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Moses, the Servant of God
(in 2 parts)
"And they sing the Song of Moses the
servant of God,
and the Song of the Lamb, saying,
Great and marvellous are Thy works, LORD God Almighty;
Just and True are Thy ways, Thou King of Saints"
(Revelation 15:3).
Portions from the Pentateuch,
the King James Version by The Holy Spirit through Moses
with notes by Katie Stewart
PART ONE
GENESIS
Chapter 1
n The Beginning God created the heaven and the Earth. 2 And the Earth was without
form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God
moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that
it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called
Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day."
God Himself called Moses His "servant" many times, and on many occasions, even in the very Last
Book of His Word, the Book of Revelation.
"And they sing the Song of
Moses the servant of God,
and the Song of the Lamb, saying,
Great and marvellous are Thy works, LORD God Almighty;
Just and True are Thy ways, Thou King of Saints"
(Revelation 15:3).
Moses and the Lamb love to sing the same Song.
"Great and marvellous are Thy works, LORD
God Almighty." And their works on this
Earth reflected the depth of FAITH which they had in their Heavenly Father's Will,
a "FAITH which worketh by love" (Galatians 5:6). Moses, the creature man, and Jesus, the Creator Incarnate
Man, both desiring to "praise the Name
of God with a Song, and... magnify Him with thanksgiving" (Psalm 69:30). "Let us exalt His Name
together" (Psalm
34:3).
Moses testified to the Truth of God's Word by his faithful recording of it, via the
Holy Spirit. "1 That which was from
The Beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have
looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life; 2 (for The Life [Jesus Christ] was
manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that Eternal
Life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3
that which we have seen and heard declare we
unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with
the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ"
(1John 1:1-3).
As we open the cover of our Bibles and begin to read from the very First Book, the
Book of Genesis, we immediately see the faithful servitude of Moses towards his God.
As the human tool used in the hand of God to author the first five Books of the Old
Testament, called the Pentateuch, Moses had to truly be "the
servant of God" (Revelation
15:3). The LORD had to have a man who would
trust Him so completely and believe Him so fully as to put on parchment the Record
of an event that no human being could have witnessed personally and still credit
its veracity as being from God. And this man would need to associate his name and
person with it. It is this Record that God's people have lovingly ever after called,
"The Creation".
"26 And God said, Let
Us make man in Our Image, after Our Likeness: and let them have dominion over the
fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all
the Earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the Earth. 27 So
God created man in His Own Image, in the Image of God created He him; male
and female created He them. 28 And God blessed them,
and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the Earth, and subdue
it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and
over every living thing that moveth upon the Earth. 29 And God said, Behold,
I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the Earth,
and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall
be for meat. 30
And to every beast of the Earth, and to every
fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the Earth, wherein there is
life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. 31 And God saw every
thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning
were the sixth day. 2:1
Thus the heavens and the Earth were finished,
and all the host of them."
It took FAITH to be used of God in this way, and Moses was God's choice. Even today,
with all the understanding we have of the world we live in, testifying loudly of
the LORD's truly AWESOME Creation, men refuse to give God His due. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth
His handiwork" (Psalm
19:1). So-called science explains away ALL
that our eyes behold, ALL manner of life that surrounds us and fills our planet,
as being products of their own perverted understanding and origins. "The God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, Which
is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not" (2Corinthians
11:31). They would rather tout the devices
of egotistical presumption than admit the Record of God's faithful servant, Moses.
"And God saw every thing that HE HAD MADE,
and, behold, it was very good" (Genesis 1:31). Their vain
imaginings are a PROOF in themselves, that God's Word is True. "Every man is brutish in his knowledge" (Jeremiah 10:14).
The more men understand of the Truth, the more inexcusable they are for not obeying it, and the deeper the sin into which they will sink. "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required" (Luke 12:48). "This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from Me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten Me, and trusted in falsehood" (Jeremiah 13:25). Denying the Truth in the Record that Moses gave us of Creation and of man's "Beginning" (Genesis 1:1), has been a foundation for calling God a liar and has led the way to ALL manner of uncleanness. Notice how the passage above (Romans 1:18-25) continues, in context, with the following reasoning:
(Romans 1:26-32)
"26 FOR THIS CAUSE God gave them up unto vile affections:
for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27
and likewise also the men, leaving the natural
use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that
which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which
was meet.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their
knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are
not convenient; 29 being filled with
all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of
envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters,
inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural
affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 who knowing the Judgment of God, that they which
commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have PLEASURE in
them that do them."
