Aug. 18, 2021

“THE LIFE OF MOSES”

“WHO AM I, LORD?”

EXODUS 3:11-4:19

1.   The Call of Moses

Exodus 3:10 “Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

Because Moses misunderstood, he responded to God’s call with a question of resistance:

Exodus 3:11 “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?”

God immediately corrected him with these words of reassurance:

Exodus 3:12 “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.”

By giving this prophecy, the Lord was making it clear to Moses that he was His choice for the task.

2.   Moses Resisting God

Moses didn’t see himself as God did:

*Excuse Number One- “I will not have all the answers.”

Moses posed a potential scenario to God:

Exodus 3:13 “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?”

It is true that believers are commanded in Scripture to be always ready:

1 Peter 3:15 “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;”

*Answer Number One- “But you will have all of Me.”

The Lord’s response to Moses included a lesson on His nature:

Exodus 3:14-15 “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.’ ” 15Moreover 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.”

*Excuse Number Two- “I may not receive all of their respect.”

Exodus 4:1 “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.”

Here Moses displayed his fear of being ridiculed and his lack of personal prestige.

Exodus 3:18 “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.”

*Answer Number Two- “But you will have all of My power.”

God demonstrated to Moses how He would ensure that both the Hebrews and the Egyptians would heed his words.

Exodus 4:2-5 “So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” 3And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. 4Then 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).” 

The next sign consisted of making Moses’ hand “leprous like snow,” and then restoring it “like the rest of his flesh”:

Exodus 4:6-7 “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. 7And 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.”

The third sign would be performed if the people refused to accept the other two miracle. This supernatural act was going to involve turning some water from the Nile River into blood:

Exodus 4:8-9 ““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. 9And 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.” 

*Excuse Number Three- “I do not have all the ability.”

Moses was not finished resisting God’s will. He retorted:

Exodus 4:10 “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.”

Actually Moses had been a powerful public speaker in Egypt.

Acts 7:22 “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds.”

*Answer Number Three- “But you will have all that is needed.”

The Lord’s response to Moses was direct and therapeutic:

Exodus 4:11-12 “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? 12Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”

*Excuse Number Four- “I am not as qualified as everyone else.”

Exodus 4:13 “But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.”

*Answer Number Four- “But you are My choice…however, I will send another person along with you.”

Moses’ final excuse brought the Lord to the end of His patience.

Exodus 4:14-16 “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. 15Now 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. 16So 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.”

3.   God Sends Moses

Exodus 4:18-19 “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.” 19Now the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.” 

4.   How Do We Respond To God?

We can resist God’s will or we can submit ourselves to it. The choice is ours. But once we begin heeding His call, our acceptance needs to be marked by three things:

*That it is certainly God’s voice.

*That we are confident in God’s power.

Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”

*Be Comfortable with His plan.