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David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Guzik - There is not the slightest sense of fatalism in this declaration of God’s sovereignty. It is never “God is so mighty we can’t do anything,” but it is always “God is so mighty, He can work through us if we make ourselves available.” Hannah - God’s initial reaction to Moses’ objection was to remind him, by a series of questions, that the LORD determines man’s abilities or disabilities. Henry
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Guzik - Finally, Moses was done with excuses and showed the real state of his heart. Simply, he would much rather that God send someone else. His problem wasn’t really a lack of ability; it was a lack of willingness. “It’s common for men to give pretended reasons instead of one real one.” (Benjamin Franklin) Phillip Ryken - In 1718 a Norwegian pastor’s wife named Giertrud Rask received God’s call to become a missionary. Her husband, Hans Egede, was preparing to leave their homeland and take the gospel to Greenland. But Giertrud was not ready to go, and with good reason. She was forty-five years old at the time, with four children to care for and the youngest barely a year old. It would be a dangerous journey for all of them, and Giertrud herself did not have a strong constitution.The family’s biographer reports that when Hans announced his plans, “his own and his wife’s friends wrote to express their severest reprobation.… His mother-in-law further inflamed the feeling against him, and even his wife began to hint that she repented having attached herself to a man who by such plans was going to ruin himself and those belonging to him.” Giertrud must have felt much the same way that Moses felt when God called him to lead Israel out of Egypt. “Send someone else, Lord! Let somebody else do it … anybody but me!” (Preaching the Word-Exodus) Exodus 4:14 Then the anger of the LORD burned against Moses, and He said, "Is there not your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he speaks fluently. And moreover, behold, he is coming out to meet you; when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. anger - 2Sa 6:7 1Ki 11:9 1Ch 21:7 Lu 9:59,60 Ac 15:28 Php 2:21 coming - Ex 4:17 1Sa 10:1-7 Mk 14:13-15 2Co 2:13 7:6,7 1Th 3:6,7 Exodus 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries RIGHTEOUS ANGER AGAINST MOSES Then - Then is an important expression of time - a close encounter with this conjunction should prompt Spirit enabled consideration of the "5P's" - Pause to Ponder the Passage (including the Preceding) and "then" Practice it in the Power of the Spirit. One question you can always ask your Teacher (the Spirit) is "When is then?"or "What happens?" Sometimes the answer is easy to observe but others texts are not so easy. This one is fairly easy! Our longsuffering God is through suffering long with his unwilling servant Moses! This is a most fascinating passage for it is a combination of burning anger on one hand and wise, gracious patience on the other! Even in His anger, God addresses Moses' fears! It is reminiscent of the words of Habakkuk's prayer "in wrath remember mercy," (Hab 3:2+) which is exactly what God did for Moses in this passage. I would suggest this is Moses second "near death" experience (first being when Pharaoh sought to kill him in Ex 2:15+) and his third comes as he is returning to Egypt as God sought to put him to death for failing to circumcise his son (Ex 4:24-26+). The anger of the LORD burned against Moses - This appears to be the first time in the Bible that this phrase is used. Yes, God was angry with Sodom and Gomorrah and with others in Genesis, but this phraseology is not used until Moses' recalcitrance and unwillingness fans God's anger into full flame! Now thing about this a moment. Where is God speaking from? A bush that is already burning! And now His anger burns! Woe! Did Moses see a manifestation of God's anger burning? Did the bush become a bonfire? The text does not say, but one thing is fascinating -- Moses' mouth is shut! He does not speak again, so that the dialogue becomes a divine monologue! So God was not just angry but it was anger that was kindled! We see some other references to God’s anger in the book of Exodus - Ex 15:7 = "burning anger"; Ex 22:24 = "My anger will be kindled"; mentioned three times in Ex 32:10-12 = "let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them"; Ex 32:19, 22 (Compare events that caused Jehovah's anger to burn - Nu 11:1ff, Nu 12:9, Nu 32:10-12, 13, 14, Dt 13:17, Dt 29:20, 27, Dt 32:22, Josh 7:1, Josh 23:16, Jdg 2:14, 20, Jdg 6:39, Jdg 10:7, 2 Sa 24:1ff, 2 Ki 22:17, 2 Ki 23:26, 2 Chr 25:15, 2 Chr 28:11, 13, 2 Ch 29:10, 30:8, etc - the last use in the OT refers to the Great Tribulation when the LORD will gather all the nations for judgment - Zeph 3:8+). As you can discern from the other references in Exodus divine anger that is even burning anger is a very serious matter! For example when "the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah" because he "reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it" (2 Sa 6:6), God "took hold" of his life (2 Sa 6:7, cf 1 Chr 13:10,11). Beloved, we never want to have God’s anger burning against us. THOUGHT - I wonder how many times my presumptuous, willful, rebellious sins have caused the anger of the LORD to burn? Doubtless, many times! I think a good prayer to remember in the context of God's anger which burns is the prayer of David -- Ps 38:1 (A Psalm of David, for a memorial.) O LORD, rebuke me not in Thy wrath; And chasten me not in Thy burning anger." And the prayer of Psalm 19:13 = "Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be blameless, And I shall be acquitted of great transgression. " Thompson - WHEN GOD GIVES CLEAR EVIDENCE OF WHAT HE WANTS US TO DO AND WE DISBELIEVE AND MAKE EXCUSES FOR NOT DOING WHAT HE WANTS US TO DO, IT ANGERS HIM AND ULTIMATELY COSTS US. J Ligon Duncan on the anger of the Lord. That’s very interesting. What does that mean? Does God sort of have sudden bursts of fits and rage like we do? Can we sort of tweek Him and push Him a little too far and, and then He blows up? Does He have an emotional life like ours that’s actually to a certain extent controlled and is a response to things outside Himself? If so, how can He be sovereign? Let me introduce a few terms to you. In the Bible, in the Old Testament especially, there are figures of speech called anthropomorphisms. In those figures of speech we often refer to God, or to some activity of God, using figures of speech as if God had a body like we do. Sometimes we’ll speak of the ear of God, or the arm of God, or the hand of God, or the face of God, or the back of God. It’s very clear that those are metaphors. That’s symbolic speech, because the Old Testament as well is very clear that God is a spirit. He doesn’t have a body like we do. He is totally different. He is in an entirely different category from us. He doesn’t have a body. And so those are figures of speech in order to describe things which are really beyond the capacity of human language to describe. Then there’s a category of things in the Old Testament which we call anthropopathisms. That’s a nice little word. It simply means not only are anthropomorphisms, like the body of the human, but there are anthropopathisms, like the emotions of a human, where human emotions are ascribed to God. What do we do with those? Is his emotional life, just like our emotional life? And again the Old Testament and the New give the answer no, His emotional life is not like our emotional life. God is a God who is deeply concerned for His people, He loves His people, but His love and what we would call His emotional life or His affective life is different from ours in that it is not vacillating, and it’s not controlled from the outside. So what do you do with a passage like this, where it says, the anger of the Lord burned. And you can almost see the picture, you’ve told the child for the fourteenth time not to swing his elbows at the table and off goes the milk again, and the father goes, "I told you not to do that." The anger of the Lord burns. And it seems like that anger is produced by the circumstances in which the Lord found Himself. But again, I want you to see here what we have is actually an anthropopathism using human words to describe God’s activity and action, and how do I know that? Well, the Hebrew doesn’t say the Lord burned here.. Here is what the passage says. The passage literally says, "The nose of the Lord heated up." That’s literally what the passage – if you want to be literal about it, it’s the nose of the Lord heated up. He burned with anger. My ears usually turn red. That’s what gives me away. "The nose of the Lord heated up." Notice that’s an anthropomorphic symbol. It’s a term which uses human body figures to describe God. That’s a clear tip off that this is an anthropopathism. It’s an ascription of human emotional activity to God to express