The denial of Moses' Record of Creation and man's
origin has led to our present day sea of reprobation, with men committing all that
is abominable in God's sight; "as ye have
yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity" (Romans 6:19). Replacing the Omniscient, Omnipotent Creator with man's
invention of evolution as "The Way, The
Truth, and The Life" (John
14:16), has left us, today, with a substructure
of moral morass which has reached quicksand status, all the while lending credence
and respectability to all manner of perversion and deviant behaviors. This is "the time of the end: [when]
many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall
be increased" (Daniel
12:4), and yet with all this "knowledge", men
do "not like to retain God in their knowledge" (Romans 1:28), and so Judgment MUST come. [Please
read selections from Prophecy For Your Information (PFYI): "The
Tribulation: The Seventieth Week of Daniel" ---New Window to understand
more of the soon coming Judgment of the Tribulation.]
EXODUS
Chapter 1
nd Joseph died, and all his brethren,
and all that generation. 7
And the children of Israel were fruitful, and
increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was
filled with them.
8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not
Joseph. 9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children
of Israel are more and mightier than we: 10 Come on, let us deal
wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth
out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them
up out of the land.
11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict
them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied
and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. 13 And the Egyptians
made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: 14 and they made their
lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and in brick, and in all manner of service
in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.
15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which
the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: 16 and he said, When
ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools;
if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king
of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive... 22 And Pharaoh charged
all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and
every daughter ye shall save alive."
The midwives refused to obey the king because he had commanded something of them
that was not his to command. "7 Render
therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom
to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. 8 Owe no man any thing,
but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the
Law. 9 For this, Thou shalt
not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt
not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other Commandment,
it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour
as thyself. 10
Love worketh no ill to his neighbour:
therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law"
(Romans 13:7-10).
We are "to be subject unto the higher
powers. For there is no Power but of God"
(Romans 13:1),
but only if the "higher powers" are "due" the obedience. If we are to obey them, they must rule "for the LORD's sake"
(1Peter 2:13),
as "unto the LORD, the Most High God,
the Possessor of Heaven and Earth" (Genesis 14:22). If they demand
of us disobedience to our God-- our love for God overrides their demand. "If ye love Me, keep My Commandments" (John 14:15). The midwives, "Shiphrah,
and... Puah", would NOT be intimidated,
even by the confrontation of "the king
of Egypt". Therefore, "fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill
the soul: but rather fear Him [God Almighty] which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell" (Matthew 10:28).
Exodus
/ Chapter 2
here went a man of the house of
Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi."
The name of the father of Moses was Amram. The name of his mother was Jochebed. "And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to
wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an
hundred and thirty and seven years" (Exodus 6:20).
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"2 And the woman conceived,
and bare a son: |
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This art print, "Moses in the Bulrushes" by Keith Newton is provided courtesy of Christ-Centered Art ---New Window |
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It is so truly hard to imagine one's self in this situation. How could a mother bring herself to this point of absolute FAITH in God? Though Jochebed was in a desperate situation in seeking safety for the life of her infant boy, we have reason to believe that the action she choose was NOT performed in desperation. The LORD had prepared His servant. "The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD" (Proverbs 16:1).
1. The people of Israel had been told of the Pharaoh's plan by the Hebrew midwives. "15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives... 16 and he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live" (Exodus 1:15-16).
2. Jochebed and Amram had nine months to seek the LORD for their child's double deliverance, all the while being molded and formed themselves by the Creator, "the Author and Finisher of our FAITH" (Hebrews 12:2).
3. These parents had three amazing months of successfully hiding their child! "By FAITH Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment" (Hebrews 11:23). Only the Providence of God could have guided them to see that kind of triumph. "For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to Whom be glory for ever. Amen" (Romans 11:36).
4. The plan that Jochebed had could only have succeeded if God had intervened. Knowing this fact, we must conclude that the plan was revealed to this faithful mother by her All Wise God. Of course, if God was in this with her, then Jochebed could joyfully place her child in this blessed basket, the child He had formed and placed in her bowels. "The LORD that formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob again to Him" (Isaiah 49:5).
