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It is written:
Exodus 3:1-Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
God had Prophets outside of the land of Israel throughout history. Many existed in the Patriarchal Age. There were also Gentile priests as well. One example of this is Jethro (the father-in-law of Moses). He was a priest in the land of Midian. The Bible mentions other examples of priests outside of the Levitical priesthood (e.g., Melchizedek).
Considering that there were Gentile priests and Prophets, it is interesting to consider that there is evidence of a prophecy which existed before the time of Moses. This prophecy accurately prophesied the events which led up to the Passover!
Paul Copan documents:
“The first Passover in Egypt was the night that the Egyptian firstborn were also lain by ‘the destroyer’-an agent commission by ‘the LORD’—the “I AM WHO I AM (Exod. 3:14). This was the final plague against Egypt and its’ gods (12:23, 29; cf v. 12). That event finally brought a hard-hearted Pharaoh to his knees so that he would finally let Israel leave Egypt. Prior to the time of Moses, there existed an Egyptian literary tradition-a ‘mythological tale’—that looks uncannily like what Exodus describes: ‘It is the king who will be judged with Him-whose-name-is hidden on the day of slaying the firstborn’ (Cannibal Hymn, in the Pyramid Texts) “I am he who will be judged with ‘Him-whose-name-is hidden’ on the night of slaying the firstborn’ (Coffin Text VI). ‘…on that night of slaying the first-born, on the day of slaying the first-born’ (Coffin Text II). One scholar observes, “These passages are strong evidence that a mythological tale once circulated in which some or all of the first-born in Egypt—whether gods, mortals or animals, were slain on a certain day or night. Such a myth may very likely lie in the background of the biblical account.’ Egyptians—and Israelites—who were aware of this tradition would have further confirmation of the superiority of Israel’s God. Now, this connection is certainly an interesting one. However, what is more foundation is the actual historicity of Israel’s presence in Egypt and its exodus from this land of bondage. Some skeptics-including some of our critics from within (e.g., Eric Seibert)—may call these historical claims into question; other scholars, though have defended the general reliability of the Scriptures on this matter. Their arguments include evidence of Semitic peoples living in Egypt priori to the time of the exodus; an abundance of Egyptian loanwords (‘Egyptianisms’) used by the Hebrews; the Egyptian origin of various Israelite names (e.g., Phineas, Hur, Korah); and the Pentateuch’s abundant, plausible references to Israel’s firsthand experienced of life in Egypt (e.g., Exod. 1;14; 2:11, 23; 5:4-19; 12:37; Num. 11:5; 33:5).” (Paul Copan, 107-108 (Kindle Edition); Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic)
These events and facts all coronates the historical reliability of the Bible.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen.
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