Moses - The Reluctant Prophet
Who would have thought he would enjoy the simple life of a shepherd? Sleeping under the stars, leading his
father-in-laws flocks from pasture to pasture, guiding them to fresh
water, and guarding them from wolves and lions?
He had been raised in a large house,
with servants, esteemed tutors, exquisite delicacies, and fine clothes. All of that he left behind when he fled Egypt. He
had left behind his birth mother, and the Egyptian foster mother who
had raised him. He had made them grandmothers, though they had never
seen his son. He had killed a man in Egypt, and so he could never
return.
Yet, he thought with a smile, he had made a good life for
himself here, in Midian.
“Run along now,” he said with a
chuckle to the lamb, nudging it's backside with his long staff. The
yearling trotted forward.
A flicker caught his attention. He
turned his head, and saw with alarm that a nearby bush had caught
fire. It was completely engulfed, yet, no smoke rose into the sky.
The branches did not crackle in the flames. The leaves did not
shrivel. He felt his heart beat wildly in his chest. What was going
on? He moved to approach the bush.
“Moses!” a voice spoke, and he
felt the sound move through him like the concussion of a drum.
He glanced fearfully around, and
answered in a quiet voice, “Here I am.”
“Do not come any closer! Remove your
sandals, for the place on which you stand is holy ground!”
Moses trembled, and did as he was told
while he stared at the burning bush. It seemed like the voice was
speaking from within the flames! He had to know, and so he whispered,
“Who are you?”
“I am the God of your father, the
God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
Moses felt the air whoosh out of his
lungs. He knew those names!
He dropped with his face to the hard
ground, the smell of warm earth filling his nostrils, and covered his head with his hands. Why was the powerful God
of his forefathers speaking to him?
The voice continued, reverberating
through him like a strong wind. “I have heard the prayers of My
people in Egypt. I have seen their suffering. I have come down to
deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them to a
land flowing with milk and honey.”
Why was God telling him this?
The voice wasn't finished. “Come
now. I will send you to Pharaoh so that you may bring My people, the
sons of Israel out of Egypt.”
Moses lay on the ground, unable to
move. His mind flew in a dozen directions like startled birds, and
all of them landed on one thought: Why me? God had to have the wrong
man!
He cried out, “Who am I, that I
should go to Pharaoh?”
“Surely I will be with you. You do
not do this alone. This shall be the sign to you: when you have
brought the people out of Egypt you shall worship God at this
mountain.”
Moses did not feel very comforted. God may
go with him, but if God did not show Himself in a burning bush to
everyone, how would Moses convince anybody? And how would he explain
the Hebrew God to Pharaoh? Pharaoh only knew the Egyptian gods: Ra,
Anubis, Set and Horus, among many others. This God didn't even have a
name! Surely he couldn't convince the people without even knowing His
name.
“Who would I say sent me?”
“I AM WHO I AM,” God's voice
echoed forth from the burning bush, and Moses felt his hair ruffle as if in the wind. “You shall tell them I AM has
sent you. You shall tell them that this is My memorial name to all
generations. And you shall go to the elders of Israel and tell them
that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has appeared to you, and
that I have seen their suffering, and will rescue you from the
affliction of Egypt. They will listen to you, and will come with you
before Pharaoh. And you will tell Pharaoh that the God of Hebrews has
appeared to you, and that you need to take a three day journey into
the wilderness to sacrifice to the Lord.”
Moses licked his lips, fear drying his
tongue. There was no way that Pharaoh would agree to let the slaves
leave!
The Lord seemed to know that too, for He said, “Pharaoh will not permit it. So I will stretch out my hand and
strike Egypt with all My miracles. Then, he will let you go. Indeed,
every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and will be given gold,
silver and clothing, and you shall put them on your sons and
daughters.”
Moses felt sweat break out on his
forehead. This was all well and good. He was glad his people would be
freed from slavery. But why did it have to be him? He cautiously drew
up to his knees, his eyes still to the ground. He held the staff in front of him like a shield. “No one will believe
me! Even my own people will say I have dreamed this whole thing up!”