Yes, this act took strong FAITH. "O woman, great is thy FAITH: be it unto thee even as thou wilt" (Matthew 15:28). But the LORD had prepared His servant for this exact moment.
"Righteousness shall go before Him; and
shall set us in the way of His steps"
(Psalm 85:13).
He gave her His plan, and she had confidence in Him. "Commit
thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass" (Psalm 37:5). While making the cradle-ark for her precious baby boy, Jochebed
might well have whispered her baby's intercession, certainly included the reminder,
that from the danger of an infant being placed alone in the water, he must surely
be delivered from a death by drowning. "17 He
sent from Above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters; 18
He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from
them that hated me: for they were too strong for me"
(2Samuel 22:17-18).
After all, Jochebed's justification in following this extreme exploit was her persuasion
that this was truly God's Master Plan to secure the deliverance of her baby's life.
"By Thee have I been holden up from the
womb" (Psalm
71:6). Jochebed knew God's hand guided her,
and we know this also, because "wisdom
is justified of her children" (Matthew 11:19).
"4 And
his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him. 5 And the daughter
of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by
the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to
fetch it. 6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold,
the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the
Hebrews' children. 7
Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter,
Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child
for thee? 8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went
and called the child's mother. 9 And Pharaoh's daughter
said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy
wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it. 10 And the child grew,
and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called
his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water."
Scripture records the reason for the choice of the infant's name. Based upon
the occasion of his being pulled (literally, the Hebrew word "drawn") from
"the water", the Word of God reveals the LORD's willingness to answer a mother's
prayer. "When the time was come about
after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying,
Because I have asked him of the LORD"
(1Samuel 1:20).
Again, only the Providence of God could have turned man's wrath into this perfection
of praise. "Surely the wrath of man shall
praise Thee: the remainder of wrath shalt Thou restrain" (Psalm 76:10). The baby's sister, Miriam, followed the ark, ready to offer her
mother as a nurse to her own brother. "God
is my Strength and Power: And He maketh my way perfect" (2Samuel 22:33). Miriam's prayer, while following her baby brother's Divinely protected
ark, might have been, "For Thy Name's
sake lead me, and guide me" (Psalm 31:3). As all intercessory
prayer is by it's very nature, Miriam's intercessory plea would be what Moses would
pray for himself, if he could. "Deliver
me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate
me, and out of the deep waters"
(Psalm 69:14).
(Read our article, "Intercession
Promises: Casting the Net" ---New Window.)
The LORD preserved Jochebed's maternal influence in her son's life by the truly miraculous
deliverance of her baby being sheltered in her homemade ark. It shouldn't surprise
those of us who know God's Character, that His Grace would provide for a mother's
love to nurture and guard the fruit of her own womb. "9 Take
this child away, and nurse it... And the woman took the child, and nursed
it. 10 And the child grew..." (Exodus
2:9-10). The Understanding LORD, Who nurtures
and suckles His Own children, answered this mother's plea. He saved the life of her
child from certain death many times during the short existence. He allowed the mother
and child to bond their God-given and God-preserved relationship by the natural sustenance
of milk nourishing the child from his own mother. "Thou
art He that took me out of the womb: Thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's
breasts" (Psalm
22:9). It makes Spiritual sense to assume that
this bond would be preserved even longer, thus allowing for the Spiritual training
of Moses. "Train up a child in the way
he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). There is no Biblical proof of accuracy in the popular "Hollywood"
account of Moses' early life being devoid of Godly influence. In fact, the Bible
Record upholds the Spiritual assertion, that since the mother's rights were honoured
and preserved in the child's early development, so could they be preserved even longer.
"] your children to wrath: but bring them
up in the nurture and admonition of the LORD"
(Ephesians 6:4).
The Scriptures lend much proof that the parents of Moses had the responsibility of
raising their son to be "the servant of
God" (Revelation
15:13), for this is the job of all Godly parents.
"I was cast upon Thee from the womb: Thou
art my God from my mother's belly" (Psalm 22:10). Parents are
given children from the LORD "that He
might seek a Godly seed" (Malachi 2:15).
