Deuteronomy 18:15–19; Acts 3:20–23; 1 Nephi 22:20–21; Joseph Smith—History 1:40; 3 Nephi 20:23

How is Moses “like unto” Jesus Christ?

"15 ¶ The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

16 According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.

17 And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.

18 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.

19 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." (Deuteronomy 18:15–19)

"20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.

23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people." (Acts 3:20–23)

"20 And the Lord will surely prepare a way for his people, unto the fulfilling of the words of Moses, which he spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that all those who will not hear that prophet shall be cut off from among the people.

21 And now I, Nephi, declare unto you, that this prophet of whom Moses spake was the Holy One of Israel; wherefore, he shall execute judgment in righteousness." (1 Nephi 22:20–21)

"40 In addition to these, he quoted the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, saying that it was about to be fulfilled. He quoted also the third chapter of Acts, twenty-second and twenty-third verses, precisely as they stand in our New Testament. He said that that prophet was Christ; but the day had not yet come when “they who would not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people,” but soon would come." (Joseph Smith—History 1:40)

"23 Behold, I am he of whom Moses spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear that prophet shall be cut off from among the people." (3 Nephi 20:23)

And here's the commentary entitled: "Moses was “like unto” Jesus Christ." :

"Peter, Nephi, Moroni, and the Savior Himself all commented on the prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:15–19 (see Acts 3:20–23; 1 Nephi 22:20–21; Joseph Smith—History 1:40; 3 Nephi 20:23). What do you learn about the Savior from these verses? Think about what you’ve read about Moses over the past few weeks. How is Moses “like unto” Jesus Christ?

Jesus Christ told His people in ancient America, “I am he of whom the prophet Moses spake” (3 Nephi 20:23)."

Moses is “like unto” Jesus Christ in the following ways: 

• His birth was prophesied.
• The king of the land tried to get him killed while he was still a baby. 
• He gave people laws and commandments to follow.
• He performed miracles.
• He led people into freedom from bondage.
• The death of the firstborn miracle freed the people from bondage.
• Those who hearken unto his words and obey them were able to enter their promised land.

"...Whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him" (Deuteronomy 18:19). This reminds me of the passage which says, "Much is given, much is required." The Lord requires of us what He has given us. We will be held accountable for all that we received from Him. We need to truly listen to or pay attention to His words and obey them if we want to enter our promised land-- eternal life, just as only the Israelites who hearkened unto the words of Moses and obeyed them were able to enter their promised land. 

Deuteronomy 15

What does it mean to “open thine hand wide” to people in need? What do you learn from the Lord’s example about helping people in need? 

"1 At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.

2 And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the Lord’s release.

3 Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release;

4 Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the Lord shall greatly bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it:

5 Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.

6 For the Lord thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.

7 ¶ If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother:

8 But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.

9 Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the Lord against thee, and it be sin unto thee.

10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the Lord thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.

11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

12 ¶ And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.

13 And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:

14 Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.

15 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day." (Deuteronomy 15)

And here's the commentary entitled: "Helping people in need involves generous hands and willing hearts." :

"We haven’t yet arrived at the day “when there shall be no poor among you” (Deuteronomy 15:4), so the principles about helping the poor in Deuteronomy 15 are still valuable, even if the particular practices have changed. Notice what verses 1–15 teach about why we help people in need and what our attitude should be about it.

What does it mean to “open thine hand wide” to people in need? (verses 8, 11). What do you learn from the Lord’s example about helping people in need? (see verse 15).

See also “Have I Done Any Good?,” Hymns, no. 223."

 To “open thine hand wide” to people in need means to give generously to the poor and the needy. From the Lord's example of helping people in need, I learned He has never forgotten each of them. He is there for them. He sees exactly what God's children need. Just as He sacrificed for each of us to give us exactly what we need,  He also commanded us to do the same for others who are needy.