The voice demanded, “What is in your
hand?”
“My staff.”
“Throw it on the ground!”
Moses rose slowly to his feet. He
wanted to ask 'why', but instead he threw the wooden staff to the
ground, and it transformed at once into a hissing, writhing serpent. He cried out in
fear and jumped away.
God spoke, “Stretch out your hand and grasp it
by its tail!”
Moses longed to refuse, but how could
he? With trembling fingers he reached out. As soon as he had the
scaly creature within his grasp, it became his familiar
staff once more. He passed the staff from hand to hand in wonderment.
God's voice was calm. Assured. “They will know that the Lord, the
God of your fathers, has appeared to you.”
Moses nodded, but worry still prickled
him, and the palm holding his staff grew damp.
Seeming to know his hesitation, the
voice commanded again, “Put your hand into your tunic!” Moses,
quaking at what might happen next, slid his hand into the neck of his
tunic. When he pulled it out, he let loose a strangled cry. The skin
was white with leprosy! Was this punishment for his reluctance? The Lord commanded, “Put it in again!”
Moses, cringing, put it back, and when he brought it forth, the skin
was restored. He puffed out a breath in relief.
God said, “If they do not believe
these signs, you will take water from the Nile, pour it on the
ground, and it shall become blood.”
If they do not believe . . . Moses clutched his staff with both
hands, his stomach sour with uncertainty, his brow creased with
worry. He had just witnessed two miracles. He knew that God was
powerful. But who was he, that God should choose him? Surely there
was someone better to speak to Pharaoh and to the elders?
“Please Lord,” he begged. “I am
not good with words. I have never been eloquent. I am slow of speech
and slow of tongue!”
The Lord's voice grew louder, and
Moses quailed at the anger in the Lord's tone as His voice rumbled like thunder, “Who made
man's mouth? Who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it
not I, the Lord? Now Go! I, even I, will be your mouth and teach you
what to say.”
Moses was still afraid, but what
could he say? His tone was quiet and meek, “Please Lord, send whomever You will.”
The voice still sounded angry as God
spoke in what sounded like frustration, “I know your brother, Aaron the Levite, speaks fluently.
Moreover, he is coming to see you, and the sight of you will bring
joy to his heart. I shall teach you what you are to do, and you shall
tell him, and he shall be your mouth to the people. Now, take the
staff which is in your hand, and go!”
Moses, his heart in his throat, turned
away from the bush. When he looked back, the strange flames were
gone. He swallowed hard, and called to his flock with a wavering
voice. They gamboled towards him, and he turned and hastened for
home, his steps automatic, his mind reeling at what had just
happened.
The first person he would need to
convince was his wife, Zipporah. He glanced at his hand and at the
staff. God had said He would go with him. He glanced around,
wondering if God was watching him, even now.
He felt like the last person God
should have chosen for this task. Yet, God had chosen him. What could
he do but obey?
Read this story for yourself in Exodus 3-4:17
My Thoughts:
Moses spoke to God, yet was anxious and doubting! He preformed miracles with his own hands, yet was afraid to do as God asked. I shake my head and ask him, how could you fear?
Maybe the same question could be asked of me. I haven't heard God speak to me from a burning bush, but I have heard His voice through the Word. I have heard Him tell me to love the Lord, to love my neighbor, to be a servant, to do what is right, to pray, to make disciples.
Do I respond to Him in faith, or do I pull back in fear?
I too have often wondered, why me? Am I good enough for this? (you can check out this post if you want to know more of my personal struggles.) Yet, God does not wait for us to be perfect to use us! Moses was a giant of faith. Yet, he messed up. He made big mistakes. He feared. Despite his shortcomings, he was able to be an instrument for the Lord!
Your turn:
Have you ever felt God nudging you to do something, to say something, or to believe something, yet turned back in fear?
I am strongest in my faith when I am encouraged by fellow believers. Even Moses needed Aaron. I suggest you find someone to walk through your faith with you, so you can help each other to be open to the voice of God!
If you have listened to that voice, and God worked through you as a result, I hope you share your encouraging story in the comments!
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