And considering the kind of man that Moses turned
out to be, Godly parents must have contributed to his upbringing. Again, "wisdom is justified of her children" (Matthew 11:19).
"11 And it came to pass
in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and
looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his
brethren."
Notice, Moses knew that he was born a Hebrew. Also notice his compassion and sense
of justice. "Therefore all things whatsoever
ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the Law and
the prophets" (Matthew
7:12). Someone must have taught Moses what
pleased the LORD, for he did "learn to
do well; seek Judgment, [and] relieve the oppressed" (Isaiah
1:17).
"12 And he looked this
way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian,
and hid him in the sand. 13
And when he went out the second day, behold,
two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong,
Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? 14 And
he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as
thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.
15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses.
But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he
sat down by a well."
Moses tried to be a peacemaker between two of his Hebrew brethren. This is more Scriptural
proof that Moses was taught the Ways of God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God" (Matthew 5:9). Moses also correctly discerned which of the two men had
sinned, for Scripture states clearly that Moses addressed "him
that did the wrong", indicating a sensitivity
to the leading of the Holy Spirit. "Brethren,
if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are Spiritual, restore such an one in
the spirit of meekness" (Galatians
6:1). As the LORD says by His Own mouth, concerning
His servant, Moses-- "Now the man Moses
was VERY MEEK, above all the men which were upon the face of the Earth" (Numbers 12:3). Moses felt a necessity to intercede, compelled as a Spiritual
man would, because "he that is Spiritual
judgeth all things" (1Corinthians
2:15). He was passionate for the oppressed,
making him a perfect candidate for the LORD's use in freeing the children of Israel
from the grip of Egypt.
The Israelite who snapped back at Moses was angry that Moses had "judged"
him, i.e., "Wherefore smitest thou thy
fellow?" (Exodus
2:13), and that Moses was interfering where
he wasn't wanted, i.e., "Who made thee
a prince and a judge over us?" (2:14). The erring Hebrew then
lashed out at Moses with an accusation of hate, i.e., "Intendest
thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian?"
(2:14). The wicked
hate the righteous. This sinning brother had been approached by Moses with the best
intentions of love, seeking restoration and peace for him. "19
Brethren, if any of you do err from
the Truth, and one convert [changes direction,
or turns] him; 20 let him know, that
he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death,
and shall hide a multitude of sins" (James 5:19-20). Moses must
now "suffer for righteousness' sake" (1Peter 3:14). He realized that his good deed in helping the beaten slave
by killing the oppressor is known by this backsliding "brother," and that
if others don't already know it also-- they will soon. "14 Surely this thing
is known. 15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses" (Exodus 2:14-15). Moses has to run. As the Patriarch Joseph said to his
erring brothers, "As for you, ye thought
evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day,
to save much people alive" (Genesis 50:20).
"The moment that Moses came to years of discretion we read that he 'refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.' Take that as the starting-point of the life of service. If your circumstances are making it impossible for you to carry out what would otherwise be the will of God, then drop your circumstances as Moses did; it rests with you to do it. Refuse any longer to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. You have been in the courts of men; you may have stood high in the favor of the people of this world, and your heirship may look exceedingly brilliant. You must choose whether you will take the heavenly inheritance or the earthly. There comes a point in every man's history when, if he wishes to be a sanctified vessel, meet for the Master's use, he must decide to drop everything that prevents a holy career and a life of perfect service among the people of the Lord. Would the devil be what he is if he did not gild his bullets, and if he did not find something to boast of to offset the glorious attraction of heaven? Of course Pharaoh's court, with all its grandeur, its learning, its talent, its science, its magnificent prospects and possibilities and power, attracts men, and they are drawn into its snare. Moses, the servant of God, calculated well, and he concluded that it would be better to endure the reproach of Christ than to have all the treasures of Egypt. Put the two side by side, the things of the world in one scale-pan, and the things of God in the other, and see which kicks the beam. Make your calculation, and say deliberately, 'I esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of the world.' -- H. W. WEBB-PEPLOE." --from "For Each New Day"
"16 Now the priest of
Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs
to water their father's flock. 17 And
the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered
their flock. 18
And when they came to Reuel their father, he
said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day?
19 And they said, An
Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough
for us, and watered the flock.
20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is
it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread."
