What did Jesus mean when he said the religious leaders of his day had sat down on the [judgment] seat of Moses? (Matthew 23:1-2) (See also: Exodus 18:13) Does the continuing attempt by religious people to present themselves as judges have any connection with Daniel's prophecy about the "time of the end" and the "disgusting thing" that causes desolation? (Mat 24:15)
Some have suggested Jesus simply meant those ancient Jewish religious leaders had the right of judgment, or that they had the right to interpret the Jewish law. That makes no sense, however, as Jesus goes on in the next few verses to expose the wickedness of their effort: He mentioned some of the terrible ways they "tried" to seat themselves in Moses' seat. (Matthew 23) Clearly, their seating themselves in the seat of Moses was a bad thing. Jesus warned us many times against hypocritical and judgmental religious leaders who would assert they were Christians. (Mark 12:38-40 ; Luke 6:6-11 ; Luke 11:52-54 ; Luke 15:1-7) He went on to say some who are religious have deceived themselves to the point they really imagine they are Christians. (Mat 7:21-23) Jesus also showed us how to recognize those who are Christians from those who pretend to be: The righteous are sincere and humble and always seek glory for God rather than seeking glory for themselves. (Mark 12:41-44 ; Luke 22:24-26 ; John 12:42-43) Put in other words: Righteous people always direct you to follow God's command (Mark 9:7) to read the words of his Messiah for yourself. The teachings by Jesus that you need to hear are recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
If we are to avoid being misled to follow the bad pattern of seeking the seat of Moses for ourselves, we need to understand what it means to try and sit on that seat: (Exodus 18:13) And it came about on the next day that Moses sat down as usual to serve as judge for the people, and the people kept standing before Moses from the morning till the evening. God had given the Law Code to the nation of Israel through his servant Moses. Moses then served to judge the people out of that Law. They could be put to death if judged guilty of some crime defined by that Law as punishable by death. The Law Code governed all aspects of their life. Any judgment they received was one carefully measured by that Law of God; and rendered upon a people who had covenanted as a nation to abide by that Law. (Exodus 19:5-8) Moses was specifically appointed by God to render such judgment. (Numbers 12:6-8 ; Deuteronomy 6:6-7)
Jesus came in fulfillment of the Law given Israel, and to replace that Law Code with the Christian Law of love. (James 2:8 ; Colossians 2:13-14 ; Romans 10:4 ; Galatians 6:2) The reason for his doing so, was that people could never be made righteous by following a Law, even the perfect law of God. (Romans 3:20-22) The Law existed, rather, as a tutor leading to the Christ. (Galatians 3:24-26) For an individual Jew to become a Christian meant they had to abandon any hope or belief the Law could save them, and recognize it was faith in Christ Jesus that meant life. (Galatians 6:15 ; Galatians 5:4-6) Even though the Jewish religious leaders had been caretakers of the Law for 1500 years after Moses, when Christ appeared in fulfillment of that Law, they had to abandon their faith in Law and manifest faith in Christ. Sadly, most of them were not ready to give up their prominence and authority over people. (John 11:47-48; Matthew 23:7 ; John 12:43)
How, then, do members of modern day religions set themselves upon the judgment seat of Moses? That is easy to understand because Jesus told us such false Christians [or Religionists] are easily identified! (Mat 7:15-20) Individuals [or groups] glorify themselves when they attempt to establish a set of rules to render judgment of who is righteous in the earth. They all try to coerce their "sheep" to bow before their organizational laws and rules, sometimes called their "doctrine" of faith. In that way, they expose themselves as having seated themselves where Moses was appointed by God to sit. Such "Doegs" assert and even imagine it is an approved standing among their little sect that grants salvation. By glorifying themselves in that way, they turn people away from the simple truth: The truth that our Heavenly Father is watching everything we do and that He told us very specifically to listen to his son. (Mat 17:5) As God watches, (2 Chron 16:9a) He is giving us every opportunity (John 6:44a) to choose life by being noble minded. (Deuteronomy 30:19-20) Even if they are sincere and mean well, those who seat themselves in Moses' seat are actually turning people away from respect for God; and toward a fear of loosing the approval by their group. (John 12:42 ; Matthew 23:2 & 15) By working to make their "sheep" fear them rather than God: They usurp the glory due our Creator. (John 7:13) Christ taught his followers to love others; and not to judge them. (Matthew 7:1-2) Jesus further taught it was the words which he spoke that would become judge over us. (John 12:47-48) Even though the Bible clearly teaches God set us free of his Law through Moses (Romans 8:1-2 ; 2 Corinthians 3:12-14 ; Ephesians 2:15 ; Colossians 2:13-14) by means of our faith in Christ; when religious people join together to worship God, the first thing most want to do is establish law [docrine] for themselves. Next, they render judgment over those who are foolish enough to subjugate themselves before them: Doing so out of the law they have created. (Mat 15:9) [Actually, they pronounce their judgment over those who refuse to bow before them as well: They judge non-followers as unbelievers (and wicked).] Dress this way, or don't dress that way, is an example of such judgment. Do this work, or don't do that thing, for another. They will, of course, say their teachings are those of Christ; but you must be very careful. (Matthew 23:15) If the teachings of Jesus from the Bible do not directly condemn a practice, no man has right to judge another. Don't let them lead you to join them in making judgments you have no right to render. (John 16:1-4) If they announce they have rendered a judgment against some person, you better fully understand what they have done before you throw in your lot with them. (Proverbs 1:14 ; Proverbs 20:24-25) If you blindly follow after such judgments of men, it probably means you don't know Christ at all. (Matthew 7:21-23) It is by the act of assuming the right to render judgment over others, then, that men and women seat themselves on the judgment seat of Moses. Such persons should be avoided. They are apostate. They have made themselves "Doegs," and have become just another part of "the Man Of Lawlessness." They have become a part of Daniel's prophesied "disgusting thing" that stands in a holy place. (Mat 24:15) They stand themselves in a holy place, and cause destruction or desolation, (Mat 23:15; Luke 11:52; Mat 23:13; Luke 20:46-47) when they proclaim they are workers for Christ while what they really teach are doctrines of men. (Mark 7:6-9) You should not expect religious leaders will like you if you take a stand for truth. (John 15:17-21) Those who strive to misapply the scriptures to abuse others will always hate those who speak what is true. (Luke 6:6-11) Truth convicts them. (John 15:22) All those who do love the truth, will also love you, if you speak what is true (what you have learned from Christ).
If this seems in any way confusing, just remember it is not complicated: Your protection against being misled is to learn what the Bible really teaches. The Bible teaches of itself that it is a tutor to lead us to Christ. (Gal 3:23-26) Once you understand that simple truth, make every person prove that everything they teach comes directly from the teachings of Christ. (Acts 17:11) If they can't show you clearly from the Bible, don't believe them. (Acts 18:28 ; Acts 8:35) Learn what your Bible teaches. YOUR life depends on your realizing: Personal faith in the teachings of Christ can preserve YOU alive. (John 17:3 ; Luke 17:26 & 1 Pet 3:20 ; 1 Tim 1:16-2:6) Do the works of God: Read and reread the Gospel recordings (Luke 8:19-21) of what Jesus did and taught. (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John)
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