what? His displeasure with Moses. It doesn’t indicate that God is vacillating in his emotional life like we are, inconsistently controlled from the outside. But it does it does indicate that God is not an unmoved, unfeeling being. He is a God that deeply cares about right and wrong and obedience. And so His divine displeasure is described in that he burned. Exodus 4:10-17 A Spokesman for Moses) Phillip Ryken - There is a time when it is appropriate to ask the kinds of questions Moses had been asking: “Who am I, Lord?” “Are you really the God you say you are?” “Can I trust you to go with me and help me?” But once we know what God wants us to do, it is time to stop asking and start obeying. We are the only ones who can do what God has called us to do. So if you have been wrestling with God’s claim on your life—trying to decide whether Jesus is the only way to God, for example, or evaluating some new opportunity for ministry—once you know the answer in your heart of hearts, you must follow God. Otherwise you are standing in rebellion against him. (Ibid) And He said, "Is there not your brother Aaron the Levite? - God's anger apparently resolves quickly, at least to the point that He does not take Moses' life! God asks a rhetorical question, but Moses is not allowed to answer and he says nothing else. Or another way to look at it as alluded to in the previous paragraph, is that Moses realized he had crossed the line with God and it "shut his mouth!" He had no more excuses or arguments. Why does God call him Aaron the Levite since Moses knows he is a Levite? Commentaries offer their conjectures but the bottom line is we simply don't know. One fact that would become obvious to Moses with God's question is that his brother Aaron is still alive (remember Moses has been in the desert for 40 years). I know that he speaks fluently - Speaks fluently in Hebrew is actually repetition of dabar (dabar dabar) conveying the idea he speaks well. J Ligon Duncan - But look not only at God’s displeasure, look at the graciousness and patience with which He deals with Moses. God gives him a wise, gracious, patient response. Three things that he does to help Moses. First, he says, "Moses, there is Aaron, your brother. He’s a Levite." The Levites were amongst the educated elite in Israel already at this time, by the reckoning of many. They were already teachers amongst Israel. And so He says, "Well, there’s your brother. He’s a Levite, he’s a teacher, he’s an educator." Secondly, He says, "And he speaks well. Moses, there’s your brother. He’s an educator, he’s a teacher, he’s respected amongst the community of Israel, and he’s a good speaker. He speaks well. And let me tell you something else that you don’t know, Moses. He’s coming to you right now, and he’s going to be glad to see you when he sees you." God encourages Moses, even though Moses tests his patience. (Exodus 4:10-17 A Spokesman for Moses) NET Note - Moses had not dared openly to say “except me” when he asked God to send whomever he wanted to send. But God knew that is what he meant. Moses should not have resisted the call or pleaded such excuses or hesitated with such weak faith. Now God abandoned the gentle answer and in anger brought in a form of retribution. Because Moses did not want to do this, he was punished by not having the honor of doing it alone. His reluctance and the result are like the refusal of Israel to enter the land and the result they experienced (see U. Cassuto, Exodus, 49–50)....Now Yahweh, in condescending to Moses, selects something that Moses (and God) did not really need for the work. It is as if he were saying: “If Moses feels speaking ability is so necessary (rather than the divine presence), then that is what he will have.” Of course, this golden-tongued Aaron had some smooth words about how the golden calf was forged! Guzik - God was angry when Moses was just plain unwilling....the basic truth was that Moses was unwilling, not unable. When God brought Aaron to help lead with Moses, it was an expression of His chastening to Moses, not of His approval or giving in to Moses. Aaron was more of a problem to Moses than help. Aaron did turn out to be a source of problems for Moses. Aaron instigated the worship of the golden calf, fashioning the calf himself and building the altar himself (Exodus 32:1–6). Aaron’s sons blasphemed God with impure offerings (Leviticus 10:1–7). At one time, Aaron openly led a mutiny against Moses (Numbers 12:1–8).. As these episodes unfolded, Moses surely looked back at why the LORD gave Aaron to Moses as a partner—because God was angry at Moses’ unwillingness. (Bolding added) Thompson adds that "God puts up with Moses’ insecurities for awhile and Aaron, his brother, who speaks fluently, comes to his aid. But here is the problem. This will cost Moses and cost Israel. Moses will share his calling with Aaron, who is a good speaker, and because Aaron has oratorical skills and this connection to Moses, he will be able to convince Israel to move in a direction of idolatry (Ex. 32)." (Sermon) And moreover, behold, he is coming out to meet you; when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart - Behold ( hinneh) is interjected to get Moses' full attention about the following two facts - (1) reunion (2) gladness. This is clearly an example of God's providential (mysterious) working behind the scenes to stir the heart of Aaron to leave Egypt and even to lead him to the designated meeting spot, the Mountain of God (Horeb, Mt Sinai)(see Ex 4:27). Notice the phrase glad in heart which of course could be just from the reunion of the two long separated brothers. It is also conceivable that Aaron was joyful because he realized God was "up to something," in bringing Moses back to Egypt and that God was about to provide deliverance for His people in keeping with His promises in the Abrahamic covenant. NET agrees that "It is unlikely that this simply means that as a brother he will be pleased to see Moses, for the narrative has no time for that kind of comment. It is interested in more significant things. The implication is that Aaron will rejoice because of the revelation of God to Moses and the plan to deliver Israel from bondage." THOUGHT - God may call us to what seem to be impossible situations. But when God calls, not focus on the circumstances but on our God Who is sovereign over circumstances. Like Moses we may be tempted (and may actually make) to make excuses. We need to remember that the results do not depend on our competence, our leadership skills, etc. Our inadequacy actually showcases and highlights God's sufficiency! If God calls, He will empower. We are simply to obey. That sounds simple and easy but will usually be associated with a crisis of belief. Can I really trust God? If we have heard clearly what He wants us to do, then we can truly trust Him to complete the good work He began. Exodus 4:15 "You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I, even I, will be with your mouth and his mouth, and I will teach you what you are to do. Exodus 4:15 Talk to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with both of you as you speak, and I will instruct you both in what to do. put - Ex 7:1,2 2Sa 14:3 Isa 51:16 59:21 and I - Nu 22:38 23:5,12,16 De 18:18 Isa 51:16 Jer 1:9 Mt 28:20 Lu 21:15 1Co 11:23 15:1 will teach - De 5:31 Exodus 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries MOSES' MOUTHPIECE You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth - In other words Moses is to tell Aaron what to say and Aaron speaks forth Moses' words, which in turn are actually God's words as the rest of the passage indicates. Moses’ job was to instruct Aaron. He was to teach him God’s Word God is saying "You speak to Aaron about what we’ve been talking about and you tell him exactly what I told you." And I, even I, will be with your mouth and his mouth, and I will teach you what you are to do - In the Hebrew the "you" in teach you is plural, so God is saying He supernaturally oversee (teach) both Moses and Aaron what they must do. Thus the NET (ESV, NLT) accurately renders the last phrase "I will teach you both what you must do.' While God did discipline Moses and take away some of the prestige by allowing Aaron to be the mouthpiece, most of the actual miracles/signs were wrought by Moses. Durham - “The mouth of Moses may well be heavy and clumsy, slow and halting in speech. It would not matter if it were dumb altogether, and Aaron’s mouth, as well. Yahweh will be there, and Yahweh will take responsibility for both the message and the messengers. The staff in the hands of Moses and Aaron is a symbol of this powerful Presence.” Exodus 4:16 "Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you and you will be as God to him. Ex 7:1,2 18:19 Ps 82:6 Joh 10:34,35 Exodus 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries AARON IS NOW THE SPEAKER J Ligon Duncan - And then in verses 15 and 16 after those commands, God immediately follows those commands with a series of four encouragements. He