Lessons from the Life of Moses

By Colleen Podmore

Tonight I have prepared a short study on some lessons I have learned from Moses’ life. I hope that we will be able to reflect on Moses’ life together. Last week Bene gave an excellent exhortation about the relevance of the OT law to NT believers. I think the conclusion was that NT believers are not bound by the letter of the law, but by the spirit of the law. Jesus fulfilled the Law, which meant that He was perfect, sinless and we His people are redeemed by His atoning sacrifice on the cross and by His blood that was shed. This week I have another perspective of the OT relevance to NT believers.

1Cor 10:6,11 & Romans 15:1-4

MOSES
Whom here wouldn’t like to be like Moses? He was a man who was counted as the greatest prophet of God. He was raised in a pagan household and lived there for 40yrs, then he lived in the desert for another 40 yrs, then God used him in a mighty way to free the Israelites from bondage. Amazingly, they believed Moses was from God and followed him; they put all their trust and hope in him for themselves, for their families and for the future. They believed he was God’s servant. And he led them in the desert; we all know the story and God gave them the Law and the Tabernacle, so that they might worship Him according to His way.

Let us read Exodus 3:10 – 16 & 4:1 -16
Let me ask you a question. If you were to put yourself in this story, what would your response be to God? God has a job for Moses to do, but Moses is quite naturally very fearful and afraid. Who wouldn’t be, in fact Jesus says to count the cost before you undertake to do anything. Carefully weigh up the consequences before you commit to anything. (Luke 14:28)

This story is really amazing, not only because Moses was humble enough to put it in the Scriptures but that God actually listened to him and responded to his excuses. We know that this was written to us as an example, as a warning. Moses voiced his fears, his concerns amazingly, when God revealed what He wanted Moses to do. God has revealed to Moses that he has seen the misery of His people and heard them crying out and furthermore He is concerned enough to do something! Amen. He came down from heaven and will rescue His people through this man Moses.

What is Moses response to this great commission? Great, let’s go. Yeah, way to go! Let’s do it! God says to us – Go and tell the people about me, and I will rescue them from the kingdom of darkness. I have done all the work, I have conquered sin and death, all you have to do is be my witnesses. What is our response?
What was Moses first excuse?

Excuses (1)
EX 3:11 Who am I?
God's Response (1)
I will be with you
Excuses (2)
Ex 3:14 Who are you?
God's Response (2)
I AM
Excuses (3)
Ex4:1 What if they don’t believe me
God's Response (3)
3 signs
• Staff
• Leprous hand
• Water turned to blood
Excuses (4)
Ex4: 10 I’m not eloquent
God's Response (4)
Aaron will speak to the people

Moses, in all humility records for us at least four of his excuses for refusing God and finally he out rightly refuses when he said ‘send someone else’ (Ex 4:13) Are my excuses the same as Moses’, are yours or do we have other reasons for refusing God.

Ex 3:11. Firstly, Moses asks the question , Who am I? In complete humility and honesty, he asks the question. He has come to that place in his life, where all his plans and ideas have failed. And praise God when we get to that place and realise we can do nothing apart from God. When we come to the end of ourselves and lift up our hands and say, ‘Who am I. I am nothing, help me God!’

Notice how God responds to Moses by saying simply, ‘I will be with you’, that’s all and this will be a sign for you – you will worship on this mountain. And Jesus says to us, ‘I will be with you always, even to the end of the age’ and ‘this will be a sign for you, I will die on a cross and I will send the Holy Spirit.’

Ex3:14 Secondly, Moses says, ‘Who are you?’ What if people ask me Your name and I can’t tell them. Do we know who God is; can we explain who He is? Are we always ready to be able to give a reason for the hope we have? (1Peter 3:14) His name is Yahweh and He is always with us. He is the Living God, the Alpha and the Omega. His name is Jesus, He saves His people. His name in Immanuel, He is God with us! Amen.

Ex4:1 Thirdly, Moses feared the people, that they would not listen to him and God graciously performed 3 miracles through Moses that would prove that he spoke the truth. How many times have I used this excuse, thinking it was up to me to convince and convert people to believe in Jesus? But, we are called to share the gospel, to be witnesses of Jesus resurrection from the dead. This is the greatest miracle.

Ex4:10 Fourthly, Moses said, I can’t speak and God is beginning to get annoyed, pointing out that He had given Moses the ability to speak. V11. Moses had a mouth, a tongue, everything that was necessary to speak, but because the work was so great, God gave Moses the help of Aaron his brother as a spokesman. And don’t we need each other. This is the same principle that the church today is built on. We are all part of the church, the body of Christ, each with different gifts and abilities to edify and build up the church and to preach the Good News to those who are lost.

Finally Moses out-rightly said, ‘No’, v13, send someone else but nevertheless he went anyway and we know that God worked through him in a mighty way. Amen!
Let us just take a few minutes to think about our lives and the things that block us from serving God. As you think of your own excuses, write them down on your piece of paper. This is very important to write down whatever the Holy Spirit reveals even if you are not ready to do anything about it. It is important to acknowledge it. What excuses do I have? Sometimes there are so many that it’s overwhelming so I find it helpful to think about different categories. The first is what I call the Basics, that is, Bible reading, prayer and fellowship. Are we struggling in any of these areas? Write down why you think that is? What are your excuses? Maybe you’re too tired, too busy, too ??

The second category is in the area of things we might do for God, or don’t do but would like to do… maybe helping others, encouraging others, serving others, preaching, teaching, evangelism. Do I have a ministry that I’m not fulfilling and if not what is my reason/excuse? Do I have spiritual gifts that I’m not using? Why is that?
The third category is around our characters. Is there something I need to change but haven’t. What do I need to do or stop doing?
Perhaps it is my situation. Do I say, ‘If only....this would change, or that were different?’

I would really encourage us to keep thinking about the excuses we have, even if it seems impossible to change the situation. What we could do is complilate all our excuses and we could look for Bible verses that answer them, so that we can all learn something for our lives.

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation so that you know Him better” Ephesians 1:17

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” Romans 15:5

“For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” Ephesians 2:10