Again, we see the Godly character of this man, Moses. "Take
My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am Meek and Lowly in heart: and ye shall
find rest unto your souls" (Matthew 11:29). His compassion for the weak and
the wronged stirs up the groundwork of Righteous Justice and Judgment that had been
cultivated in him, equipping this meek man and constraining him to action. He intercedes
for the oppressed, i.e., "Moses stood
up and helped them, and watered their flock"
(Exodus 2:17).
At this point, we must make a detour from the story line, and ask the question, "What
is meekness?" We are not looking for a dictionary definition here. We want to
know, "What saith the Scripture?" (Romans 4:3).
Very simply put-- true meekness defends God, not self. "Great peace have they which love Thy Law: and nothing
shall offend them" (Psalm 119:165). The Godly meek of the Earth defend God's Word. "Receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is
able to save your souls" (James 1:21). The truly meek
defend God's Character. "The fruit of
the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, FAITH, meekness,
temperance: against such there is no law"
(Galatians 5:22-23).
The meek promote God, not self. "Who is
a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a good conversation
his works with meekness of Wisdom" (James 3:13). And God promotes
His meek ones. "Blessed are the meek:
for they shall inherit the Earth... the meek shall inherit the Earth; and shall delight
themselves in the abundance of peace"
(Matthew 5:5; Psalm 37:11).
With such a man, a man God Himself called "very
meek", i.e., "Now
the man Moses was VERY MEEK, above all the men which were upon the face of the Earth" (Numbers 12:3), is it any wonder that, with such a SERVANT as was this
man Moses, that God had just the human interface He needed to free a whole nation--
enslaved and beaten-- from the clenched fists of the most powerful nation, at that
time, on "the face of the Earth."
From a Biblical perspective, it was Egypt that benefitted from "the famine [which] was over all the face of the Earth" (Genesis 41:56), lasting seven years, in which "all
countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was
so sore in all lands" (Genesis
41:57). The citizenry of Egypt became servants
of the monarchy. The revenue of all Egypt went into the coffers of the government.
The revenue from the world poured into the financial
resources of the Egyptian monarchy. This made Egypt quite imposing by monetary standards.
So, by the time "there arose up a new
king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph"
(Exodus 1:8),
this Pharaoh could easily have been recognized as the most powerful ruler in the
world. In this light, we are not surprised to find egotism that sets "taskmasters to afflict
[the Israelites] with their burdens. And they
built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses" (Exodus 1:11).
It was this stronghold of wickedness, lying in the grasp of one man-- the King of
Egypt-- that must be overcome, if God's people were to be set free. The LORD God
needed a man to be His instrument of righteous Justice and Judgment, compassionate
to those mistreated. The man must represent God only-- not himself. The man MUST
be a meek man-- the meekest man "above
all the men which were upon the face of the Earth"
(Numbers 12:3).
God chose Moses!
Continuing with the story narration...
"21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave
Moses Zipporah his daughter. 22 And she bare him
a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange
land."
"23 And it came to pass
in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed
by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason
of the bondage. 24
And God heard their groaning, and God remembered
His Covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon
the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them."
Exodus
/ Chapter 3
ow Moses kept the flock
of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside
of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb. 2 And the Angel of
the LORD appeared unto him in a Flame Of Fire out of the midst of a bush: and he
looked, and, behold, the bush burned with Fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3 And
Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not
burnt. 4 And when the LORD
saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush,
and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. 5 And He said, Draw
not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou
standest is holy ground. 6
Moreover He said, I Am the God of thy 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. 7 And
the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of My people which are in Egypt,
and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the
Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto
a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites,
and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites."
In verse 1, we are told that "Moses kept
the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian". Many may try to use this verse as an occasion to discredit the
Word of God as being inconsistent. In their eyes, God is two-faced. "Why did
God honour a man like Moses, who married an unsaved woman, and yet destroyed the
Earth by a flood for doing the exact same thing?" In our story of "Noah's Ark" ---New Window and The Flood, we remember,
that in those days:
"'It came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the Earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.' The LORD wants us to take special notice of the type of sin that was the most common just prior to the world's judgment. 'The sons of God' thought so little of the Almighty that they would actually join themselves in the most intimate way, to God's enemies. God's people are NOT to choose their spouses from among the ungodly. We are talking about two separate worlds, with opposite motives, antagonistic values, and NO common ground. Men obey God-- in ALL things-- or they don't. There is no middle ground. There are no shades of gray. There is only Divine Light, or darkness forever."