says again, "I will be with you. I’ll be with your mouth, I’ll be with his mouth." Secondly, he says, "I will personally teach you what to do and say." Thirdly, he says, "He, Aaron, will be your spokesman to the people." He’ll speak for you to the people. And fourthly, he says, "You will tell him My words and only then will he speak to the people." Now if you’re looking at the passage, you’re saying, well, where did you get that from? Oh, I got it from right here. Look at what he says. "He’ll be a mouth for you," end of verse 16. "And you will be as God to him." (Exodus 4:10-17 A Spokesman for Moses) Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you and you will be as God to him - Although Aaron was the speaker, Moses was still the key man because he received the Word of God and communicated it to Aaron who then tells the people. As God to him means that Moses was speaking directly the Word of God to Aaron, just as God had spoken it to him. Remember that all of this is sadly necessary because Moses kept making excuses including the lame excuse that he could not speak. Thompson - God would speak to Moses; Moses would speak to Aaron and Aaron would speak to the people. Moses was the key man. Don’t miss this. Moses is getting the Word of God and communicating to Aaron and Aaron is communicating to the people. Moses is God’s man. Moses was “as God” to Aaron because he was speaking directly the Word of God to him. (Sermon) J Ligon Duncan on you will be as God to him - Now that’s a very strange thing to say, isn’t it? "You will be as God to him." What in the world is God talking about. How does God deal with his prophets? God speaks, His prophets listen, and they improvise. No. God speaks, His prophets listen, and they say exactly what God said. God literally puts the words in their mouths. Now listen to what He says. "You will be as God to him." God, you see, is teaching Moses about what a prophet is here. He’s teaching us about what a prophet is here, and he’s saying, "Moses, you’re going to put my words into Aaron’s mouth, and then he is going to speak exactly what I have told you to tell him to say." And so even in giving him Aaron, God is explaining how prophecy works. Prophecy is not according to the opinion of the prophet. Peter tells us this. The inspiration of the prophet is not born of his own creativity. The prophet speaks God’s word. He’s carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Pe 1:20-21+) He speaks only that which God has given him to speak. God has, in fact, given us a window on the doctrine of inspiration here. The Bible is revelation. It’s God’s revelation of Himself to us in written form. The words of the prophets are not their reflections upon an encounter with God. They are God’s words given to them to describe the encounter that they have had with Him and His word for His people.(Exodus 4:10-17 A Spokesman for Moses) THOUGHT - Beloved, there is a lesson here. God may call us to accomplish something for Him and we hesitate and make excuses. And if we delay (remember delay is not "delayed disobedience" but is overt disobedience!), God may chose someone else to carry out His objective. We need to be like young Samuel - "Then the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.” The LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle." (1 Samuel 3:10-11) Samuel initially did not recognize God's voice (keep the context in mind that "word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent." - 1 Sa 3:1) Of course, this illustration from the life of Samuel is not to suggest we will hear an audible word from God, but we can still hear through His Word, led by His Spirit, and bathed in prayer. ILLUSTRATION - One woman who refused to miss out on the blessing was Queen Esther. In the providence of God, when the Jews were in mortal danger Esther was in a position to save them by interceding with the king. Her cousin Mordecai urged her to help, even though doing so would place her own life in danger. Mordecai knew that God would save his people one way or another, but he did not want Esther to miss God’s blessing by rejecting her calling. He said to her, “If you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish” (Esther 4:14a). Through her courageous obedience, Esther not only saved her people, the Jews, but also received God’s abundant blessing. (Ryken) THE SURRENDER OF MOSES Exodus 4:16–31 - James Smith Moses, as a servant of God, was slow to believe all that God was willing to do for him and to be to him. His reluctance to obey caused him to lose a great honour (v. 14). For the same reason many Christians cease to grow in grace, they fail, through unbelief, to take advantage of all the fullness offered them in Christ Jesus. This honour have all the saints. I. His Decision Manifested. “He said to Jethro, Let me go, I pray thee” (v. 18). His mind is now fully made up to go back to Egypt, not as before, but as one sent of God. Have we not been taken out of the Egypt of this world, and are we not sent back into the world (John 17:6–18)? To obey this command Moses had to separate himself from the wilderness connection. Has our decision to sanctify ourselves been as clearly declared? II. His Purpose Strengthened. “The Lord said unto him, Go, for all are dead which sought thy life” (v. 19). When the will is yielded up to God how graciously does He smooth the beginning of our way that our faith may be encouraged. Christian worker, God can easily remove every obstacle out of your way of accomplishing the work to which He hath called you. Only believe, and they will be as dead men. III. His Journey Pursued. “Moses took his wife and his sons, and he returned into the land of Egypt” (v. 20). His great commission he carried in his heart still as a secret. Who would believe that he was going to deliver all the children of Israel out of the mighty hand of the despotic Pharaoh. Where is the man who is doing a great work for God who has not gone through experiences of soul of which he dare not speak? All his possessions were on an ass, but the rod of God was in his hand. Poor in this world, but rich in faith. Hold fast the rod of His promise. IV. His Work Explained. “The Lord said unto Moses, See that thou do all these wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand, and say, Israel is my son, let my son go that he may serve Me” (vv. 22, 23). The thought here is this: As we go in by faith on the Word of God His mind will be more fully revealed to us. By simple obedience we grow in grace and in the knowledge of God. Let us see that we use the gifts and opportunities the Master has put within our reach. V. His Progress Arrested. “The Lord met him, and sought to kill him.… So He let him go” (vv. 24–26). This is very singular language, and indicates some severe dealing that God had with Moses. Had he been refusing to circumcise his son merely to please his wife? Was the hand of sickness laid on him, so that he was nigh unto death? And did he then remember his sin and folly? In any case, the man who would be mightily used of God must not fail in the little secret things of his own house. When all was put right “He let him go.” VI. His Heart Cheered. “The Lord said to Aaron, Go to the wilderness and meet Moses; and he went and kissed him” (v. 27). It was surely a happy meeting after forty long years of separation. The good Lord plans many a sweet surprise for His weary and tired servants while in the wilderness. God knows where our Aaron brother is, and when to send us the kiss of Christian help and fellowship. The killing of God and the kissing of our true brethren in the Lord are not usually far apart. VII. His Mission Declared. “Moses and Aaron went, and Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses” (vv. 29–31). What a story they had for the poor oppressed people of Israel! It was to them the Gospel of God. How was the good news received? 1. THEY BELIEVED. “God hath commanded men everywhere to repent” and believe the Gospel (Acts 17:31). Every true servant of God has such a message for the down-trodden slaves of sin. Alas, that so few believe it! 2. THEY BOWED. The bowing of the head may indicate the yielding up of the will. This should always accompany faith in the Gospel of Christ. 