Hey everyone,
It had been my desire to update my website regularly. However I had a skiing accident a couple of weeks ago which through some things off for me. So I’m trying to recalibrate my schedule and get myself back on track. For now, I will just pick up where I’m at in my reading and hopefully get back to the chapters I missed in the future.

Exodus 4 Moses has a conversation with God and does not want to go to pharaoh. God gives him a couple of different signs to demonstrate that he has been talking with God. The first one is throwing down his staff. When he throws it down he becomes a snake and then Moses is to pick it up by the tail.

The second is that he has to put his hand inside his cloak and it will become leprous. When he puts his hand back inside his cloak it is made whole.

God also gave him another sign that if they don’t believe he is to take water from the Nile and poured on the ground and it will become blood.

I find it interesting that in these three examples we see elements of the garden with the snake, sin with the leprous hand, and blood which could represent Christ. Any thoughts about that?? Share your insights with me!

Moses then begins to make excuses by saying he is slow a speech, meaning that he stutters. God then replies to him; who is it that has given men his mouth? Moses doesn’t seem to get that this isn’t a negotiable offer. Is there something God has called you to do that you have been trying to negotiate your way out of it?

God goes on to say that he will teach him what to say. This is interesting because many times we simply want someone to tell us what to say and not teach us what to say. This means that it’s not only about saying the right thing but living that right thing as well.

Moses continues to resist and this makes God angry. So God tells him that he will let Aaron speak for Moses. Moses finally agrees to go and returns to make his father-in-law Jethro aware. Moses family packs their things and begins their journey to Egypt.

It’s interesting to note that God says Moses is going to tell pharaoh to let his son Israel go. But we are not talking about just one person, God is certainly talking about the entire nation. However God likens all of us as unto his son. We are all to become more like Jesus.

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Romans 8:29

A strange thing happens in this chapter as well when they are on their way and we are told that the Lord was seeking to kill Moses. What? God had just called him to go so the people free. So what is going on here?

Evidently Moses’ son was not circumcised. This was in direct conflict with God’s Law. Moses’ wife follows through with what Moses had failed to do. Why is this the case? We can’t know for sure but consider:

Maybe Moses thought that since God had called him in a special way he was exempt?

Or maybe Moses thought if he didn’t have his son circumcised that God would find someone else or even kill him?

How often do we think there is something we can compromise or neglect and it’s not a big deal to God? All God tells us is important. Even as it might affect others.

Moses’ wife follows through with the requirements of God, which pleases God but certainly puts a slight rift between Moses and Zipporah. We must follow through with all God commands us to do. There are no loopholes regardless of how special we may feel to God. God doesn’t release Moses because of Moses feelings of inadequacy or his lack of follow through. God gets him there. And God will get us where He wants us.

Exodus 5 Moses has an encounter with pharaoh. Pharaoh doesn’t listen and becomes angry. He requires more work from the children of Israel. He takes away the straw but still requires them to meet the same number of bricks each day.
Of course this did not make Moses and Aaron very popular in the sight of the children of Israel either.

One thing that I’ve learned from this passage is that doing the right thing doesn’t always feel good or right. Sometimes the only one we can find any encouragement from is God himself. Not everyone is going to believe or accept what is happening or what we are saying.

As a leader it is important to remember that obedience to God is more important than understanding from people.

Exodus 6 God speaks to Moses again and reaffirms that he is going to bring his people out of Egypt. God tells Moses to go to the people again and to pharaoh and demand that the people be let go. However the people not pharaoh believe.

At the end of chapter 6 we have a genealogy to ensure which Moses and Aaron the Bible is talking about. I don’t know if there were a lot of people name Moses during this time… And it’s certainly possible that there were as well as many Aarons. God makes it abundantly clear which Moses and Aaron are leading here.

My takeaway from that is that God will reaffirm our calling from Himself and even in front of others. We don’t have to prove ourselves before people. God is the One who puts up or puts down. We are simply His mouthpieces. It is His pleasure to choose to use whomever He pleases. When He chooses to use us, we simply need to let Him qualify us in His way.