The Call of Moses

The Second Book of Moses Called Exodus
Chapter 4

The Call of Moses Blessing
God and Moses Call Story

We're happy you're back to share another story with Daily Bread. Let's look in on Moses again as he talks to God about the plans He has for sending him to bring the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt.

When we ended last time, God had told Moses that the king of Egypt, the Pharaoh, wouldn't let them go and would give them a very difficult time. But then, God said he would strike Egypt with all of His wonders and when the Pharaoh finally does let them go, the Egyptians will give the Israelites riches, and they wouldn't leave Egypt being a poor people.

Moses is still a little apprehensive about the whole thing and he said to God, The Israelites won't listen to me or believe me. They'll say, The Lord hasn't appeared to you.

So the Lord showed Moses a little sample of His wonders and said, What's that you've got in your hand? Moses answered, A staff. God said, Throw it on the ground. So Moses threw it down and it became a serpent, and Moses backed away from it. Then God said, Put your hand out and pick it up by the tail. So Moses did, and it became a staff again in his hand. Then God said, I'll show them things that will make them believe that the Lord has appeared to you.

The Call of Moses Lesson
God and Moses Call to Serve

Then God told Moses to put his hand into his bosom. Moses did, and when he took his hand out it was covered with sores, white as snow, like a leper. God told him to put it back into his bosom again, and when he took it out, it was just like his other flesh again. God said, if they don't believe the first sign, they'll believe the second one. And if they don't believe either one, you'll take water from the river and pour it on dry land and it'll turn to blood.

This was all very overwhelming for Moses and he tried to gracefully tell God that he didn't think he was the man for the job. He said, O my Lord, I have never been eloquent or persuasive in speech up to this day or since you have spoken to me. I speak slowly and my vocabulary is not quick.

But the Lord said, Who made man's mouth, or who makes the dumb or deaf or seeing or blind? Haven't I, the Lord? Now go, and I'll be with your mouth, and I'll teach you what you'll say. Moses persisted, O my Lord, dismiss me, I beg you, and send someone else.

Well, this got the Lord upset with Moses and He said, Isn't Aaron the Levite your brother? I know he can speak well. He's coming to visit you and when he sees you he'll be happy in his heart. You'll put words in his mouth and I'll be with both of you and I'll teach you what to do. He'll be your spokesman to the people and you'll take this staff in your hand and you'll show signs with it.

The Call of Moses Adventure
God and Moses Call Warning

So Moses returned to his father-in-law, Jethro, and said, Let me go back to my people in Egypt and see if they're still alive. Jethro said, Go in peace.

The Lord told Moses before he left that all the men were dead who were looking for him. So Moses took his family and set them on a mule and with the staff of God in his hand, he left Midian for Egypt. God told Moses that when he got to Egypt, to be sure and do all the wonders that God gave him power to do in front of Pharaoh. But, he warned Moses that He would harden Pharaoh's heart and make him stubborn and he wouldn't let the people go.

God said to Moses, And you will tell Pharaoh, this is what the Lord says to you. Israel is my son, my firstborn. And I say to you, Let my son go so he can serve me. If you refuse to let him go, I'll kill your son, your firstborn.

Here's a few things to think about for a moment. We've talked about what the firstborn son meant back in those days. Imagine how precious the people of Israel were to God, for Him to call them His firstborn son. He didn't specify the first generation or the third generation of Israel, He meant Israel, as a people.

The Call of Moses Discussion
God and Moses Call Messages

Now, this is a different Pharaoh than the one who reigned when the infant Moses was put in the basket and placed in the river when all the sons born to the Israelites were ordered to be killed. However, the children of Israel are still in bondage in Egypt under the current Pharaoh. Just as all the descendants of Israel are privileged to have the same adoption by God, in the same way, this Pharaoh and the people of Egypt held the same dishonor of what was done by the previous Pharaoh because of the fact that God's people were still in slavery in Egypt.

The Lord told Aaron to go and meet Moses and when he met him in the mount of God, he kissed him. And Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had said and about all the signs that God told him to show the children of Israel and Pharaoh. They went together and gathered all of the elders of God's people together and Aaron told all the words that the Lord said to Moses and Moses showed all the signs to them.

They believed, and when they heard that the Lord had visited them and heard their cries, they bowed their heads and thanked God.

The Call of Moses Summary
God and Moses Call Story Conclusion

What a relief it must have been to Moses to see their belief. You've got to imagine that his confidence was much stronger now and he could go in and give Pharaoh the message that God sent with more boldness. In our next story we'll find out what happens as Moses and Aaron do just that, so come back and see us again at Daily Bread as we travel through the book of Exodus.

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