3. THEY WORSHIPPED. Adoration and thanksgiving well becomes those who have been favoured with such a great salvation. Bless the Lord, O my soul! “By grace are ye saved through faith, though not of yourself, it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). Exodus 4:17 "You shall take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs." Ex 4:2 7:9,19 1Co 1:27 Exodus 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries YOU WILL NEED TO "LEAN ON" THE STAFF You shall take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs - Don't forget the staff! Moses is reminded to bring along the simple staff, which reminds us that God uses the weak, seemingly inferior things (and people) to assure that the glory goes to Him! While it is true that God uses what little we have when surrendered to Him in order to do great things, in the case of Moses He still used him even though he was resistant and unwilling. Now this is surely a miracle of grace and mercy! It is far better to surrender to Him then resist! It does seem that after Moses realized he had caused the anger of the LORD to burn, he becomes a bit more "pliable" and acquiesces to the LORD's call without complaining (at least prior to departing for Egypt). God is not looking for our great ability, but our great availability! Little is much when God is in it. POSB - Rejecting God’s call is serious business. Note that God chose Aaron to replace Moses in a significant area, that of being God’s spokesman and messenger to the people. Moses lost the great privilege of being God’s spokesman to the people—all because he had rejected God’s call for so long. He also lost the wonderful privilege of being the father, the first of God’s priests (AND BEING A LEVITE, MOSES COULD THEORETICALLY HAVE BEEN A PRIEST), the very first of God’s messengers and spokesmen to Israel. All because he had argued so much against God’s call. Staff (04294)(matteh, mattah) is a masculine noun that means rod, staff, branch ( the non-fruit part of a plant Eze 19:11), tribe. A Staff or rod , walking stick which is a thick stick of wood that the hand can grasp, of a length that the body can use as a support for walking, used for various functions of work or discipline (Ge 38:18). It can refer to a scepter, ruling staff, an ornamental stick as a symbol of governmental authority (Ps 110:2). Figuratively of an arrow used for discipline (Hab 3:9NET+). A spear in Hab 3:14+. A food supply = a staff (matteh) of bread (lehem) (Lev 26:26; Ps 105:16; Ezek 4:16; 5:16; 14:13) Another meaning is tribe, clan, i.e., a group of a nation, usually organized around the name of a clan leader from a former generation (Nu 1:16) Gilbrant - The noun has three primary meanings. The first is "staff." Second, the noun was also used with the meaning of "tribe," often attributed to the wielding of a scepter as a position of leadership. Such was the most common meaning of the noun, appearing in nearly two-thirds of the occurrences. Third, the notion of "scepter" becomes dominant in later literature. The usage of the noun to denote a staff probably originally referred to a shepherd's staff, the instrument used to assist in goading and separating the animals as well as for support while walking (Exo. 4:2). However, matteh also refers to instruments which convey magic powers, evidenced by the Egyptian court magicians (Exo. 7:12). Likewise, Yahweh's divine power was demonstrated by means of a staff (Exo. 7:10; Num. 17:9). Non-divine authority was also demonstrated by possession of certain types of staffs. Jonathan, the crowned prince, possessed a staff which was not just an ordinary stick (1 Sam. 14:27). Likewise, it is stated that each tribal leader possessed a staff (Num. 17:2), which means the object at least possessed a symbolic significance. Ezekiel's lament concerning the young rulers of Judah compares the stock of their mothers to a strong vine which produces royal scepters (Ezek. 19:11). Yahweh called the coming messianic Ruler the "scepter coming out of Judah" (Ps. 110:2). Judah's staff must have been distinctly marked if it could have been used as evidence on par with his signet ring (Gen. 38:18). There are some miscellaneous usages of the noun, generally denoting some straight stalk of plant growth, suitable for producing a staff or scepter. The noun can also denote the shaft of an arrow (Hab. 3:9). It is used to describe the object used for flogging (Exo. 17:9). It is used to denote either a stalk of grain or the sticks one placed bread upon to elevate it above the ravagings of vermin (Ezek. 5:16). (Complete Biblical Library Hebrew-English Dictionary) Matteh-mattah - 247x in 205v - branch(3), branches(1), half-tribe*(13), rod(18), rods(6), scepter(2), spears(1), staff(33), staffs(1), supply(1), tribal(8), tribe(140), tribes(20). Gen. 38:18; Gen. 38:25; Exod. 4:2; Exod. 4:4; Exod. 4:17; Exod. 4:20; Exod. 7:9; Exod. 7:10; Exod. 7:12; Exod. 7:15; Exod. 7:17; Exod. 7:19; Exod. 7:20; Exod. 8:5; Exod. 8:16; Exod. 8:17; Exod. 9:23; Exod. 10:13; Exod. 14:16; Exod. 17:5; Exod. 17:9; Exod. 31:2; Exod. 31:6; Exod. 35:30; Exod. 35:34; Exod. 38:22; Exod. 38:23; Lev. 24:11; Lev. 26:26; Num. 1:4; Num. 1:16; Num. 1:21; Num. 1:23; Num. 1:25; Num. 1:27; Num. 1:29; Num. 1:31; Num. 1:33; Num. 1:35; Num. 1:37; Num. 1:39; Num. 1:41; Num. 1:43; Num. 1:47; Num. 1:49; Num. 2:5; Num. 2:7; Num. 2:12; Num. 2:14; Num. 2:20; Num. 2:22; Num. 2:27; Num. 2:29; Num. 3:6; Num. 7:2; Num. 7:12; Num. 10:15; Num. 10:16; Num. 10:19; Num. 10:20; Num. 10:23; Num. 10:24; Num. 10:26; Num. 10:27; Num. 13:2; Num. 13:4; Num. 13:5; Num. 13:6; Num. 13:7; Num. 13:8; Num. 13:9; Num. 13:10; Num. 13:11; Num. 13:12; Num. 13:13; Num. 13:14; Num. 13:15; Num. 17:2; Num. 17:3; Num. 17:5; Num. 17:6; Num. 17:7; Num. 17:8; Num. 17:9; Num. 17:10; Num. 18:2; Num. 20:8; Num. 20:9; Num. 20:11; Num. 26:55; Num. 30:1; Num. 31:4; Num. 31:5; Num. 31:6; Num. 32:28; Num. 33:54; Num. 34:13; Num. 34:14; Num. 34:15; Num. 34:18; Num. 34:19; Num. 34:20; Num. 34:21; Num. 34:22; Num. 34:23; Num. 34:24; Num. 34:25; Num. 34:26; Num. 34:27; Num. 34:28; Num. 36:3; Num. 36:4; Num. 36:5; Num. 36:6; Num. 36:7; Num. 36:8; Num. 36:9; Num. 36:12; Jos. 7:1; Jos. 7:18; Jos. 13:15; Jos. 13:24; Jos. 13:29; Jos. 14:1; Jos. 14:2; Jos. 14:3; Jos. 14:4; Jos. 15:1; Jos. 15:20; Jos. 15:21; Jos. 16:8; Jos. 17:1; Jos. 18:11; Jos. 18:21; Jos. 19:1; Jos. 19:8; Jos. 19:23; Jos. 19:24; Jos. 19:31; Jos. 19:39; Jos. 19:40; Jos. 19:48; Jos. 19:51; Jos. 20:8; Jos. 21:1; Jos. 21:4; Jos. 21:5; Jos. 21:6; Jos. 21:7; Jos. 21:9; Jos. 21:17; Jos. 21:20; Jos. 21:23; Jos. 21:25; Jos. 21:27; Jos. 21:28; Jos. 21:30; Jos. 21:32; Jos. 21:34; Jos. 21:36; Jos. 21:38; Jos. 22:1; Jos. 22:14; 1 Sam. 14:27; 1 Sam. 14:43; 1 Ki. 7:14; 1 Ki. 8:1; 1 Chr. 6:60; 1 Chr. 6:61; 1 Chr. 6:62; 1 Chr. 6:63; 1 Chr. 6:65; 1 Chr. 6:66; 1 Chr. 6:70; 1 Chr. 6:71; 1 Chr. 6:72; 1 Chr. 6:74; 1 Chr. 6:76; 1 Chr. 6:77; 1 Chr. 6:78; 1 Chr. 6:80; 1 Chr. 12:31; 2 Chr. 5:2; Ps. 105:16; Ps. 110:2; Isa. 9:4; Isa. 10:5; Isa. 10:15; Isa. 10:24; Isa. 10:26; Isa. 14:5; Isa. 28:27; Isa. 30:32; Jer. 48:17; Ezek. 4:16; Ezek. 5:16; Ezek. 7:10; Ezek. 7:11; Ezek. 14:13; Ezek. 19:11; Ezek. 19:12; Ezek. 19:14; Mic. 6:9; Hab. 3:9; Hab. 3:14 Sign (0226) see note above on 'oth David Thompson - Parting Thoughts - 1) It is not wrong to doubt your own abilities to accomplish things, but it angers God when you doubt His ability. 2) Our perspective of God needs to be what God’s Word reveals Him to be, not what we want Him to be. 3) You don’t need much in your hand to be greatly used by God. You may think you don’t have anything to offer God. What did Moses have? A shepherd’s staff. It is not about what we have, it is all about the power God has. We all have handicaps, but those handicaps should never be excuses for not doing God’s will. 4) We are all leprous with sin and we have all been snake-bitten by Satan, and the only way to be clean is to turn, by faith, to Jesus Christ Exodus 4:1-9,17 The Tales Of Two Sticks You shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs. —Exodus 4:17 Conventional wisdom questions how much can be accomplished with little. We tend to believe that a lot more can be done if we have large financial resources, talented manpower, and innovative ideas. But these things don’t matter to God. Consider just a couple of examples: In Judges 3:31+, a relatively unknown man named Shamgar delivered Israel from the Philistines single-handedly. How? He won a great victory by killing 600 Philistines with nothing more than an oxgoad (a stick sharpened on one end to drive slow-moving animals). In Exodus, when God asked Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, Moses was afraid the people wouldn’t listen to him or follow him. So God said, “What is that in your hand?” (Ex 4:2). Moses replied, “A rod.” God went on to use that rod in Moses’ hand to convince the people to follow him, to turn the Nile River into blood, to bring great plagues on Egypt, to part the Red Sea, and to perform miracles in the wilderness. If you use what little you may have To serve the Lord with all your heart You will find that He can do great things When you begin to do your part. —Sper Little is much when God is in it. Exodus 4:18 Then Moses departed and returned to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, "Please, let me go, that I may return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see if they are still alive." And Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace." Jethro - Ex 3:1 Let me go - 1Ti 6:1 and see - Ge 45:3 Ac 15:36 Go in peace - 1Sa 1:17 Lu 7:50 Ac 16:36 Exodus 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries MOSES' COURTEOUS REQUEST OF JETHRO I like J Ligon Duncan's summary of Exodus up to this point as it gives us a good review - If you have Bibles, I’d invite you to turn with me to