christian congregation is baptized—into Jesus Christ, the foretold Prophet Liberator and Leader.—1 Cor 10:1, 2.

  • Mosquito
    Aid to Bible Understanding
    • MOSQUITO

      Any of a great variety of two-winged insects having a round head and long, slender five-jointed legs. Female mosquitoes are equipped with a strong proboscis that enables them to pierce the skin of man and animals, and to suck their blood. The Hebrew word qeʹrets, rendered “mosquito” (NW), appears as a noun only at Jeremiah 46:20, where it is used to represent the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar, the enemy to the north that would come against Egypt, the “pretty heifer.”

  • Most High
    Aid to Bible Understanding
    • MOST HIGH

      The Hebrew word ʽel·yohnʹ (Most High), used with reference to Jehovah, is also applied to other persons or things: King David, as above the other earthly kings (Ps. 89:20, 27), the place above the nations promised to Israel (Deut. 26:18, 19), the topmost basket (Gen. 40:17), the upper gate (2 Ki. 15:35), the upper pool (2 Ki. 18:17), the upper courtyard (Jer. 36:10), the uppermost story (Ezek. 41:7), the uppermost dining rooms (Ezek. 42:5), Upper Beth-horon (Josh. 16:5) and the upper source of the waters of Gihon. (2 Chron. 32:30) These uses illustrate that ʽel·yohnʹ denotes position rather than power.

      When applied to Jehovah, “Most High” emphasizes his supreme position above all others. (Ps. 83:18) The title first appears at Genesis 14:18-20 with ʼEl (God), where Melchizedek is called “priest of the Most High God” and, in that capacity, blesses Abraham as well as the Most High God. “Most High” is used in combination with the divine name Jehovah (Gen. 14:22; Ps. 7:17) and the plural of excellence ʼElo·himʹ (God) (Ps. 78:56), and also appears alone.—Deut. 32:8; Ps. 9:2; Isa. 14:14.

      The plural Aramaic form ʽel·yoh·ninʹ occurs at Daniel 7:18, 22, 25, 27, where it may be translated “Supreme One” (NW), the plural being the plural of excellence, majesty. The Aramaic form in the singular number, ʽil·layʹ (Most High) is used at Daniel 7:25.

      The Greek word hyʹpsi·stos (Most High), as applying to Jehovah, is employed mainly by Luke, in his Gospel (twice in Gabriel’s announcement to Mary about the birth of Jesus) and in the Acts. (Luke 1:32, 35, 76; 6:35; 8:28; Acts 7:48; 16:17) The other occurrences are at Mark 5:7 and Hebrews 7:1.

  • Most Holy
    Aid to Bible Understanding
    • MOST HOLY

      The innermost room of the tabernacle and, later, of the temple. This compartment in the tabernacle was apparently cubical, each of its three dimensions being ten cubits (c. 14.6 feet or c. 4.4 meters); the dimensions of the Most Holy in the temple built by Solomon were twice those of the tabernacle, so that it was eight times as large in volume.—Ex. 26:15, 16, 18, 22, 23; 1 Ki. 6:16, 17, 20; 2 Chron. 3:8.

      The high priest entered the Most Holy only on the annual Day of Atonement; at no time could any other person go beyond the curtain that hung between this room and the Holy Place. (Lev. 16:2) In the Most Holy the high priest was surrounded by the colorful embroidered cherubs on the tabernacle’s inner covering and on the curtain. (Ex. 26:1, 31, 33) In Solomon’s temple the walls and ceiling were of cedarwood covered with gold, and cherubs, palm-tree figures, gourd-shaped ornaments and blossoms were engraved on the walls.—1 Ki. 6:16-18, 29; 2 Chron. 3:7, 8.

