June 14, 2009
Background Scripture: Exodus 4:10-16, 27-31
Devotional Reading: Proverbs 1:2-33

In my growing-up days, motion pictures always began with a “cast of characters” so that we would know who was who. Today, however, the cast of characters is more likely to be listed at the end of the film. There is something to be said for both procedures.

In reading the Bible, however, I think it is important to understand in advance just who we will be encountering. For example, in our passages this week there will be some important names and terms which are not explained by the passage itself.

The Moses of Exodus 4 is the brother of Miriam and Aaron, born to simple Hebrew parents in Egypt in the 13th century B.C. But Moses was adopted by a childless Egyptian princess and thus grew up in the Pharaoh’s royal household.

As an adult, he killed an Egyptian abusing a Hebrew and he fled into the Midian desert, where he found refuge with Jethro, a shepherd-priest of a Midianite tribe, the Kenites. There, Moses married Jethro’s daughter, Zipporah, had two children and settled down into a simple life.

Send someone else

That could have been the end of the story of Moses, but it wasn’t. While tending Jethro’s flocks, the aged Moses had a theophany (an appearance of God) when he turned aside to watch a burning bush – that was not consumed!

That’s where we left Moses last week, with God informing him that he was to return to Egypt, confront the Pharaoh and lead the Hebrews out of slavery to a land God had chosen for them. Moses was impressed with the burning bush that was not consumed, but not with the task to which God was calling him.

He resisted as best he could: “But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?’” (3:11); “If I come to the people of Israel … and they ask me, what is his name? What shall I say to them?” (3:13); “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say ‘the Lord did not appear to you.’”(4:1); “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, either heretofore or since thou hast spoken to thy servant” (4:10); “O my Lord, send, I pray, some other person” (4:13).

Good rationalizations – but God had the last word. (Read God’s retorts in Exodus 3:12,14 and 4:2-9,11,12,14-17.) Some interpreters think Moses stuttered. Whatever his problem, he assented when God said that Moses would give His messages to Aaron and Aaron would deliver them to the people.

God does not compel us to answer His challenges, but He is persistent and pursues us until we respond one way or another.

The difference

Now, the momentous mistake we can make at this point is to think of Moses as on a different human level than we are. Like us, Moses had great limitations: virtually unknown to the people he was to lead, certainly not a public speaker nor an experienced leader, but an escaped criminal.

Still, God told Moses – as he tells each of us – it doesn’t depend upon you, it depends upon me.

In “Twelfth Night,” Shakespeare says: “Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.” And Jesus said and demonstrated that we who follow him shall seek not greatness, but servanthood.
That is what God thrust upon Moses. He didn’t prepare for it, seek it or desire it. But in “a weak moment” that was actually the strongest moment of his life, he accepted it.

What about you? Is God through with you – or maybe even hardly yet started? Is there something that God wants you to do, something for which you feel unqualified, but would be possible because it is in line with His great purpose?

If your story’s not over, that kind of “weak moment” could be the most powerful of your life.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Rev. Althouse may write to him in care of this publication.