Exodus, chapter 4, verse 18. In Exodus 1 God’s sovereignty was emphasized. In Exodus 2 Moses, the future deliverer of Israel, is introduced to us and put in a favorable light. In the end of Exodus 2:23-25 we learn that the redemption of Israel is rooted in God’s prior commitments to Abraham. In other words God’s redemption of Israel out of Egypt is rooted in the covenant promise that God had made to Abraham more than 430 years before. When we get to Exodus 3, God reveals Himself to Moses, via the burning bush at Sinai. He announces His concern for His people, He tells Moses that He is going to appoint him to be the deliverer of those people, and God tells Moses that He is going to deliver His people in order that they might worship Him. And so we see that great emphasis in Exodus 3 that God delivers His people in order that they might worship. We are saved, in other words, in order to worship. And that term worship or service appears over and over throughout the rest of the story of Exodus. Beginning in Exodus 3:11 Moses fires five questions to the Lord. He even perhaps presents these questions as objections to God’s divine plan. In Exodus 3:11, he asks the Lord, "Well, who am I to be the deliverer of Your people?" In Exodus 3:13, he asks the question, "Well, who do I say commissions me? Who is the One who has sent me to speak to the people of Israel and to Pharaoh?" And in answer to both of those questions, the Lord defines Himself, and not that we haven’t seen this from Exodus 1, but especially here in Exodus 3 we see that God Himself is the center of the story of Exodus. We might be tempted to see Moses as the protagonist. Moses is the central character. But as a matter of fact, Moses is a spokesman for the central character of the Exodus who is the God of Israel Himself. That, by the way, will become even clearer tonight as we look at this particular passage. So two objections or questions from Moses in Exodus 3. When you get to Exodus 4:1-9, you come to yet another question from Moses. He asked, "Well Lord, what do I do if they don’t believe me. What do I do if they don’t pay attention to me?" And in answer to that question the Lord gives him three miraculous signs. And He says, "You go show this to the elders and to the people of Israel, and they will believe you." Although Pharaoh would not be moved by this sign, as God will tell Moses in the passage we read tonight. Then in Exodus 4:10-17 we see two final objections of Moses. He first protests to the Lord that he’s not eloquent, he’s not a good speaker, and secondly, he says, "Lord, send the message by whomever you desire to send it." Which, being translated, means "Lord, please send somebody else. I hear what you’re saying. Please send somebody else." It’s the famous, "Here I am, Lord, send somebody else" response. And in that passage, we see God using Moses who is a sinful, weak vessel to accomplish His purpose. We see that God’s message is powerful, even apart from the messenger, and that God Himself is always and only our Savior. He may use Moses, He may use men, but God Himself is our Savior. Vanderwaal says this: "Thus you can see that we have no right whatsoever to depict Moses as a hero of superhuman proportion who draws on his immense abilities and dynamic personality to lead Israel out of bondage in Egypt. Here as elsewhere the Bible is painfully honest in showing us the weaknesses and shortcomings of its central figures." Exodus 4:18-26 Hardening Pharaoh's Heart Then - Then is an important expression of time and marks progression in the sequence of events, in this case Moses responding without objection to God's commissioning. The POSB has an interesting (and somewhat interpretative) title for Exodus 4:18-31 calling it "The Surrender of Moses to God's Call: The Fruit of Obedience." (The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible) Guzik comments that "When the fire faded from the burning bush and when the voice of God was silent across the desert, then it was upon Moses to obey, and to do what God told him to do. More than one person has had a spectacular burning bush type experience and then gone on to live as if nothing really happened." Moses departed and returned to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, "Please, let me go, that I may return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see if they are still alive." And Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace." - Jethro = Reuel (Ex 2:18, Ex 3:1) Note my brethren shows even after 40 years absence, his heart was still fond of his Hebrew brethren. "“Even the call of God did not erase the need for human courtesy and respect for one’s father-in-law.” (Kaiser) This would have been a significant request of Jethro, for Moses had been tending his herds for 40 years. Who would replace him when he left? The text does not say, but Jethro does not hesitate to given Moses his affirmation and blessing. God had undoubtedly moved in Jethro's heart to open the door for Moses to take his family back to Egypt. However Moses does not seem to explain that he had encountered God in a burning bush, nor did he explain that the real purpose for returning to Egypt was to deliver the nation of Israel from bondage to the Egyptian Pharaoh, the most powerful king in the world at that time. This return was not to be a social visit but a rescue mission! And finally his phrase see if they are still alive is at least slightly confusing because God has already told him that Aaron would come to meet him. The implication would be if Aaron was alive, others were also alive. Jethro gives Moses his blessing Go in peace. Return (turn away or back, bring or go back, restore) (07725)(shub/sub) is is a common verb (over 1000x) meaning to turn, to return, to go back, to do again, to change, to withdraw, to bring back, to reestablish, to be returned, to bring back, to take, to restore, to recompense, to answer, to hinder. Here are the uses in Exodus and notice shub/sub is a KEY WORD in Exodus 4! - Exod. 4:7; Exod. 4:18; Exod. 4: 19; Exod. 4:20; Exod. 4:21; Exod. 5:22; Exod. 10:8; Exod. 13:17; Exod. 14:2; Exod. 14:26; Exod. 14:27; Exod. 14:28; Exod. 15:19; Exod. 19:8; Exod. 21:34; Exod. 22:26; Exod. 23:4; Exod. 24:14; Exod. 32:12; Exod. 32:27; Exod. 32:31; Exod. 33:11; Exod. 34:31; Exod. 34:3 MacArthur agrees writing "Exactly how much was explained of the encounter at the burning bush remains unknown, but the purpose for the return, "and see if they are still alive," suggests that specific details of the call for him to be leader/deliverer were left unsaid, in contrast to the full explanation given to Aaron (Ex 4:28)." (MSB) POSB - God's call demands first loyalty, even before family. But we must always be loving, kind, and respectful to our families when we are called to be away from them. And we must help them understand God's call as well as we can. (cf Mt 10:37-38, Lk 9:23+). Ryken - Jethro was his father-in-law, and in those patriarchal times family members needed permission from the head of the household before leaving. For another thing, Jethro was his employer, and Moses needed to return the sheep that he had taken to Mount Horeb. In some ways, Moses serves as an example for Christians who are trying to follow Christ and love their families at the same time. Our commitment to Christ comes first. Jesus said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26+). Jesus meant that following him is a total life commitment. It demands an absolute allegiance that sometimes conflicts with family expectations. Even the people we love most should not prevent us from doing what God has called us to do. But Jesus did not mean that we should be hostile to our families, any more than he meant that we should take our own lives. On the contrary, Christians should treat their families with respect. This is especially important for Christians whose parents are not Christians. Because they do not share our commitment to Christ, they will not understand some of the choices we make. But even if we cannot compromise our calling, we still have a responsibility to love our parents, and that means discussing our plans with them patiently and respectfully. (Ibid) Exodus 4:19 Now the LORD said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead." for all - Ex 2:15,23 Mt 2:20 Exodus 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries NO NEED TO FEAR REPRISAL Now the LORD said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead - This is not God from the burning bush, but how God manifest Himself to Moses is not clear. We know that the Pharaoh had died from the words in Ex 2:23+ that "the king of Egypt died." Notice the word Now. When is "now?" What had Moses just done in the preceding verse? Clearly Moses was now acting in obedience. He could have asked God what happens if I go back and they try to kill me, but he does not do that. He finally takes God at His Word. And what was the result? Wiersbe nails it -- "As Moses stepped out by faith, God spoke to him and encouraged him." Perhaps Moses' hesitation and repeated excuses were based on fear of death at the hands of the Pharaoh who had sought to kill him after killing the Egyptian (Ex 2:15+). That evil Pharaoh had died and so had all the men who were seeking to kill him. This declaration by God reminds us of the angel's message in the New Testament to Joseph "But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” (Mt 2:19-20+).