      The Scriptures outline three entries of the high priest into the Most Holy on atonement day, first with the golden censer of perfumed incense, fired by coals from off the altar, a second time with the blood of the bull, the sin offering for the priestly tribe, and finally with the blood of the goat, the sin offering for the people. (Lev. 16:11-15; Heb. 9:6, 7, 25) He sprinkled the blood of the animals on the ground before the golden ark of the covenant, on the cover of which were golden cherubs between which Jehovah figuratively was said to dwell. (Ex. 25:17-22; Lev. 16:14, 15) Jehovah’s presence was symbolized by a cloud that evidently shone as a bright light, being the sole light for this compartment of the tabernacle, which had no lampstand in it. While the tabernacle was in the wilderness, above the Most Holy resided a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, visible to the entire camp of Israel.—Ex. 13:22; 40:38; Num. 9:15; compare Psalm 80:1.

      NO ARK IN LATER TEMPLES

      Just when and under what circumstances the ark of the covenant disappeared is not known. Apparently the Babylonians did not capture it when they pillaged and destroyed the temple in 607 B.C.E., for the Ark is not listed among the temple articles carried off. (2 Ki. 25:13-17; Ezra 1:7-11) In the second temple, built by Zerubbabel, and in the more elaborate temple of Herod there was no Ark in the Most Holy. At the time of Jesus’ death God expressed his anger by causing the thick, heavy curtain that separated the Most Holy from the Holy Place to be ripped in two from top to bottom. The priests who were carrying on their work in the Holy Place were then able to see into the Most Holy and to have impressed upon them the fact that this compartment contained no Ark representing God’s presence with them. This action by God confirmed that the atonement sacrifices offered by the Jewish high priest were now no longer of value and there was no need for the services of the Levitical priesthood anymore.—Matt. 27:51; 23:38; Heb. 9:1-15.

      SYMBOLIC USE

      The Most Holy compartment in the tent of meeting or the tabernacle contained the ark of the covenant, which symbolized Jehovah’s presence. Therefore the Most Holy was used, figuratively, to represent the dwelling place of Jehovah God, heaven itself. The inspired writer of the letter to the Hebrews gives us this interpretation of matters when he compares the entry of Israel’s high priest into the Most Holy once a year, on the Day of Atonement, with the entry of the great High Priest Jesus Christ into what the Most Holy symbolized, once for all time with his sacrifice for sins. He explains: “Into the second compartment [the Most Holy] the high priest alone enters once a year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of ignorance of the people. . . . This very tent is an illustration for the appointed time that is now here . . . However, when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come to pass through the greater and more perfect tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, he entered, no, not with the blood of goats and of young bulls, but with his own blood, once for all time into the holy place and obtained an everlasting deliverance for us. Therefore it was necessary that the typical representations of the things in the heavens should be cleansed by these means [blood of animal sacrifices sprinkled on them], but the heavenly things themselves with sacrifices that are better than such sacrifices. For Christ entered, not into a holy place made with hands, which is a copy of the reality, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the person of God for us.”—Heb. 9:7-12, 23, 24.

      So Jesus Christ as the great High Priest according to the manner of Melchizedek fulfilled what Israel’s high priest of the line of Aaron could do only typically when entering into the earthly Most Holy. (Heb. 9:24) The spiritual brothers of Christ, joint heirs with him, are strengthened by the words of the same letter to the Hebrews, that “we who have fled to the refuge may have strong encouragement to lay hold on the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor for the soul, both sure and firm, and it enters in within the curtain, where a forerunner has entered in our behalf, Jesus, who has become a high priest according to the manner of Melchizedek forever.”—Heb. 6:18-20.

      Again these Christians are encouraged to feel fully free and confident to approach God and to hold fast to their hope without wavering by the further words: “Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness for the way of entry into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, which he inaugurated for us as a new and living way through the curtain, that is, his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with true hearts in the full assurance of faith, having had our hearts sprinkled from a wicked conscience and our bodies bathed with clean water. Let us hold fast the public declaration of our hope, without wavering, for he is faithful that promised.”—Heb. 10:19-23.

