Moses

God’s Introduction

        The Scriptures introduce us to Moses at his birth in Exodus 2. He was born into the children of Israel while they were suffering in bondage under the mighty hand of Egypt’s Pharaoh. Since an edict existed for all male babies to be killed at birth, Moses’s mother hid him in a basket in the river. Pharaoh’s daughter found the basket and kept Moses as his adopted baby boy. Moses grew up with all the benefits that a grandchild of Pharaoh would expect. There is no indication in Scripture that Moses’s lineage was hidden from him, so he seemed to understand those suffering as slaves were his kindred (Exodus 2:11).

Character’s Identification

        Jewish tradition holds that Moses was around 40 years old when he fled Egypt and arrived in Midian.  Over the next 40 years, Moses married Zipporah, had a son named Gershom, and he became accustomed to a life of shepherding, a far deviation from life in a palace. At around the age of 80 (Exodus 7:7), the Angel of the Lord spoke directly to Moses from the famous burning bush (Exodus 3:2). He was given instruction to return to Egypt with his brother Aaron and lead the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage. While dealing with a Pharaoh determined to not relinquish control of his slaves, God through Moses carried out the 10 Plagues on the land of Egypt. The final plague (the death of the firstborn) introduced Israel to the Passover feast (Exodus 12).

        As the children of Israel fled Egypt, they were led by God to the Red Sea. Fearing their own demise, God demonstrated His immense power and protection by parting the waters of the Red Sea and allowing Moses to lead Israel across on dry ground and to ultimate protection from Egypt. The children of Israel make their way to Mount Sinai, where Moses meets with God on the top of the mountain and is given the 10 Commandments, ushering in the Mosaic Law which governed Israel until the death of Christ.

        Over the next several decades, Moses led what became a very whiny and needy multitude of people through the wilderness as they went through a constant cycle of complaining, sinning, punishment, turning back to God, then complaining again. Due to his own shortcomings, Moses was not allowed to see the Promised Land, but his death occurred prior to entering it.

Our Impression

          #1 Moses was a foreshadowing of Christ.  If Abraham was a representation of God Himself, then Moses was the Old Testament representation of the Christ. Moses led God’s people (the children of Israel) out of physical bondage. Christ led God’s people (Christians) out of spiritual bondage. The Mosaic Dispensation was brought through Moses. The Christian Dispensation was brought through Christ. Moses interceded directly to God on behalf of the people (Exodus 32:11-14). Jesus is the Intercessor to God for us today (Romans 8:34). Moses implemented a system of blood sacrifices. Christ became the ultimate sacrifice that put an end to the need for continual blood offerings.

          #2 Our reward is not on this earth. If Moses wanted to have a life of luxury, he had it. He lived as both a child and grandchild of some of history’s most powerful rulers. He had resources. He had power. He had influence. He had all the things that most in this life long for; but there was one thing he didn’t have: God. He knew that the life of comfort he was living in Egypt would result in a life of eternal suffering. Moses chose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.” (Hebrews 11:25-26). May we always keep our eye on the reward.