Moses Responds to Call
Notes
Transcript
Moses Responds to Call
(Exodus 2:16–4:31))
THE MARRIAGE OF MOSES (Ex. 2:16–22)
THE MARRIAGE OF MOSES (Ex. 2:16–22)
A. He assists a Midianite girl at a well (Ex. 2:16–20): Moses drives away some unfriendly shepherds, allowing some women to water their flocks.
B. He accepts a Midianite girl as his wife (Ex. 2:21–22): Moses marries Zipporah, one of the women he helped at the well, and fathers two sons, Gershom (Ex. 2:22) and Eliezer (Ex. 18:4).
II. THE MISSION OF MOSES (Ex. 2:23–3:10)
II. THE MISSION OF MOSES (Ex. 2:23–3:10)
A. Israel’s misery (Ex. 2:23–25): Egypt’s persecution of Israel intensifies. God hears their cries and remembers his covenant with Abraham.
B. Moses’ mystery (Ex. 3:1–3): He sees a bush engulfed in flames, but it is not consumed by the fire.
C. God’s message (Ex. 3:4–10)
1. Take your shoes off! (Ex. 3:4–9)
a. The why of the matter (Ex. 3:5): “You are standing on holy ground.”
b. The what of the matter (Ex. 3:7–8): The Lord says he has heard the Israelites’ cries and will deliver them.
2. Put your shoes on! (Ex. 3:10): The Lord tells Moses that he has chosen him to deliver his people.
III. THE MISGIVINGS OF MOSES (Ex. 3:11–4:23)
III. THE MISGIVINGS OF MOSES (Ex. 3:11–4:23)
A. The protests (Ex. 3:11–15; 4:10–17)
A. The protests (Ex. 3:11–15; 4:10–17)
1. First objection (Ex. 3:11–12)
a. Moses says that he is not important enough to appear before Pharaoh.
b. The Lord tells Moses that he will be with him and will bring him back to Mount Sinai.
2. Second objection (Ex. 3:13–15)
a. Moses complains that he holds no authority.
b. The Lord tells Moses that he, the “I Am,” is his authority.
3. Third objection (Ex. 4:1–5)
a. Moses insists that the people will not believe him.
b. The Lord turns Moses’ staff into a snake and tells him that the people will believe him when they see this.
4. Fourth objection (Ex. 4:10–17)
a. Moses complains that he is not a good speaker.
b. The Lord tells Moses that Aaron, his brother, will be his spokesman.
B. The prophecies (Ex. 3:16–22)
B. The prophecies (Ex. 3:16–22)
1. Israel will be brought out of Egypt and into Canaan (Ex. 3:16–17).
2. Israel’s leaders will believe Moses (Ex. 3:18).
3. Pharaoh will oppose Moses (Ex. 3:19).
4. Egypt will suffer God’s judgment (Ex. 3:20).
5. Israel will receive riches from Egypt (Ex. 3:21–22).
C. The proofs (Ex. 4:2–9)
C. The proofs (Ex. 4:2–9)
1. First proof (Ex. 4:2–5): Moses’ rod turns into a snake.
2. Second proof (Ex. 4:6–8): Moses’ hand becomes leprous.
3. Third proof (Ex. 4:9): The Nile River waters will later become blood.
D. The permission
D. The permission
(Ex. 4:10–18): God allows Moses’ older brother, Aaron, to accompany Moses as spokesman. Moses receives permission from his father-in-law to leave.
E. The preparation
E. The preparation
(Ex. 4:19–20): Moses says good-bye to his father-in-law.
F. The plan (Ex. 4:21–23): God will help the hand of Moses (in performing miracles) but will harden the heart of Pharaoh!
IV. THE MISTAKE OF MOSES
IV. THE MISTAKE OF MOSES
(Ex. 4:24–26): For some reason Moses carelessly neglected, or perhaps even refused, to circumcise his firstborn son, Gershom.
A. The anger of God (Ex. 4:24): This carelessness almost costs Moses his life!
B. The act of Zipporah (Ex. 4:25–26): Realizing the danger, Zipporah quickly circumcises their son.
V. THE MEETINGS OF MOSES (Ex. 4:27–31)
V. THE MEETINGS OF MOSES (Ex. 4:27–31)
A. Moses meets with his brother Aaron (Ex. 4:27–28): Moses now tells Aaron the details of their mission.
B. Moses meets with the elders of Israel (Ex. 4:29–31): Upon hearing Aaron’s message and seeing Moses’ miracles, the elders believe them and worship God.
Moses Excuse #1:
Moses Excuse #1:
Suppose they don’t believe I’ve heard from you?
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.’ ”
God Supplies Three Proofs
God Supplies Three Proofs
Rod
2 So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.”
3 And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it.
4 Then 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),
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, has appeared to you.”
Leprous Hand
6 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.
7 And 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.
8 “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.
Golden Nuggets—Volume 1 (Serving the Lord with What We Have)
Serving the Lord with What We Have
Exodus 4:2
INTRODUCTION:
All of the great works for God are done by doing our best with what we have. Many do not like to do anything for God until they can do their best. But we can never do anything at all until we do the little things first.
I. MOSES HAD A SHEPHERD’S ROD IN HIS HAND
God was to conquer Pharaoh by the little shepherd’s rod in the hand of Moses.
1. At the command of the Lord—Moses’ staff became a magic stick.
II. DAVID HAD A SLING IN HIS HAND
David used a sling and a stone to slay Goliath. He went confident of Victory.
1. David fought in the name of the Lord. This is always the path to Victory.
III. THE POOR WIDOW HAD TWO MITES IN HER HAND
She gave all she had unto God. So use what you have now. Do not wait until you get more.
1. Her fame and liberality has inspired others to give.
IV. MARY HAD A SMALL BOX OF OINTMENT IN HER HAND
This breaking of her alabaster box was her way to let the fragrance of her heart be poured out upon the Saviour.
1. The odor not only filled the house but has filled the world.
V. THE YOUNG LAD HAD FIVE LOAVES AND TWO SMALL FISHES IN HIS HAND
The lunch in the hands of Jesus fed the hungry multitude.
1. Talents trusted in the hands of our Lord will multiply.
VI. DORCAS HAD A NEEDLE IN HER HAND
Just a needle. Can you use it for God? Yes, when it is dedicated to sewing the story of Christ into the hearts of the people.
VII. PAUL HAD ALL IN HIS HAND
It was his body, soul, money, life and all. Paul gave everything to Jesus Christ.
1. When Paul gave all He was not afraid of coming to want. His God would supply all his needs. (Phil. 4:19)
Water to Blood
9 And 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.”
Moses Excuse #2
Moses Excuse #2
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.”
God Promises to Be His Mouth and Teach Him What to Say
11 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?
12 Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”
Moses Asks God to Send Someone Else
Moses Asks God to Send Someone Else
13 But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.”
God is angry but promises to send Aaron
14 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.
15 Now 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.
16 So 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.
God Reminds Him of the Rod
17 And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”
Moses Prepares to Go to Egypt
18 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.”
Is anyone still alive?!?!
Moses Begins Journey to Egypt
19 Now the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.”
20 Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
God Begins to Tell Moses What to do and say:
21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.
22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.
23 So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.” ’ ”
Circumcision! (Covenant)
24 And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him.
25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!”
26 So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision.
God Speaks to Aaron
27 And the Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him.
Meeting on the Mountain of God....
Moses shares the Word and Vision
28 So Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him.
Moses and Aaron Meet with the Elders
29 Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.
30 And Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people.
31 So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.