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Guzik - It was not wrong for Moses to initially ask, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh ?” (Exodus 3:11); this was a logical question considering how great the task was. Yet God answered this question more than adequately in Exodus 3:12: I will certainly be with you. After that point, and in this passage, Moses’ questions show unbelief more than sincere seeking....It was good when Moses had no confidence in the flesh; but it was bad that he then lacked confidence in God. In view of the burning bush, the voice of God, and the divine encounter, there was no place for Moses to say, “But.” (Ex 4:1KJV) For they may say, 'The LORD has not appeared to you - Although God had told him they would heed him (Ex 3:18), one can imagine their reaction when he tells them he was speaking with a burning bush! While Moses may not have know what we know now, but as far as we can discern from the Biblical account, there is no record of God appearing to Israel during their 430 years in captivity. This would certainly make it more likely that they would be skeptical of Moses' claim of divine revelation. Moses knew what he saw was a revelation of God, but the Israelites might not accept his word. "As the sentence is a strong denial, we might paraphrase by saying ‘our ancestral God never appeared to you’. Moses is still thinking of that bitter experience of Exodus 2:14+, ‘Who made you a prince and a judge?’" (Cole) HCSB - These three signs the Lord gave Moses pertain to areas of common human vulnerability—attack by other creatures, illness, and the need for water—all of which are under the sovereign power of the Lord. The signs begin a pattern in Exodus of actions that are intended to prompt faith and obedience.
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Guzik - God likes to use what is in our hand. God used what was in Shamgar’s hand (Judges 3:31). God used what was in David’s hand (1 Samuel 17:49). God used the jawbone of a donkey in Samson’s hand (Judges 15:15). God used five loaves and two fish in the hand of a little boy (John 6:9). Exodus 4:2 The Little Things "And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand?" Exodus 4:2 Our Scripture reading for today contains Moses’ response to God’s call at the burning bush. Having just been commissioned to lead the children of Israel out of bondage, he was apprehensive about how the Egyptians, and even his countrymen, would react. But the Lord said to him, “What is that in thine hand?” “A rod,” Moses answered. Then He said to him in Ex 4:17, “And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.” Most of us are familiar with the great miracles associated with that rod when Moses obeyed the Lord. It was insignificant in itself, but it became a powerful instrument when committed to the Lord. Writing on this theme, J. W. Johnson imagined the following conversation between God and some of His faithful servants down through the centuries: “‘What is that in thine hand?’ asked the Lord. ‘A sling,’ said David. ‘It is enough; go up against the giant,’ and the great Goliath fell before the shepherd boy. ‘What is that in thine hand?’ ‘A sword,’ answered Jonathan. ‘It is enough,’ and the brave youth, followed by his armor-bearer, went up against an army, and the Philistines were defeated....’What is that in thine hand?’ ‘A pen,’ said John Bunyan, as he spoke from the arches of Bedford prison. ‘It is enough,’ and he wrote the story Pilgrim’s Progress, which will live while the world endures.” Don’t sell yourself short, friend! If God has called you to a task, He’ll equip you for it. He merely asks, “What is that in thine hand?” Give it to Him, and you’ll see what He can do with little things. - Richard W. De Haan Exodus 4:1-5 What Is In Your Hand? So the Lord said to [Moses], “What is that in your hand?” —Exodus 4:2 If you have a tendency to despair over lost opportunities or if you worry about the future, ask yourself this question: “What is right in front of me?” In other words, what circumstances and relationships are currently available to you? This question can get your focus off a past regret or a scary future and back to what God can do in your life. It’s similar to the question God asked Moses at the burning bush. Moses was troubled. Aware of his own weaknesses, he expressed fear about the Lord’s call for him to lead Israel out of bondage. So God simply asked Moses, “What is that in your hand?” (Ex. 4:2). The Lord shifted Moses’ attention away from his anxiety about the future and suggested he notice what was right in front of him—a shepherd’s rod. God showed Moses that He could use this ordinary staff to perform miracles as a sign for unbelieving people. As Moses’ trust in God grew, so did the magnitude of miracles God worked through His servant. Do you think about past failures too much? Do you have fearful thoughts about the future? Recall God’s question: “What is that in your hand?” What current circumstances and relationships can God use for your benefit and His glory? Entrust them—and your life—to Him. By Dennis Fisher Onward and upward your course plan today, Seeking new heights as you walk Jesus’ way; Heed not past failures, but strive for the prize, Aiming for goals fit for His holy eyes. —Brandt You can’t change the past, but you’ll ruin the present by worrying about the future. Exodus 4:3 Then He said, "Throw it on the ground." So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. it became - Ex 4:17 7:10-15 Am 5:19 Exodus 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Then He said, "Throw it on the ground." So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent (Ex 7:8–12) - And from Moses' reaction, clearly this was not a harmless garter snake but undoubtedly a venomous snake. Ponder a moment -- A shepherd's staff is usually about 5-6 feet long. So in an instant Moses was in the presence of a large reptile! And he had no sandals on because he had removed them. And here is the reptile present on "holy ground," which is fascinating (considering the serpent in Genesis 3 in the sinless garden). And Moses fled from it - In the desert shepherding the sheep, Moses surely frequently say snakes. His reaction to flee is what we all we do. And he had likely even seen venomous snakes, but this snake was especially frightening and could have been a large cobra (as long as his staff)! Exodus 4:4 But the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail"--so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand-- Stretch out your hand - Ge 22:1,2 Ps 91:13 Mk 16:18 Lu 10:19 Ac 28:3-6 so he stretched out his hand- Joh 2:5 Exodus 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries FAITH IS OBEYING DESPITE THE CONSEQUENCES But - The LORD let him flee the snake, before he told him to feel the snake. Imagine what goes through Moses' mind as God gives this command. The LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail - Notice Jehovah does not tell Moses what will happen when he will take hold of the snake by its tail. He does not tell Moses "Do not fear." He does not tell Moses that when he touches it "The snake will become a staff." Moses is being given a huge challenge by God to walk by faith and not by sight! Grabbing a venomous snake by his tail is always dangerous for the snake will turn and strike! While we cannot be dogmatic, this was probably a vicious cobra, for this snake was symbolic of the cobra goddess in lower Egypt. "This snake is a killer. It was chosen by the Egyptians as a sign of power, as a menacing sign of power to their enemies, precisely because of it’s own dangerousness." (Duncan) Thompson quips "We had a doctor in our church in Idaho and he told me the biggest number of emergency calls at the hospital came on weekends of people who would get drunk and try to pick up a rattlesnake and they would get bit." (Sermon) Wikipedia - The Egyptian cobra was represented in Egyptian mythology by the cobra-headed goddess Meretseger. A stylised Egyptian cobra—in the form of the uraeus representing the goddess Wadjet—was the symbol of sovereignty for the Pharaohs who incorporated it into their diadem. This iconography was continued through the end of the ancient Egyptian civilization (30 BC). God had just told Moses "I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and after that he will let you go." (Ex 3:20+) So he stretched out his hand and caught it - This is fascinating, for when snake handlers pick up snakes, they pick them up by the neck, right behind the head, so that the snake cannot swing around quickly (which they can easily do) and