Lesson #3 - God Enables Moses

Terry Siverd
05/15/16 - Sun AM

Series: God's Man Moses - Israel's Exodus From Egypt

How God Empowered Moses / Chapter Four

1. Moses continued to equivocate about God’s plan to use him to lead the exodus. – vss.1-17

(These events take place in the wilderness near Horeb – cf. Ex.3:1f).

  Earlier he argued (Who am I? / Ex.3:11) and now he argues, What if they will not believe me?.

~ God gives Moses some “tools of persuasion”:  his rod … his leprous hand … water becomes blood.

~ Yet Moses continues to “argue with God” - - I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.  

~ While Stephen notes (Acts 7:22) that Moses was a man of power in words, evidently Moses’ strong suit was writing.

  God deputizes Aaron (Moses’ brother who speaks fluently) to be Moses mouthpiece or spokesman (a mediator).

~ He shall speak for you to the people, and it shall come about that

he shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be as God to him. – vs.16

2. Moses returned to Jethro and prepares to gear up to go out to confront Pharaoh. – vss.18-31

  Moses informs his father-in-law of his plans and Jethro gives his blessing to go in peace.

~ God reveals to Moses that those who were seeking his death are now dead themselves.

  Moses and his wife (Zipporah) and their sons (Gershom and Eliezer/Ex.18:3-4) begin their journey to Egypt.

~ God promises Moses that He will harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he will let the people go. – vs.21

~ God divulges that He will kill Pharaoh’s first-born (this takes place as part of the tenth and final plague/Ex.11:5).

  On the way to Egypt, when all seems to be going well, Moses is stricken by The Lord. – vs.24

~Apparently Moses is being held responsible for the fact that one of his sons (Eliezer?) has not been circumcised.

cf. Gen.17:9-14, noting vs.14 / an uncircumcised male…shall be cut off from his people; he has broken the covenant.

~ Zipporah acts quickly to remedy the problem (she immediately circumcised her son with a flint knife).

(At this time, It appears that Zipporah and her sons may have returned home to Midian - - cf. Ex.18:2ff)

  God directs Aaron to meet Moses in the wilderness. – vs.27

~ Moses divulges how God has empowered him.

~ Subsequently, Moses and Aaron meet with the elders of Israel in Egypt.

~ When they witnessed Moses “signs”, they believed…and bowed down and worshiped.

Pharaoh Refuses And Hardens Israel’s Labor / Chapter Five

1. Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice? – vss.1-14

  Pharaoh orders them to, “Get back to your labors”.

~He commands the taskmasters to retain their quota of bricks to be made, but requires them to obtain their own straw.

~ Let the labor be heavier…that they may pay no attention to false words. – vs.9

~ When the Israelite slaves cannot meet these demands, their own foremen are beaten.

2. The foreman from among Israel petitioned Pharaoh – vss.15-23

  Why do you deal this way with your servants?.

~ The Israelite foremen meet with and vent against Moses and Aaron - - you have made us ODIOUS.

  Moses prays to God:  “O Lord, why...?

~ Why did You send me?  Why have You not delivered Thy people?