Great Bible Truths Podcast Episode 136
Lessons from their lives Talk 2: The Call of Moses
Welcome to talk 2 in our series Lessons from their lives.
Last time, Abraham. Today, Moses.
The passage we’ll be considering is Exodus 2:23 – 4:17
We’ll start at Exodus 2:23
23 During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God.
24 God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.
25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.
1. God cares
God sees
God cares
about our nation today
about his world
about us – his covenant people (Cf. v 24)
2. God reveals himself
Whenever God decides to move in a nation or in a situation
he looks for people he can use.
Here in the story he reveals himself to Moses – the burning bush
- Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
- There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.
- So Moses thought, ‘I will go over and see this strange sight – why the bush does not burn up.’
- When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”
- Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”
He has revealed himself to us – in the person of Jesus
3. He reveals his purpose
- Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
- The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.
- So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey–the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
- And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.
- So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
God tells Moses 4 things:
1. who he is
6.Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”
2. of his concern for his people
I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.
3. that he has come down to deliver them
So I have come down to rescue them (8)
4. that he will bless them
to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey (8)
What a picture of the Gospel this is!
The eternally self-existent God
Is concerned about people
And has come down (in the person of Jesus)
To deliver us and bless us and bring us to his heavenly country!
4. He commissions his servant
SO NOW GO! I’M SENDING YOU!
And immediately Moses began to make excuses!
1. Who am I? (v11) I’m not worthy/suitable/capable
11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”
God’s response: I will be with you
2. What shall I tell them? (v 13) I don’t know what to say
13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”
God’s response: Tell them what I’ve told you. (cf vv7-10 with 16-18)
Tell them:
Who I am
I’m concerned about them
I’ve come down to deliver them
I will bless them
3. They won’t believe me (4:1)
- “Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’”
- The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.”
- And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it.
- But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand—
- “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.””
God’s response: What is that in your hand? (4:2) I’ll give you miracles.
Anything with God’s blessing on it will do! Deauville Walker’s camera
4. I’m no good at talking (4:10) I haven’t got the right natural ability
“But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.””
God’s response: I made you… I will help you ..
Please send someone else to do it (13) The Lord’s anger…. (14)
- 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 his heart will be glad when he sees 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 miraculous signs with it.
I’ll give you the natural help you think you need (Aaron)
But don’t forget my miracle-working power!
Concerned about the state of the world?
God still sees
God still cares
He has revealed himself in the person of Jesus who came down to deliver us and take us to heaven
To make this possible for all people he is looking for people he can send
To all our excuses he has an answer:
- I will be with you
- Just tell them what I’ve told you
- I’ll give you supernatural power to confirm the message