Bible Study Online Article

In the last article we took a look at how God began to reach out to Moses on a personal level.

Moses would now find himself to be in a unique position that would allow him the opportunity to experience the presence of God, just like his forefathers had done before him.

This marvelous moment of interaction between him and the Almighty God, would also provide Moses with the divine confirmation that proved to him, that the God of his forefathers really did exist.

Most teachers and preachers would be upset by that last statement, for they seem to forget that Moses didn't have the type of recorded proof that we have today. For example, he didn't have the recording of the many foretold prophecies and their fulfillments like we have here in the twenty first century.

Understand that I'm not trying to discredit Moses' legacy in any kind of way (being that I couldn't even if I were trying), I'm just trying to put him more in reach. What this means, is that I'm basically revealing the process that God used to bring Moses to his true purpose, so that we can go beyond the Sacred Text and connect with Moses on a more personal level. One of the many advantages that the record of Moses provides for us today, is that we are able to see how he too, had to go through a process of trials and tribulations, that would eventually lead him to the one true God.

At times, God seemed to be so far away, but in actuality, God was much closer than Moses had anticipated. After all, Moses had been in the wilderness land of Midian for forty years, just trying to survive. This is something we should keep in mind when we begin to feel that God has abandoned us personally. One of the advantages that the record of Moses provides us, is that it helps to remind us that God is much closer to us, than we may think. But let's move forward...

Now it's also at this time that Moses would learn that God had heard the painful cries of the Israelites and that He knew about the season of extreme hardship that they were now enduring down in Egypt. Moses would also learn that God was intending on doing something about their situation:

"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.'" - Exodus 3:7-9

But what Moses didn't know, is that God was intending to send him back to Egypt, in order to lead the Israelites from out of Egypt: "Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." - Exodus 3:10

One could imagine the emotional roller coaster ride that Moses was on about this time. To be able to finally have some confirmation that the God of his forefathers were indeed real and to know that God was finally intending on doing something about the season of hardship that the Israelites were enduring by the hands of the Egyptians: this must have been truly a surreal moment for him.

Then all of a sudden, Moses would have some kind of "hold up, wait a minute" moment -- after he had heard that God was planning on sending him, to be their deliver. Imagine that? Moses must have thought.

I mean after all, for the past forty years, could it be hard for us to see how Moses could have been reliving that moment that had lasted for two days? That moment that led to the killing of an Egyptian in order to save the life of a fellow Hebrew. Then the next day, to be mocked and ridicule by the very same people whom he tried to protect. To finally be driven to the wilderness from all that he had ever known: "Then he [a fellow Hebrew] said, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" - Exodus 2:14

Would it be wrong for us to perhaps think, that Moses might have given up on his self, that he might, at this point, had render himself useless and without purpose? : "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?'" - Exodus 3:11

Ah! There it is - "Who am I?"

Honestly, how many times have we asked ourselves this type of question, when we are finally confronted by the things we have given up on? Confronted by the things we were once passionate about? To be found guilty of giving up on the things that use to matter to us, but now we've cast those ideas and plans to the side? Because in actuality we have given up on ourselves.

Is it really that hard, to see how Moses could have had given up on himself? Is it difficult to be able to connect with this type of notion, or perception? But look at God, read what he has to say: "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 3:12

It's at this time that God reveals a prophecy to Moses; which speaks about the fact that Moses will indeed deliver the Israelites from out of the hands of the Egyptians and afterwards, Moses and the Israelites are to serve God on Mt. Sinai. After hearing this, Moses seems to be reassured and he puts forth this question: "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?'" - Exodus 3:13

This was a good question that was put forth by Moses, for he knew that the Israelites would too, want some proof that Moses was being led by the one true God and not some false god. And although knowing the right name wouldn't completely silence the critics amongst them, it would be a start. Take note of God's response:

"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."'" - Exodus 3:14,15

God continues on...

"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.'" - Exodus 3:16,17

God continues to lay out for Moses step-by-step and what he is suppose to say, when it comes to the type of approach, that he should take when it comes to the Israelites. Take note when God says "Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them…"

This statement alone shows that the Israelites were still able to retain some structure of order when it comes to authority from within their communities, in spite of their bondage to the Egyptians. Be that as it may, it would be the elders who would have some idea, when it comes to what Moses was saying was credible or not. Besides, if Moses could get the elders to follow him, then the people would most definitely follow the elders, the ones they respected the most.

Will the elders listen to Moses? And although Moses has been reassured that he still has purpose, will it be enough for him to believe in himself? Will Moses be able to have enough faith, to become a vessel for the one true God? In the next article we will continue forward and find out what God has to say, when it comes to Moses' concerns.

Joseph the Overseer of Egypt

Jacob Becomes Ill

The Prophecies of Jacob

Moses the Son of Levi

**YOUR CURRENT BIBLE STUDY ONLINE SERIES WOULD BE HERE**

145) The Call of Moses

146) <-CURRENT PAGE->

147) Identifying with Moses

148) The Systematic God

149) Moses the Self-Defeated

150) A Frustrated God

151) Reality Check for Zipporah

152) Moses' Losing & Costly Position of Compromising

153) Moses Meets Aaron At The Mountain of God

154) Moses Gathers the Elders of Israel

155) Moses Confronts Pharaoh

156) Pharaoh Moves Against God