  • Moth
    Aid to Bible Understanding
    • MOTH

      A four-winged insect resembling a butterfly but differing from the latter in that its feelers usually are feathery and not terminated by distinct knobs. When at rest the moth’s wings are not held erect, as is often the case with butterflies. Instead, they are either folded back flat over the insect’s body or held flat at its sides. Also, moths are generally nocturnal. The insect referred to in Scripture is evidently the clothes moth, particularly in its destructive larval stage. (Job 13:28; Ps. 39:11; Isa. 50:9; 51:8; Hos. 5:12; Matt. 6:19, 20; Luke 12:33; Jas. 5:2) The ease with which a moth can be crushed was a figure employed by Eliphaz with reference to the frailty of mortal man.—Job 4:17, 19, 20.

      Female clothes moths lay their eggs on woolen or silk fabrics, or furs, distributing them so that emerging caterpillars will have ample room and material on which to feed. The caterpillars will not eat until they have first protected themselves with a “house” or case constructed from the available fibers. In this “house” they remain as they feed.—Job 27:18.

      Commenting on the building procedure followed by a clothes moth caterpillar that was placed on a desk covered with a cloth, James Rennie, in his book Insect Architecture, pages 192, 193, writes: “It did not cut a single hair till it selected one for the foundation of its intended structure. This it cut very near the cloth, in order, we suppose, to have it as long as possible; and placed it on a line with its body. It then immediately cut another, and placing it parallel to the first, bound both together with a few threads of its own silk. The same process was repeated with other hairs, till the little creature had made a fabric of some thickness, and this it went on to extend till it was large enough to cover its body; . . . We remarked that it made choice of longer hairs for the outside than for the parts of the interior, which it thought necessary to strengthen by fresh additions; but the chamber was ultimately finished by a fine and closely-woven tapestry of silk.”

  • Mother
    Aid to Bible Understanding
    • MOTHER

      [Heb., ʼem; Gr., meʹter].

      Like the word ʼav (father), the word ʼem (mother) is a mimetic word, one of the first lip sounds of a baby. It is used to designate the immediate mother of an individual, an ancestress, Adam’s wife Eve being “the mother of everyone living” (Gen. 3:20; 1 Ki. 15:10), stepmother (Gen. 37:10; compare Genesis 30:22-24; 35:16-19), also in a number of figurative ways.

      The desire to have a large family was deeply implanted in the heart of Hebrew women especially, because of God’s promise to make Israel a populous nation and the people through whom the seed of promise would come.(Gen. 18:18; 22:18; Ex. 19:5, 6) For one to be childless was considered to be one of the greatest of misfortunes. (Gen. 30:1) Under the Law covenant a woman was religiously “unclean” after the birth of a male child for forty (seven plus thirty-three days), and after the birth of a female child for double this amount of time, or eighty days (fourteen plus sixty-six days). (Lev. 12:2-5) For the seven and the fourteen days respectively she was unclean to all persons, including her husband, but for the thirty-three and sixty-six days respectively she was unclean only as to holy things and things connected with religious services at the sanctuary.

      Hebrew mothers breast-fed their children till they were three years old, and sometimes up until the age of five years or longer, in the belief that the longer the child was suckled the stronger it would grow. Where the mother died or could not provide a sufficient supply of milk, a nurse was employed. Hence, “babes and sucklings” of the Bible could include those old enough to be weaned, old enough to have some knowledge to be able to praise Jehovah and to be trained at the sanctuary.—Matt. 21:15, 16; 1 Sam. 1:23, 24; 2:11.

      There was a special closeness between the mother and the children because the mother took immediate care of the children until the time after weaning when the father would begin to guide more personally the child’s education. The mother’s position in the household was one of recognized importance. She was to be respected even in her very old age. (Ex. 20:12; 21:15, 17; Prov. 23:22; Deut. 5:16; 21:18-21; 27:16) Of course, her position was always secondary to that of her husband, whom she was to respect and obey. As a child Jesus kept in subjection to his foster-father Joseph and his mother Mary.—Luke 2:51, 52.

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