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Alex Kollar

May 2, 2016

BITH 211

Final Paper

The Reveal of Moses Relationship with God

Throughout the Old Testament, God called many people to be

strong spiritual leaders for His people. These prophets were gifted with

many abilities, from the interpretation of dreams to controlling the

elements. All of these individuals had close relationships with the

Almighty God and were called by Him to serve and lead. One of the

most famous and powerful of these prophets was Moses. Rabbi Levi

Meier even goes as so far as to say that Moses was the master of all

prophets (33). His story is one that has become so iconic, that is has

transcended the pages of the bible into the secular world as an iconic

legend. For Christians, however, the story of Moses is a not a fairytale

but a beautiful reveal of the role God plays in our lives. Through the

examination of Exodus 2 and 3 we can see the perfectly orchestrated

events in Moses early life that lead up to his inevitable calling. The

calling of Moses into a leadership role and relationship with God stands

as a reveal of Gods character and an example for future followers.

We open with Exodus 1 as the pharaohs fear of the Israelites

began to grow. He feared that if the Israelites continued to grow in

numbers they would join our enemies, fight against us and leave the
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country (NIV, Exodus 1.10) if war ever broke out. Worried about an

uprising, the king ordered the midwives to kill every Hebrew, newborn

male. The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the

king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live (NIV, Exodus

1.17). Seeing that the infants were still alive, the king ordered every

first-born, Hebrew son to be thrown into the Nile.

Moses story picks up in Exodus 2 with his birth. This is where we

first see definitive evidence of Gods hand at work. In verse 2, we read

that When [Moses mother] saw that he was a fine child, she hid him

for three months (NIV, Exodus 2.2). According to James K. Bruckner,

this combination of words fine and hid are derived from the

Hebrew words tob and tsapan, which communicates that she saw he

was precious and treasured (27). Bruckner concludes that this

expression echoes the repeated declaration in Genesis that the Lord

saw that the creation was good (27), so even from his first few

months of his life, Moses was blessed and favored by God.

Gods favor continues to be shown as the chapter goes on. Even

though Moses mother must hide him in a basket and send him drifting

down the Nile in order to spare him from the pharaohs decree, they

will be reunited in a way that only God could coordinate. As the

pharaohs daughter bathes in the rivers waters, she sees the basket

and sends one of her servants to fetch it. Once the princess realized

that there was a Hebrew child in the basket, she ordered the servant,
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who was actually Moses own sister, to find a suitable Hebrew woman

to nurse the child. The girl naturally delivers her infant brother into the

hands of his true, biological mother.

Not only is this part of Moses story truly amazing, it also

demonstrates how God protected Moses and guided him back to his

loving mother. Although it is heart warming, this arrangement was

orchestrated to play a bigger role in Gods plan. Bruckner explains,

When she adopted him as her son, the daughter of Pharaoh also

ensured Moses education in the ways of Egypt. Gods deliverer grew

up in the very court from which he would deliver his people. Only this

environment could sufficiently equip him to speak to the next pharaoh

(28).

One day, after Moses had grown up, he saw one of his fellow

Hebrews being beat by an Egyptian. In anger and a desire to save his

fellow Israelite, he attacked the abuser and killed him. According to

G.E. Hicks, author of My Servant, Moses, this moment in Moses life

demonstrates the beginning of his own period of wandering from God.

Hicks claims that Moses had already began to realize his place in

Israels history as the chosen leader, but the rash blow that killed the

Egyptian, in one fell moment, ruined every hope, drove him into the

wilderness for many weary years, and postponed for a generation and

more the rescue of his people (42). Fearing for his life, and ashamed
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of his failure, Moses fled Egypt to Midian. This part of the narrative

reveals an important part of who God is: the giver of grace.

During his flight from Egypt, Moses sat down by a well in the

desert where he sees seven young women leading a flock of sheep.

Exodus 2:17 states that Some shepherds came along and drove them

away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue and watered their

flock (NIV). Though in this version of the text describes the shepherds

wanting to drive them away, Meier assures us that these men had a

far more sinister purpose for approaching the women. He claims, the

shepherds began advancing to rape the young women (27) until

Moses intervened. This event shows, once again, the qualities of Moses

that set him a part as one beloved by God. He dealt swiftly and

decisively with injustice, Meier writes, just as he had in Egypt (27).

After Moses helped the women water their flock, they returned to

their father to report what had happened. After hearing the story,

Reuel (or Jethro) sent for Moses in order to reward him. After winning

Jethros favor, Moses was given his daughter, Zipporah, in marriage.