The passage in Numbers, chapter 12 ---New Window, reveals the LORD's anger, when Miriam and Aaron try to usurp Moses' authority by claiming he did sinfully wrong in marrying an "Ethiopian woman" (Numbers 12:1). Again, the LORD appeared unprincipled and unjust to those who don't understand. Yes, the LORD defended the actions of Moses. "7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all Mine house. 8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?" (12:7-8). But, to those of us who trust the LORD God, His Word, and His Character, the LORD's defense of His "faithful... servant Moses" conclusively proves that Zipporah was NOT an heathen woman, and that "Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian" was NOT the priest of a heathen religion.
"The center of the Midianite country, where Moses sojourned, was on the east shore of the Gulf of Akaba, though they roamed far to the north and west. In Moses' day they controlled the rich pasture lands around Sinai. Moses married a Midianite woman, named Zipporah, daughter of Jethro, also called Reuel (18; 3:1). Jethro, as priest of Midian, must have been a ruler. Midianites were descended from Abraham, through Keturah (Genesis 23:2); and must have had traditions of Abraham's God." --from "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley.
In Exodus 2:18, we are told that the daughters of Jethro "came to Reuel their father".
"Reuel, which means friend of God, seems to have been his personal name, and Jethro, his excellence, to have been his honorary title... After the passage of the Red Sea, which conducted the Israelites into the vicinity of Jethro's country... he rejoiced in the deliverance of the Israelites, [and] offered sacrifices to Jehovah." --from "Davis Dictionary of the Bible" by John D. Davis.
God's opinions are stated clearly when it comes to His people choosing the daughters of the heathen ---New Window -- and in this case, Midianites included.
|
"9 Now therefore, |
|
13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of
Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and
they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
14 And
God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children
of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
15 And
God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The
LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,
hath sent me unto you: this is my Name for ever, and this is My memorial unto all
generations. 16
Go, and gather the elders of Israel together,
and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and
of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which
is done to you in Egypt: 17
And I have said, I will bring you up out of
the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the
Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing
with milk and honey. 18
And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou
shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say
unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech
thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD
our God. 19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you
go, no, not by a mighty hand. 20 And I will stretch out
My hand, and smite Egypt with all My Wonders which I will do in the midst thereof:
and after that he will let you go. 21 And I will give this
people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when
ye go, ye shall not go empty: 22 But every woman shall borrow
of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and
jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your
daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians."
Exodus
/ Chapter 4
nd Moses answered and said, But,
behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will
say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.
2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand?
And he said, A rod.
3 And He said, Cast it on the ground.
And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before
it.
4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and
take it by the tail.
And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
5 that they may believe that the LORD God of their
fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared
unto thee. 6 And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand
into thy bosom.
And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was
leprous as snow.
7 And He said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again.
And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold,
it was turned again as his other flesh.
8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee,
neither hearken to the voice of the first Sign, that they will believe the voice
of the latter Sign. 9
And it shall come to pass, if they will
not believe also these two Signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt
take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which
thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land."
It is a wicked people that need a Sign BEFORE they say they'll believe the LORD.
"38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered,
saying, Master, we would see a Sign from Thee. 39 But He answered and
said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a Sign; and
there shall no Sign be given to it, but the Sign of the prophet Jonas: 40
For as Jonas was three days and three nights
in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the
heart of the Earth. 41 The men of Nineveh
shall rise in Judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented
at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a Greater than Jonas is here" (Matthew 12:38-41). The "Sign" that the LORD spoke of is given to the wicked because of
their need to repent. It is given by God to show that repentance is necessary. Jonah
bore his sin in the belly of the whale-- a Sign from God the Father that he needed
to repent. Jesus bore the sin of the world in the belly (or "heart") of the Earth--
a Sign from God the Father that the world needed to repent..
"10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent,
neither heretofore, nor since Thou hast spoken unto Thy servant: but I am
slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. 11 And the LORD said
unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing,
or the blind? have not I the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I
will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say."
