SCRIPTURE: EXODUS 4
BIBLE VERSES:
“Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.” (Exodus 3:10-17)
“The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’”” (Exodus 3:21-23)
SIGNS FOR MOSES:
God gave Moses signs so that Pharaoh would believe and listen to him.
- He throw his staff on the ground and it became a snake. The he took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.
- He put his hands inside his cloak and it has leprosy. Then he put his hand back into his cloak and it was restored.
- He took some water from Nile and pour it on the dry ground. It became blood on the ground.
Despite of the signs, Moses was still unwilling to talk to Pharaoh. He told God that he was slow of speech and tongue. The Lord told him: “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gave him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go. I will help you speak” (vs. 10-11). However, Moses still told the Lord to send someone else. The Lord was angry but he had prepared Aaron, his brother to help him speak to the people.
MOSES RETURNS TO EGYPT (vs. 18-29)
Moses asked permission from his father-in-law Jethro, that he will go back to Egypt. Jethro consented and wished him well. So, Moses took his wife and sons and went to Egypt. The Lord told Moses to tell Pharaoh that if he refused to let His people go to worship him, He will kill his first born son. In the meantime, God told Aaron to go to the desert and meet Moses. So both met at te mountain of God and kissed each other. Moses told Aaron everything that the Lord had sent him to say and all the miracles that he had commanded him to perform.
Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites. Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to MOses. He also performed the sings before the people and they believed. Knowing that the Lord was concerned about their misery, the bowed down and worship God.
THOUGHTS:
Excuses of Moses and God’s response:
- Moses: “They will not believe me or listen to me” / God: Use the staff by turning it into snake to show His power; Use your hand to to show that He could heal leprosy and diseases; .Turn the water into blood to convince God’s people that He cared about them.
- Moses” “I am poor of speech and tongue / God: Am I not the one who made the mouth for you to use it.
- Moses: “Please send someone else to do it / God: { sent Aaron to be your helper.
Moses was afraid what God told him to do. He was conscious about his inadequacy and worried how the people might respond to him. When God asks us to do something, he will provide the means. Go to where he leads and trust him to supply you the resources with courage and confidence.
Through the sign of leprosy, Moses learned that God could cause or cure any kind of problems. He knew that God was convincing him to exercise that power to lead the Jews out of Egypt. However, he focused on his weakness of not being eloquent in speech. But God gave him Aaron to help him do the task. If God entrust us to do something, which we think is so difficult, God will help us get the job done if we trust in Him. He will provide us with His Word, strength, courage and ability.