Muhammad was 95% similar to Moses. Jesus was 5%. Who did God most likely raise up in Deuteronomy 18:18?
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;
DEUTERONOMY 18:15
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
DEUTERONOMY 18:18
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
Jews, Christians and Muslims disagree over who these Bible verses apply to. The words 'Like Unto Thee' imply the future prophet would be 'like' Moses.
ACTS 3:22
The table below compares Moses with Muhammad and Jesus to understand who is more similar to Moses.
| Moses | Muhammad | Jesus |
|---|---|---|
| Judaism | Islam | Christianity |
| Scripture | ||
| Torah | Quran | Bible New Testament |
During Life Written/recorded during Moses' lifetime |
During Life Written/recorded during Muhammad's lifetime |
After Life Written/recorded 70-years after Jesus' lifetime |
Authorship Known Torah written/recorded by Moses |
Authorship Known Quran spoken by Muhammad and written/recorded by scribes |
Authorship Unknown Bible (New Testament) written/recorded by unknown authors |
| Bible Verses Jews believe these verses speak about all legitimate prophets God would send to lead the Jewish people after Moses' death |
Bible Verses Muslims believe Muhammad was like Moses, and so God was telling people to look for the coming of Muhammad |
Bible Verses Christians claim that Jesus was most like Moses, and so God spoke about the coming of Jesus |
| Ethnicity | ||
Jew Abraham Isaac |
Arab Abraham Ishmael |
Jew Abraham Isaac |
Normal birth With mother and father |
Normal birth With mother and father |
Unique birth No father Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. MATTHEW 1:18 |
| Deut 18:18 'From Your Brethren' | ||
| Jew Jews received DEUT 18:18, so their brethren are Arabs |
Arab The brethren of Arabs are the Jews |
Jew |
| Prophethood | ||
Prophet Moses was a prophet (Jewish belief) |
Prophet Muhammed was a prophet (Muslim belief) |
God Jesus is God/Son of God (Christian belief) |
Age Start 40 yrs |
Age Start 40 yrs |
Age Start 30 yrs |
Prophet & Statesman Moses had power of government and authority to inflict capital punishment |
Prophet & Statesman Muhammad had power of government and authority to inflict capital punishment |
Prophet Jesus refuted the claim he had a kingdom on Earth Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now is my kingdom not from hence. . JOHN 18:36 He never inflicted capital punishment Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. JOHN 8:1-7 |
Spiritual/Law Moses came with a new set of laws |
Spiritual/Law Muhammad came with a new set of laws |
Spiritual Only Jesus came with no new law, but to renew previous Mosaic law 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. MATTHEW 5:17-18 |
Authority Accepted Yes. Moses accepted it NUMBERS 15:36 |
Authority Accepted Yes. Muhammad accepted it |
Authority Rejected No. Jesus rejected authority/kingdom Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now is my kingdom not from hence. JOHN 18:36 |
| Prophecy: Ongoing (5) |
Prophecy: 1431 years ago (2) |
Prophecy: 2015 years ago (3) |
| Miracles | ||
| Magic/sorcery In the time of Moses, magic, sorcery and tricks was prevalent in society. God gave Moses the ability to perform magic which exceeded that of other magicians |
Poetry/speech In the time of Muhammad, poetry and prose was prevalent in society. God gave Muhammad, an illiterate man who could not read or write, the ability to speak eloquent speech that amazed the best of poets |
Spiritual/healing In the time of Jesus, illness and disease was prevalent in society. God gave Jesus the ability to cure the deaf, heal the blind and leper; beyond the ability of other healers |
Divinity No |
Divinity No |
Divinity Yes. Divine to Christians |
| Marriage | ||
2 Wives Yes. Moses had 2 wives |
13 Wives Yes. Muhammad had 13 wives |
0 Wife: No. Jesus had 0 wives. He never married |
2 Children Yes. Moses had 2 children |
7 Children Yes. Muhammad had 7 children |
0 Children No. Jesus had 0 children. He was celibate |
| Siblings Yes. Moses had one brother and sister, Miriam |
Siblings Yes. Muhammad had several foster brothers and sisters |
Siblings Yes. Jesus had four brothers: James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? MATTHEW 13:55 |
| Social | ||
Accepted Jews accepted Moses as a prophet in his lifetime |
Accepted Arabs accepted Muhammad as a prophet in his lifetime |
Rejected The majority of Jews rejected Jesus as a prophet |
| Enemy | ||
|
Encounters: In pursuit Moses was in hot pursuit of his enemy |
Encounters: In pursuit/battles Muhammad was in hot pursuit of his enemy and engaged in battles with them |
No Encounters Jesus was never in pursuit of an enemy, nor did he engage in any battles |
Victory: Moral/Physical Moses defeated/drowned Pharaoh in the Red Sea |
Victory: Moral/Physical Muhammad defeated his enemy, the Makkans in battles |
Victory: Moral Jesus was crucified by his enemy |