The LORD God always prepares His servants for the work He gives them. He sends them
in the Power of His Spirit. "12:11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates,
and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall
say: 12 for the Holy Ghost
shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say... 21:14 Settle it therefore
in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: 15 for I will give you
a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist" (Luke 12:11-12; 21:14-15).
"13 And he said, O my
LORD, send, I pray Thee, by the hand of him whom Thou wilt send."
Moses continued to sidestep the LORD's Will
by suggesting that "the hand of him", Moses, whom God chose, could choose someone else to go
in his stead. And even though the LORD was angry with Moses, God showed His mercy
and grace.
"14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and
He said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And
also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad
in his heart. 15 And thou shalt
speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with
his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. 16 And he shall be thy
spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of
a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God."
The LORD allowed Aaron to be the mouthpiece of Moses, but Moses was still to be the
mouthpiece of God
"17 And thou shalt take
this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do Signs.
18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law,
and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are
in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into
Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life."
The LORD prepared the way before His servant, providing for the servant's safety.
"All the men are dead which sought thy
life."
"20 And Moses took his
wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt:
and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return
into Egypt, see that thou do all those Wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in
thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go."
Again, the LORD prepared His servant, Moses, by telling him what to expect. Pharaoh
was to be the unwilling tool in the hand of God.
"22 And thou shalt say
unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is My son, even My firstborn: 23 and
I say unto thee, Let My son go, that he may serve Me: and if thou refuse to let him
go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet
Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him. 28 And
Moses told Aaron all the Words of the LORD Who had sent him, and all the Signs which He had
commanded him. 29
And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together
all the elders of the children of Israel: 30 And Aaron spake all
the Words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the Signs in the sight of the people.
31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD
had visited the children of Israel, and that He had looked upon their affliction,
then they bowed their heads and worshipped."
Exodus
/ Chapter 5
nd afterward Moses and Aaron went
in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let My people go, that they
may hold a feast unto Me in the wilderness. 2 And Pharaoh said,
Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know
not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go."
Truth is Truth, no matter who repeats it. And Pharaoh spoke God's Truth when he said
that he didn't know God. For to know God is to obey Him. "Know
ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to
whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto Righteousness?" (Romans 6:16).
"3 And they said, The
God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey
into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest He fall upon us with pestilence,
or with the sword.
4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses
and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens. 5 And
Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest
from their burdens. 6
And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters
of the people, and their officers, saying, 7 Ye shall no more
give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw
for themselves. 8
And the tale of the bricks, which they did
make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for
they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. 9 Let
there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them
not regard vain words."
To the wicked, the Word of God is foolishness, and the teaching of the Word-- worthlessness.
"Let them not regard vain words." It is only the Word of God that has Eternal Value.
"20 And they met Moses
and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: 21 and they said unto
them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred
in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their
hand to slay us.
22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, LORD, wherefore
hast Thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that Thou hast sent me? 23
For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Thy
Name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast Thou delivered Thy people at
all."
If there was one character area that Moses needed to heed as "the sin which doth so easily beset" (Hebrews 12:1) him, it would be that of having patience. Then Moses would "run with patience the race that is set before [him]" (12:1).
With the constant backslidings from the Israelites,
Moses was OFTEN tested in the area of having patience. "There
arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses"
(Deuteronomy 34:10).
Most of the time, he passed his tests, as any child of God is required to do [read "What
the Bible Says About Temptation" ---New Window]. But we will read later, of a time when Moses lost his temper ---New Window,
and this provocation from the children of Israel caused Moses to NOT
enter into the Promised Land ---New
Window.
Exodus
/ Chapter 6
hen the LORD said unto Moses, Now
shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them
go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. 2 And God spake unto
Moses, and said unto him, I Am the LORD: 3 And
I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the Name of God Almighty,
but by My Name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. 4 And I have also established
My Covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage,
wherein they were strangers. 5 And I have also heard
the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage;
and I have remembered My Covenant. 6 Wherefore say unto the children
of Israel, I Am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the
Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a
stretched out arm, and with Great Judgments: 7 And I will take you
to Me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I Am the LORD
your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 And
I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to
Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I Am the
LORD. 9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they
hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage."
The Israelites were a suffering people. They had "23 sighed by reason of the
bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God... 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His Covenant
with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob"
(Exodus 2:23-24).
