Moses tended his father-in-law’s flock. He’s been at it for about 40 years by now. His son Gershom was likely in his mid-to-late 30’s. Perhaps, he was content to be a husband, father, son-in-law and shepherd.
The life of Moses can be divided into three 40-year periods. Acts 7:23 says that Moses was 40 when he decided to visit his people. That’s when he killed the Egyptian and fled from Egypt. Acts 7:30 says “after 40 years passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.” Acts 7:36 says he led Israel out of Egypt and in the wilderness for 40 years. Deuteronomy 34:7 says that Moses was 120 years old when he died.
An Angel of the Lord appeared to Moses in a burning bush. Moses wanted to know why the fire was not consuming the bush. It was an amazing sight to see.
“So, when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then, He said, ‘Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.’ Moreover He said, ‘I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. And the Lord said: ‘I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So, I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.’” Exodus 3:4-10
The fire caught his attention, the voice changed his life. God identified Himself to Moses as the God of his forefathers. God had a burden. He shared it with Moses. God had seen what the Egyptians did to the Israelites. He was well aware of Israel’s sadness. He was ready to rescue them and give them new homes in a land where there was abundant food. God told Moses that He was sending him to Pharoah to bring Israel out from Egypt.
This was an amazing calling for Moses. When he turned inward, he realized he was wholly inadequate for it.
“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’ So, He said, ‘I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.’” Exodus 3:11-12
God’s presence with you is the vital ingredient for the success of a divine mission. In Matthew 10:9-10, when Jesus sent His disciples on a mission, He told them, “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts—no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.”
I wasted two years of my life after graduating from college trying to find an organization that would send me to China to do evangelism. Finally, after fasting four days, the Lord gave me the name of a man in Hong Kong named David Chu. He was the Director of Hong Kong Youth for Christ. I wrote to him about my desire to evangelize China. He told me to come immediately.
My service was voluntary (no pay), but he did put me, and later, my wife and daughter too, up in an apartment that he owned. He sponsored our visas to stay there. I went to Hong Kong with $200 in my pocket, for what most assumed would be a short-term mission, but that mission lasted from June 1985 until June 1997. God opened so many doors for me to share the Gospel with people all over Hong Kong, and into Guangzhou City, China, as well. Glory to God.
The point here is that when God calls you, don’t turn inward. The answer is not in you to do God’s work. The answer is in Him. When God calls, God supplies. Missionary to China, Hudson Taylor, put it this way, “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.”
God told Moses, “when” not “if” you bring this people out. Hebrews 11:1-2 says, “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” God convinced Moses... and God convinced me that He would be with me, and that was enough.
“When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” The Lord gave Moses the long-term plan. Deliverance from Egypt was the easy part. God would shatter all resistance. The hard part was getting the recipients of His grace and love to serve Him. They tended to complain about food and conditions. Most failed to see that God wanted them to join Him in His mission to reveal His glory to all the sons of Adam.
“Then Moses said to God, ‘Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?’ And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.’ Moreover, God said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: the Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My Name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’ Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt; and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey. ’ Then, they will heed your voice; and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. So, I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So, you shall plunder the Egyptians.” Exodus 3:13-22
Moses was to approach God’s people in the Name of “I AM WHO I AM” or in Hebrew, “Yahweh.” He had to believe what God told him and trust that people would believe God’s Word as well. There’s no getting around that! God’s work requires faith in Him and in His Word. Moses needed to trust that God would compel the Egyptians to send Israel out with gold, silver and clothing.
“Then Moses answered and said, ‘But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, the Lord has not appeared to you.’ So, the Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ He said, ‘A rod.’ And He said, ‘Cast it on the ground.’ So, he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Reach out your hand and take it by the tail’ (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand), ‘that they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.’ Furthermore the Lord said to him, ‘Now put your hand in your bosom.’ And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, like snow. And He said, ‘Put your hand in your bosom again.’ So, he put his hand in his bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and behold, it was restored like his other flesh. ‘Then it will be, if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, that they may believe the message of the latter sign. And it shall be, if they do not believe even these two signs, or listen to your voice, that you shall take water from the river and pour it on the dry land. The water which you take from the river will become blood on the dry land.’” Exodus 4:1-9
A dry stick became a living snake. A diseased hand became a healthy hand. God would also turn water to blood. God demonstrated to Moses that He has power of life and death. He has the power to inflict and to heal. Soon, God would be doing miracles on a grand scale as Moses spoke God’s Word to Pharoah. God would wound and heal nine times over until He put to death the firstborn sons of Egypt.