inflict a fatal bite. And despite this seemingly illogical, even potentially dangerous command, Moses obeyed. This time there was no arguing with God, no objecting, no excuses. This took faith, faith that he would not be bitten and die. Faith is obeying God in spite of the consequences. While Moses clearly had many objections regarding his role as the designated "deliverer," he does manifest trust by grasping the snake. Trust is not demonstrated by fearlessness but by obedience. God called Moses to obey, and to discover that when he focused on obedience, God would deal with his fear. God was teaching Moses that he was to obey what God commanded him to do even when it was uncomfortable. THOUGHT - Paul learned exactly the same thing. In 1 Corinthians 2:3–4 he says, “I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.” So if as you obey God you sometimes feel fearful and weak, you are in good company. And when God calls us to do something uncomfortable, we need to trust Him for the results. J Ligon Duncan - Later, Pharaoh will stretch out his hand and free Israel. God again is showing us His sovereignty over Egypt. God will stretch out His hand against Egypt. In transforming the rod into a snake, Moses is doing actually what Egyptians and magicians who do tricks of slight of hand could only dream of doing. His people have been surrounded by this magical culture. They have seen these kinds of feats done. Now God is going to really do it, but even more. And it became a staff in his hand-- I hate snakes so it will be fascinating to speak with Moses someday about this frightening event and the courageous trust he must have mustered in order to obey! Surely great relief came over him when the snake became a staff! For most of us this would be all the sign I would need that God was in control, but God did not stop with one sign. Hannah comments that "Because snakes symbolized power and life to the Egyptians, God was declaring to Moses that he would be able to overcome the powers of Egypt." (BKC) Dan Duncan suggests the following meaning of this staff/serpent "sign" (Ex 4:8-9) - In Egypt that snake was a symbol of Royal and divine power the Pharaoh possessed, the Pharaoh being considered by the Egyptians to be a god. And the serpent that he wore on his crown was the testimony to his divinity. The scepter he held in his hand was emblematic of royalty and power. So Moses threw down a simple shepherd’s staff in contrast to the Pharaoh's royal scepter and it turned into a serpent. And then it returned to his staff when he simply picked it up and picked it up by the tail, of all places. It would seem that it was signified that Moses had divine authority and divine power over what that serpent represented, Pharaoh himself. He had been given God’s power over the Pharaoh. (Sermon) POSB - Now, why this sign? Why did God choose to demonstrate His power over a shepherd’s rod and a serpent? To symbolize His power and authority over Pharaoh and his government. The snake was the animal chosen by Egypt to symbolize its authority and power just as nations today choose animals as the emblems of their authority and power (for example: the eagle chosen by America and the bear chosen by Russia). Pharaoh actually wore the emblem of a snake on his crown to symbolize the authority of Egyptian rule. God was giving a clear picture of His sovereignty, power, authority, and dominion over the nations of the world—even over the greatest of nations, Egypt, and its great ruler, Pharaoh himself. God could take rods and turn them into the feared serpents of this earth; similarly, He could take the feared serpents of this earth and turn them into rods. Egypt and its authority existed only as God willed and allowed. This sign would, of course, help convince the people that Moses was truly sent of God. God clearly states that this was His purpose for giving the signs to Moses: to stir the people to believe that Moses and his message of deliverance were true (v. 5, 8). God was able to deliver them from their enslavement. 1 Chronicles 29:12 “Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. (God had the power to strengthen Moses for the task to which he was called) 2 Chronicles 20:6 and he said, “O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You. Psalm 115:3 But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases. J Ligon Duncan - Pull back and think: You’ve been a slave in Egypt for four hundred and something years. Perhaps you have seen taskmasters with a coiled snake of lower Egypt around their arm or on their head. You have seen magicians with their staffs do these kinds of conjuring tricks and slight of hand. And now God sends you His own messenger. And by the very signs of the power and authority of Egypt, he manifests your God’s sovereignty over Egypt. Wouldn’t that be an encouragement to you? Do you see how these signs are not just about doing something spectacular and spooky and miraculous. These signs speak to deep truths and realities about the experience of the people of God. They have been oppressed by Egypt, and God is now, through the sign of the shepherd’s staff transformed into a snake, showing that He, the God of Israel, is sovereign over Egypt. Listen to what the Jewish commentary on these verses says. Here the signs which will be executed in Egypt possess a distinctly Egyptian coloration. This is not surprising, for magic was a pervasive ingredient of everyday life in Egypt, deeply imbedded in the culture. The signs taught to Moses are intended first and foremost to validate his claim to be the divinely chosen instrument for the redemption of Israel. On a secondary level, they also function to establish the superiority of Moses over the Egyptian magicians. And by extension to affirm the superior might of Israel’s God over those whom the Egyptian’s worshiped as gods. Moses, however, is not a magician. He possesses no super human powers. No esoteric knowledge. He is unable to initiate or perform anything except by the precise instructions of God. He pronounces no spells, he observes no rituals, he employs no occult techniques, and often he does not know in advance the consequences of the actions he is told to perform. What a difference....A prophet with a word from God and with power from God. That’s the first thing we see. God’s stretching out His hand against Egypt and giving Moses this sign of the shepherd's staff transformed. The shepherd’s staff also showed Moses that that which is common and impotent in itself becomes powerful when yielded in obedience to the Lord. -- Steven Cole Steven
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Guzik - Each of the first two signs had to do with transformation. Something good and useful (a rod or a hand) was made into something evil (a serpent or a leprous hand), and significantly, they were then transformed back again. There was a real message in the first two signs. The first said, “Moses, if you obey Me, your enemies will be made powerless.” The second said “Moses, if you obey Me, your pollution can be made pure.” Doubts in each of these areas probably hindered Moses, and before those signs spoke to anyone else, they spoke to Moses. This is the pattern with all God’s leaders. (Enduring Word) Sign (0226)('oth) means a signal, a mark a miracle and is used to describe amazing events such as God bringing Israel out of Egypt (Ex 4:8, 9, Nu 14:22) or a sign serving to authenticate the message as from God (1Sa 2:34, 10:7, 9) in contrast to the signs from false prophets (Dt 13:1, 2). King Hezekiah received a sign from Jehovah that the He would add fifteen years to his life (Isa 38:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; Gideon - Jdg 6:17+) As an aside, while the Bible does record individuals asking for signs of divine approval or affirmation, this process is not to be the norm. In other words, it is usually not best to test God by asking Him for signs! Perhaps better is the prayer of the sick boy's father in Mark (Mk 9:24)! I like what Delitzsch says that "signs authenticate divine causality retrospectively or divine certainty prospectively." The Hebrew word “sign” means God signifies or signals something to someone in order to inform them to believe what they cannot see (William Gesenius, Hebrew Lexicon, p. 24). For example, if you are driving down the road and see a sign for a gas station, the purpose of the sign is to inform you that there is a gas station that you cannot presently see. The Septuagint translates 'oth usually with the Greek word semeion from sema = sign) which describes something that serves as a pointer to aid perception or insight. In the NT a sign speaks of a token which has behind it a particular message to be conveyed. In secular use it came to mean the intervention of the deities in our world and this is the meaning the Bible attaches to miracles such as Moses would carry out for they represent God "breaking into" the natural world to accomplish a supernatural feat for a specific purpose and in Exodus that purpose is redemption