If the LORD had not intervened for them, He would not have been able to fulfill the
Promise He had made to Abraham. "13 And
He said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land
that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred
years; 14 and also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge:
and afterward shall they come out with great substance... 18 In the same day the
LORD made a Covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from
the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 19 the Kenites, and
the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20 and the Hittites, and the
Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 21 and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the
Jebusites" (Genesis
15:13-14,18-21). And so, for Abraham, the LORD
kept His Promise, and proceeded with His plan to free Israel, even though "they hearkened NOT unto Moses for anguish of spirit,
and for cruel bondage."
"10 And the LORD spake
unto Moses, saying, 11
Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that
he let the children of Israel go out of his land. 12 And Moses spake before
the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how
then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips? 13 And the LORD spake
unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and
unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.
28 And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto
Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 that the LORD spake unto Moses,
saying, I Am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto
thee."
The LORD's "charge" to us stands fast, whether it appears as if anyone will listen to
us, or not. The LORD's Word is the only Absolute that needs to be considered. This
is the position of FAITH. "And He said
unto them, Where is your FAITH? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another,
What manner of Man is this! for He commandeth even the winds and water, and they
obey Him" (Luke
8:25).
Exodus
/ Chapter 7
nd the LORD said unto Moses, See,
I have made thee a god [or, as God] to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy
brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his
land. 3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My Signs
and My Wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay
My hand upon Egypt, and bring forth Mine armies, and My people the children of Israel,
out of the land of Egypt by Great Judgments. 5 And the Egyptians
shall know that I Am the LORD, when I stretch forth Mine hand upon Egypt, and bring
out the children of Israel from among them.
6 And Moses and
Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they.
7 And Moses was
fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto
Pharaoh.
8 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 9 When
Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Show a miracle for you: then thou shalt say
unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.
10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did
so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and
before his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh also
called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did
in like manner with their enchantments. 12 For they cast down
every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.
13 And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto
them; as the LORD had said."
Satan is the "prince of the power of the
air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2), and as such, God has allowed Satan to have a limited amount
of liberty in his arsenal. His abilities imitate the "Only Wise God" (1Timothy 1:17). Satan's imitation
of God is NOT to glorify God-- but to usurp God altogether. "For thou [Satan] hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into Heaven, I
will exalt my throne above the stars of God"
(Isaiah 14:13).
Pharaoh's sorcerers imitated God's Power, but possessed
no Divine power in themselves. Their power was a counterfeit, for "the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying
wonders" (2Thessalonians
2:9) could not defeat Moses. This is illustrated
in the fact, that, "Aaron's rod swallowed
up their rods." When that happened in
front of Pharaoh's very own eyes, he was reminded of his finiteness, his limitations--
and it soured in his stomach and "hardened" his heart. This Divine Power of the Holy Spirit constantly
limits Satan, and restrains his devouring egotistical desires from overstepping the
purposes that God maintains. This has a tremendous hardening effect on the heart
of Satan, making him-- of ALL creatures-- "most
miserable" (1Corinthians
15:19).
"14 And the LORD said
unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go. 15 Get
thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt
stand by the river's brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent
shalt thou take in thine hand. 16 And thou shalt say unto him,
The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let My people go,
that they may serve Me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest
not hear. 17 Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I Am
the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in Mine hand upon the waters
which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.
18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river
shall stink; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the water of the river. 19 And
the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand
upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds,
and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may
be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels
of stone."
In the Book of Revelation, one of the "two
witnesses" (Revelation
11:3) (we think he shall be Moses, with Elijah
being the other witness) shall again turn the waters to blood.
"Moses and Elijah are most probably the Two Witnesses indicated in this verse because of the similarity of their previous earthly ministries to the deeds of these Two Witnesses. Elijah 'shut heaven, that it rain[ed] not' (11:6), i.e., 'And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before Whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word' (1Kings 17:1). Moses had 'power over [the] waters to turn them to blood' (11:6), i.e., '[Moses] turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish' (Psalm 105:29). Moses is remembered for the multitude of plagues that he called down upon Egypt, i.e., 'And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet' (Exodus 7:1), while Elijah is remembered for calling down fire on the sacrifice on Mount Carmel. '37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that Thou art the LORD God, and that Thou hast turned their heart back again.