While Moses had established his life as a shepherd and even was

blessed with a wife and a son named Gershom, Exodus 2 ends with the

Israelites groaning in their slavery and crying out to God for

deliverance. It would soon be revealed, however, that everything

Moses experienced was orchestrated by God to prepare him for his

greater purpose.
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Exodus 3 opens with Moses tending Jethros flock. He was

watching over the sheep diligently, one of qualities that Moses

demonstrated as a shepherd [that] caused God to select him as the

future shepherd of a people (Hicks 30), until he sees what seems to

be a bush engulfed in flames. As Moses approached the bush to

investigate, he realized that though the bush was on fire it did not

burn up (NIV, Exodus 3.2). This is where God made direct contact with

Moses for the first time. Though the burning bush was truly an amazing

miracle, Hicks claims, the bigger miracle of the two is the one that

God chose to appear to such an one as Moses at all. That is the

wonderful fact (44).

The Almighty Father called to his son, Moses! Moses! form

within the bush and Moses immediately recognized the voice to be God

and responded, Here I am! God then goes on to explain that He has

heard His people crying in agony and misery. He tells Moses that He

has chosen him to act as Israels leader and guide them out form under

the oppression of the Egyptians. Though Hicks describes Moses as a

child of faith (24), hearing Yahwehs actual voice speak his name and

call him to such a grand task as liberating his entire people, must have

shaken Moses. At this point, he had fled Egypt and left his old life

behind many years ago so it was not unnatural for him to be fearful. As

the story goes, Moses questioned God, asking him, Who am I, that I

should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? (NIV,

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Exodus 3.11) and Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The

God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his

name?' Then what shall I tell them?" (NIV, Exodus 3.13). With each

question Moses presented, God had an answer. He assured Moses that

He would always be with him, giving him strength, and that He was the

great I Am, the one who would deliver His people.

These first three chapters of Exodus reveal the beginning of the

intimate relationship between God and His servant, Moses. As Hicks

states, it is Gods patience with [Moses] which is so amazing and

which warms the heart (47), but it is important to remember that this

relationship was more than simply a close bond between creation and

the Creator, it was a deep connection that Moses shared with God that

few have or will ever feel. Exodus 33:12-23 talks about how God

revealed Himself to Moses just because he asked and in Numbers 12,

God defends Moses against Miriam and Aaron saying, [Moses] is

faithful in my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in

riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to

speak against my servant Moses? (NIV, Num. 12.7-8).

This relationship is perfectly reflected in the New Testament in

many of predestined to be followers of Christ just as Moses was

shaped into the leader God called him to be. Verse 31, which reads, If

God is for us, who can be against us? (NIV) also relates back to what
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God said to Moses when He spoke to him through the bush, promising

to always stand with him.

Paul continues to explore this idea of being called that is so

prevalent in Moses story, in his letter to Corinth. In 1 Corinthians 4,

Paul speaks on the topic of believers as apostles of Christ. In verse 2 he

writes, Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must

prove faithful (NIV), just as Moses was entrusted with the mission to

liberate the Israelites. But as we found reading through the beginning

of Exodus, even a most righteous man like Moses was not without fault.

Paul touches on this very real fact of Christian life in verse 4, My

conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord

who judges me (NIV).

There is so much more to the story of Moses than the first three

chapters, but I truly believe that the content in those passages are

fundamental to the overall narrative of the book of Exodus. It shows

how God constantly and consistently works in every kind of situation

for His ultimate plan. Everything in Moses life was to prepare him for

his great leadership role. God even humbled himself to speak through

a bush in order to communicate with Moses.

The story of Gods relationship with Moses has always captured

my heart in a way that no other story in the bible has. The first time

that I read through Exodus, I was amazed the deep connection that a

mere man had with the great I Am. However, it wasnt until I read the
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end of Deuteronomy that I truly had understood just how deep that

connection was. When I read that God Himself buried Moses, it made

the Old Testament more relatable. For me, it was reading that action of

the Holy Father humbling Himself to bury, not only his faithful servant,

but a friend. I had always seen the God of the Old Testament as a

terrifying force of judgment who would smite people left and right.

After reading that He buried Moses Himself, it changed the way I

viewed the great and powerful Yahweh.

I think this is an important aspect of God that we forget,

especially when we talk about the Old Testament. In our Christian walk

it is important to remember that our God is a God of compassion and

love. He is both love incarnate and the Almighty Father and we must

not lose sight of these characteristics. Through Moses story, we are

able to learn about humility, courage, and the never ending love and

unfailing patience of the Lord.

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Works Cited

Bruckner, James K. New International Biblical Commentary: Exodus.

Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. 2008. Print.

Hicks, G. E. My Servant Moses. London: Marshall, Morgan & Scott.

1951. Print.

Meier, Rabbi Levi. Moses: The Prince, the Prophet. Vermont: Jewish

Lights Publishing. 1998. Print.

Zondervan NIV Study Bible. Ed. Kenneth L. Baker. Grand Rapids:

Zondervan, 2008.

Print. New International Vers.