Emigrate Yes. Moses led his people in a mass exodus to Median to flee the enemy |
Emigrate Yes. Muhammad emigrated with his followers to Madinah to flee the enemy |
No Emigration No. Jesus never led his followers away in any form of exodus |
| Death | ||
Natural Moses died a natural death |
Natural Muhammad died a natural death |
Unique Jesus was crucified on the cross (Christian belief) |
Normal burial Moses is buried in the ground |
Normal burial Muhammad is buried in the ground |
No burial Jesus is not buried in the ground (empty tomb) |
Recurrection No. Moses was not resurrected |
Recurrection No. Muhammad was not resurrected |
Recurrection Yes. Jesus was resurrected after his death (Christian belief) |
| Similarity Score | ||
100% |
95%(19 OF 20)Muhammad is 95% similar to Moses |
5%(1 OF 20)Jesus is 5% similar to Moses |
2 Jesus (born 4 BC), started prophethood aged 30 years in 26 AD, so 1431 years ago
3 Muhammad (born 570 AD), started prophethood aged 40 years in 610 AD, so 2015 years ago
4 Comparison table color-coded to show similarity and difference
5 Jews continue to wait for the Messiah, and so these verses are ongoing
Arguments
CHRISTIANITY | "Brethren" Refers to Jews
First, given the context of Deuteronomy 18, the term "brethren" is referring to their fellow Israelites. Deuteronomy 18:2, says "They shall have no inheritance among their brethren." Also, elsewhere in the book of Deuteronomy the term "brethren" refers to fellow Israelites (Deuteronomy 17:15). Since the term "brethren" refers to Israelites, why would God raise up a prophet from the enemies of Israel, the Arabs?
First, given the context of Deuteronomy 18, the term "brethren" is referring to their fellow Israelites. Deuteronomy 18:2, says "They shall have no inheritance among their brethren." Also, elsewhere in the book of Deuteronomy the term "brethren" refers to fellow Israelites (Deuteronomy 17:15). Since the term "brethren" refers to Israelites, why would God raise up a prophet from the enemies of Israel, the Arabs?
ISLAM | "Brethren" Refers to Arabs
Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac (Genesis 21). Ishmael became the grandfather of the Arab nation, and Isaac became the grandfather of the Jewish nation. The prophet spoken of was not to come from among the Jews themselves, but from among their brothers, i.e. the Ishmaelites. Muhammad , a descendant of Ishmael, is indeed this prophet.
Also, Isaiah 42:1-13 speaks of the servant of God, His "chosen one" and "messenger" who will bring down a law. "He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope." (Isaiah 42:4). Verse 11, connects that awaited one with the descendants of Kedar. Who is Kedar? According to Genesis 25:13, Kedar was the second son of Ishmael, the ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad.
Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac (Genesis 21). Ishmael became the grandfather of the Arab nation, and Isaac became the grandfather of the Jewish nation. The prophet spoken of was not to come from among the Jews themselves, but from among their brothers, i.e. the Ishmaelites. Muhammad , a descendant of Ishmael, is indeed this prophet.
Also, Isaiah 42:1-13 speaks of the servant of God, His "chosen one" and "messenger" who will bring down a law. "He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope." (Isaiah 42:4). Verse 11, connects that awaited one with the descendants of Kedar. Who is Kedar? According to Genesis 25:13, Kedar was the second son of Ishmael, the ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad.
2. Muhammad from Ishmael
Second, Muhammad came from Ishmael, as Muslims admit, but heirs to the Jewish throne came from Isaac. The Torah states, "My covenant I will establish with Isaac," (Genesis 17:21). Later, God repeats the same message, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," (Genesis 21:12).
Second, Muhammad came from Ishmael, as Muslims admit, but heirs to the Jewish throne came from Isaac. The Torah states, "My covenant I will establish with Isaac," (Genesis 17:21). Later, God repeats the same message, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," (Genesis 21:12).
CREDIT
https://carm.org/deuteronomy-18-muhammad
8-prophet-like-unto-moses
| Author: Guest • Updated: 05 Sep 2026 • 34,092 views | 5 hrs ago |
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The Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, contains 24 books. Christian Bibles range from the 66 books of the Protestant canon to the 81 books of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church canon.
The first part of Christian Bibles is the Old Testament, which contains, at minimum, the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible divided into 39 books and ordered differently from the Hebrew Bible. The Catholic Church and Eastern Christian churches also hold certain deuterocanonical books and passages to be part of the Old Testament canon.
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