Shepherds carried a rod and a staff. The rod was a stick or club that could be used to discipline, protect and count the flock. The shepherd’s staff was a longer and thinner stick with a hook on one end, used for guiding the flock and for capturing or saving sheep.
Kings are often pictured holding an ornamental scepter—a rod symbolizing their power and sovereignty. Some priests carry staves as a symbol of their power and authority.
In Psalm 2:9, the Lord says, “You will break them [the nations] with a rod of iron. You will dash them to pieces like pottery.” Jesus quotes from this passage in Revelation 2:26-27, “ To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father.” Sometimes when I pray, I imagine swinging an imaginary rod and visualizing God shattering the strongholds of evil over nations. The strongholds of drug and sex trafficking! Strongholds of abuse and violence! Strongholds of atheism and false religions! Strongholds of persecution of Christ’s servants! May God shatter every evil work of the devil as an iron rod shatters pots of clay!
“Then Moses said to the Lord, ‘O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.’ So, the Lord said to him, ‘Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.’ But he said, ‘O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.’ So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and He said: ‘Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. Now, you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. So, he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.” Exodus 4:10-17
Moses assumed that his lack of oratory skills disqualified him from carrying out his commission from God. No, the same God who made a dead stick into a living serpent, could make his slow tongue soar like an eagle. God would teach him what to say. Moses insisted on support so the Lord promised to recruit his brother Aaron to speak for him. However, Moses will eventually do a lot of speaking and writing for God. He also had the rod for doing signs.
“So, Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, ‘Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt and see whether they are still alive.’ And Jethro said to Moses, ‘Go in peace.’” Exodus 4:18
His father-in-law released him from his duties. When the Lord calls you, He takes care of the work that you leave behind. Trust God to fill the voids you leave behind. I like to say, “God’s grace fills the gaps.”
“Now the Lord said to Moses in Midian, ‘Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.’ Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand.” Exodus 4:19-20
The Lord confirmed to Moses that during his 40-year absence from Egypt, those who previously wanted him dead, are dead. Moses brings his family with him. This is the first time that we hear that Moses has two sons. Exodus 18:4 informs us that Moses named his second son Eliezer.
“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him, go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.’” Exodus 4:21-23
Imagine what these words meant to Moses! Previously, a Pharoah had commanded his biological parents to drown him and all baby boys in a river. He was alive because his parents feared God more than the Pharoah and did not comply. He was alive because of God’s saving grace.
God called Isreal His firstborn son. This is a reference to Jesus Christ who would be born from the family line of Israel. What the Pharoah did to the least of Christ’s brothers, he did to Christ.
“And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him. Then, Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, ‘Surely you are a husband of blood to me!’ So, He let him go. Then she said, ‘You are a husband of blood!’—because of the circumcision.” Exodus 4:24-26
Not only was Moses slow of speech but slow to circumcise his son. My guess is that this is a reference to Eliezer. Gershom would have been nearing midlife by now. Eliezer must have been born later in life to Moses and Zipporah. More than eight days had passed and Moses had not yet circumcised Eliezer. Yes, Moses, go save Israel from Egypt, but don’t neglect your own son.
“And the Lord said to Aaron, ‘Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.’ So, he went and met him on the mountain of God and kissed him. So, Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him. Then, Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. And Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses. Then, he did the signs in the sight of the people. So, the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.” Exodus 4:27-31
Moses did not need to recruit Aaron to help him. God took care of that. Aaron greeted Moses before he even left the mountain. In the Gospels, Jesus recruited two pairs of brothers to be His ambassadors. The Apostles James and John were brothers. The Apostles Andrew and Peter were brothers. Psalm 133 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion, for there, the Lord commanded the blessing—life forevermore.” Praise the Lord!
God’s people in Egypt observed the signs. They listened to Aaron. They believed the Word of the Lord! They bowed down and worshipped God! Aaron and Moses must have been so happy.
Moses did not need to recruit Aaron to help him. God took care of that. Aaron greeted Moses before he even left the mountain. In the Gospels, Jesus recruited two pairs of brothers to be His ambassadors. The Apostles James and John were brothers. The Apostles Andrew and Peter were brothers. Psalm 133 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion, for there, the Lord commanded the blessing—life forevermore.” Praise the Lord!
God’s people in Egypt observed the signs. They listened to Aaron. They believed the Word of the Lord! They bowed down and worshipped God! Aaron and Moses must have been so happy.
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