Exodus 4:1-21

August 20, 2014

Were back in our study of Exodus, and weve come to chapter four. God commanded
Moses to go to Egypt and lead the people out, but Moses isnt so sure this is a good idea.
He doesnt think hes the right man for the job, but God rejects his argument saying,
Certainly I will be with you; the command stands. But Moses isnt finished protesting
yet:

And 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.

Up until now Moses seems to have had a fairly natural life. It hasnt been normal, but it
has been natural. He could explain being put into the basket, and found by the woman,
and raised in Pharaohs household. Killing the Egyptian, fleeing to the wilderness,
meeting his wife, having children, and keeping sheep are all simple to understand and
explain. But then one day he sees this burning bush that wont stop burning, and Ill bet
about right now hes wishing he hadnt been so curious. First hes sent on this terrible
mission, and then his rod turns into a snake. His natural life turned supernatural in a
hurry, and hes supposed to go tell everyone about it.

Of all the miracles God could have performed, its curious that he turned the staff into a
snake. Instantly we think of of Satan in the garden, but there are other references to
snakes as well. Dont forget that the people are bitten by snakes in the wilderness, and
they have to look upon the bronze serpent for healing. Jesus shows in John three that
this shadow points towards him, and everyone injected with sins poison must look to
him for salvation.

Another reference is in Exodus seven when Pharaoh commands Moses to do a miracle to
prove his authority. Aarons staff becomes a serpent, but the Egyptians dont worry about
it a bit. I picture them smirking as Pharaoh's magicians throw down their staves too, and
those also become serpents. But the smirking only lasts a moment before Moses snake
eats theirs. It should have convinced Pharaoh then that his gods and magic were inferior
to Gods power, but instead it says that he hardened his heart even further (v. 13).

So, I think the point of this miracle is, number one, to convince the people, but also to
prepare Moses for what hes about to face. Pharaoh will stubbornly reject Gods
commands, but God will win out in the end. Theres no reason to fear Pharaohs
tight-lipped stare or to worry about the future; God has it all in control. Compare to
Exodus 15:11.

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.

This second sign is at least as strange as the first, and it might even seem to have no
point. But consider Leviticus 13 and 14 with all the regulations on leprosy, and how
serious it was to those people. They were called unclean, and they had to shout that out
as they walked, and they weren't allowed to live within the cities. It sounds harsh, and it
was, but that was Gods law, and it shows us how serious uncleanness really is.

Moses was a fair child, and I presume he grew up to be a fair man. When he stuck his
hand into his robe Im sure he had no idea what would happen, and he must have reeled
in horror when he drew it back out:



But he didnt have to live with it for long, because as soon as he put his hand back into his
robe he was healed and whole once again.

Again, the main purpose of the miracle is to convince the people, but this particular sign
prepares Moses for the future. God is in control of nature and health, and hes in charge of
making people whole. The priests could do their work, but there wasnt anything they
could do to reverse the afflictions caused by God. Only he could do that, and he does it as
quickly or slowly as he sees fit. If Pharaoh rejects, well, Gods in control of that. If the
people reject, well, Gods in control of that too, and hes already promised that theyll
believe.

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.

This is the only sign of the three that God doesnt perform right in this instant, but
instead he simply promises it will happen. I have a feeling that if they dont believe the
snake or the leprosy, theyre not going to believe this one either, but God gives it to him,
and we know he did turn water to blood. Its just as strange as the first two, but think
about what water means: its life, and the river was the source of Egypts. When the water
turned to blood it was devastating to the whole nation, and it shows Gods control over
nature and life itself. If Moses was worried about the peoples unbelief, all he had to do
was trust in God who controls everything, and then hell see theres nothing to worry
about.

But alas, Moses really doesnt want to go:

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.

This objection is interesting to me because in Acts 7:22 we read that Moses was powerful
in words and deeds. But that was before his great escape, and I wonder if all those years
tending sheep didnt make him feel like his skills lost their edge. Despite all that God has
shown him he still doesnt get it that God is in control:

11
And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made mans mouth? or who maketh the dumb,
or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?

Gods response is astounding in that he takes credit (or some would say blame) for mans
ability and inability to speak, see, and hear. If Moses cant speak its because God hasnt
given him the words to say, and if God commands him to speak, then Moses can be
confident that Certainly I will be with you. It doesnt matter if Moses can speak or not
since God will be the one talking through him. Pharaoh wont hear, but Gods already said
that will be the case, and its just the way he wants it. The people will hear and follow
him out, but thats also because its just what God predicted and just what he wants.

While were here we can talk about when Jesus told his disciples not to worry about what
theyll say when theyre dragged before kings to give an account of their faith; the Holy
Spirit will teach them exactly what to say at just the right time. We sometimes worry
about our inefficiencies, but thats really just a demonstration of unbelief. God provides
wisdom and knowledge when we need it, and living by faith means we dont worry about
it beforehand.

We can also talk about the high view of Gods sovereignty right here. Weve all said,
Man, I should have said this, or I just wish I would have thought about that, but we
have to know that if God would have wanted us to say something he would have put the
words in our mouths. If he had wanted our listeners to hear something, he would have
given them ears to hear it.

Moreover, regarding the high view of sovereignty, we can talk about how God takes
credit for weaknesses and sufferings. There are faith healers and teachers who tell
people that their problems are all because of a lack of faith or because of sin, and they tell
everyone that God doesnt want us to be sick. But dont you think, from studying these
passages, that if God didnt want us to have sickness, that hed just take it away? Dont
you think that if he wanted us healed, hed just say the word and it would all be over? By
faith we confess that these things are necessary and for our good, and we can only wait
on God for deliverance; a deliverance, by the way, that we know is guaranteed to
everyone who loves the Lord.

12
Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
13
And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.

Moses sees hes not going to win the argument, so he resorts to begging. What hes
saying is hard to understand in the King James English, but plainly its just, Please send
someone else!

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.
17
And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt
do signs.

God is displeased with Moses, and it stands out especially here since hes just claimed
responsibility for mans seeing, hearing, and speaking, and since here he also hardens
(and therefore also softens) hearts. But dont miss the big picture: God already knows
about Aaron, and he knows how everything will work out, so this isnt a plan B. Rather, it
shows the difference between a personal God and fatalism. God knows beforehand, but
hes still displeased with unbelief. Hes in control, but were still accountable.

Its the whole point of Romans nine when Paul asks and answers: Why doth he yet find
fault? For who hath resisted his will?
20
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against
God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
21
Hath
not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and
another unto dishonour?
22
What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power
known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23
And
that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore
prepared unto glory,
24
Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the
Gentiles?
25
As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and
her beloved, which was not beloved.
26
And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was
said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God
(v. 19-26).

Sin makes God angry, but that just shows off the glory of his mercy even more. If he
didnt get angry, and there is no penalty, then what good is mercy? Moses tempts God in
delaying and excusing, but God is patient and even accommodating. Gods anger doesnt
revoke his call, and ultimately, in Christ, the anger is satisfied.

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.
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.

So, Moses finally gives in to Gods command and he leaves for Egypt to begin. God
reminds him again that the trip will look like a failure for a while, but theres no reason
to doubt. In the end it will all come together.

Thats as far as were going to get for now. Well pick up here next time.

newgracebaptistchurch.wordpress.com