or deliverance from slavery in Egypt! Skinner comments that sign ('oth) "plays a very large part in OT religion and with considerable latitude of meaning. The most important cases are those in which a divine revelation is attested by some striking event within the range of immediate perception through the senses. Such a sign may be a supernatural occurrence conveying an irresistible persuasion of the divine agency (Isa 38:7, 22; Ex 7:8ff.; Jdg 6:17, 36ff.; 1Ki 13:1 ff.). But it may also be an ordinary event, which acquires significance through its having been foretold, or asked for (Ge 24:14; 1Sa 10:2ff.; 14:10; Luke 2:12). Thus of two predicted events the nearer may be made a "sign" of the more remote (1Sa 2:34; Jer 44:29f.). Or, in a still more general sense, the "sign " may be merely an incident of the fulfilled prediction, which carries the mind back to the time of the prophecy, when the sign was appointed (Ex 3:12 ; Is 37:30). That for which a sign is here offered to Ahaz is the certainty of divine help or (what is the same thing) the truth that God speaks to him through the prophet. (The book of prophet Isaiah) Sign - 79x in 77v - banners(1), omens(1), pledge(1), sign(43), signs(30), standards(1), witness(1), wondrous(1). Gen. 1:14; Gen. 4:15; Gen. 9:12; Gen. 9:13; Gen. 9:17; Gen. 17:11; Exod. 3:12; Exod. 4:8; Exod. 4:9; Exod. 4:17; Exod. 4:28; Exod. 4:30; Exod. 7:3; Exod. 8:23; Exod. 10:1; Exod. 10:2; Exod. 12:13; Exod. 13:9; Exod. 13:16; Exod. 31:13; Exod. 31:17; Num. 2:2; Num. 14:11; Num. 14:22; Num. 16:38; Num. 17:10; Deut. 4:34; Deut. 6:8; Deut. 6:22; Deut. 7:19; Deut. 11:3; Deut. 11:18; Deut. 13:1; Deut. 13:2; Deut. 26:8; Deut. 28:46; Deut. 29:3; Deut. 34:11; Jos. 2:12; Jos. 4:6; Jos. 24:17; Jdg. 6:17; 1 Sam. 2:34; 1 Sam. 10:7; 1 Sam. 10:9; 1 Sam. 14:10; 2 Ki. 19:29; 2 Ki. 20:8; 2 Ki. 20:9; Neh. 9:10; Job 21:29; Ps. 65:8; Ps. 74:4; Ps. 74:9; Ps. 78:43; Ps. 86:17; Ps. 105:27; Ps. 135:9; Isa. 7:11; Isa. 7:14; Isa. 8:18; Isa. 19:20; Isa. 20:3; Isa. 37:30; Isa. 38:7; Isa. 38:22; Isa. 44:25; Isa. 55:13; Isa. 66:19; Jer. 10:2; Jer. 32:20; Jer. 32:21; Jer. 44:29; Ezek. 4:3; Ezek. 14:8; Ezek. 20:12; Ezek. 20:20 Exodus 4:9 "But if they will not believe even these two signs or heed what you say, then you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water which you take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground." the water - Ex 7:19 blood - Ex 1:22 7:19-25 Mt 7:2 Exodus 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE THIRD SIGN WATER TO BLOOD The Nile River has been described as the "Lifeblood of Egypt" for without the Nile, there would be no crops produced, no hydration for their animals. So God directs His third sign at the heart of the nation's life and in so doing was showing that He could impose His will upon the nation of Egypt. And as the rest of the story shows, this sign was a foreshadowing of the 10 plagues that would soon come as definitive proof of God's power over Egypt. But if they will not believe even these two signs or heed what you say, then you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water which you take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground - This sign was one that would in fact occur as part of the first plague when Aaron hitting the Nile with the staff turned the water to blood (Ex 7:14-19, 20-25). Given the fact that the Egyptians considered the Nile a divine source of life (see Hapi - the Nile god), this sign would demonstrate that God had power over the Egyptians (and their false gods). Moses performed the signs before all of the elders and people (Ex 4:29-30) and as God had promised, they believed (Ex 4:31). MacDonald offers an interesting interpretation - They spoke of God’s power over Satan (i.e., the serpent), and sin (pictured by the leprosy) and of the fact that Israel would be redeemed from both of these through blood. (Believer's Bible Commentary) Guzik has an interesting thought on the third sign - The third sign was simply a sign of judgment. Good, pure waters were made foul and bloody by the work of God and they did not turn back again. This showed that if the miracles of transformation did not turn the hearts of the people, then perhaps the sign of judgment would. J Ligon Duncan - In all of these things, especially in the first and the last sign, God is reiterating to His people that He is sovereign over Egypt. You realize again that it’s not just Moses performing these curious and almost bizarre signs that in and of themselves are convincing and compelling to the people of God. It’s their realization of what the signs indicate. These signs indicate their God’s sovereignty over their enemies. God, in His plan of redemption, is sovereign over all the enemies of His people....we struggle not with flesh and blood, but with powers and principalities. And God in this passage tonight is reminding us again that He is sovereign over all of those. We’re no match for them, but God is sovereign. He has chosen His man. He will redeem His people, and He will reveal Himself, not only to His own people, but even to the enemies of His people. May God be praised. David Thompson - (Observation #1) - These signs were performed by God through Moses. God uses men. He typically uses one specific person to lead. Moses was God’s choice and he was the major individual God would use to accomplish His will. God still singles out individuals to use them for His will. God does still pick His leaders. (Observation #2) - These signs were very specific to this time in the program of God. The serpent sign showed that God was more powerful than any supposed deity of the Egyptian world. The Pharaohs wore crowns that had serpents on them that they believed were gods. The leprosy was a sign that only God can heal sin. Leprosy was often a punishment for sin and it was a sign that sin may only be forgiven by God. The Nile River sign was a sign that the river was not sacred, God was sacred. (Observation #3) - These signs are very applicable to us. We have all been snake-bitten by Satan and we have all committed leprous sins against God, and the only one who can take our sin and wash it away by blood is God, and that is exactly what He does when we believe on Jesus Christ. (Sermon) Exodus 4:10 Then Moses said to the LORD, "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." eloquent - Heb. a man of words, Ex 4:1 Job 12:2 1Co 2:1-4 2Co 10:10 11:6 neither recently nor in time past - Hebrew = since yesterday, nor since the third day - Ex 6:12 Jer 1:6 Ac 7:22 Exodus 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries MOSES' FOURTH EXCUSE: "I CAN'T SPEAK WELL!" Then - This marks this declaration as subsequent to 3 remarkable signs, 2 which transpired and one which was promised. In the face of these miracles Moses still objects to God's charge to be Israel's deliverer. Lord, I’m not eloquent. You’re appointing me to be a spokesman, and I’m not eloquent. I’m not suited for this. I don’t have the right kind of speech patterns. I’m not a very good speaker. When God calls you to do something beyond your natural ability, don’t make excuses for why you can’t do it. -- Steven Cole J Ligon Duncan puts Moses' call in perspective - Now that God, forty years after his time in the wilderness, has come to him again and made him aware that it is indeed his divine call for him to serve as His spokesman and deliverer, Moses is resistant. We’ve said over and over, Moses finds some other thing to raise about God’s plan as God continues to press this commission on him. But even as he does that, God is making something clear to us. And that is, though Moses is indeed his chosen servant, and though Moses is indeed integral to God’s plan for bringing about redemption for His people, Moses is not the main actor. God is the deliverer, God is the redeemer, God is the Savior. Moses is not perfect. Moses will not redeem Israel because he’s an eloquent speaker. He won’t redeem Israel because he never trembles in his faith as he faces great odds. He won’t redeem Israel because he’s sinlessly perfected, and he never makes a mistake. He’ll redeem Israel because God has ordained it. And God has ordained that he will be used as His instrument. And that in and of itself is an important lesson.(Exodus 4:10-17 A Spokesman for Moses) Moses said to the LORD, "Please (KJV = "O") Lord ('adonay) - The word for please (bi) is a particle introducing earnest requests or petitions, complaints or excuses. and seeks permission to speak. This Hebrew particle is always followed by "my Lord." Moses uses this same word in Ex 4:13 to introduce his last request regarding his commissioning, this time invoking the anger of Jehovah. It is interesting that another "deliverer" of Israel introduced his excuses with the same Hebrew particle. That man's name was Gideon and he declared "O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” (Jdg 6:13+) and “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.” (Jdg 6:15+). Note that this is the first time Moses had spoken to the God he now knew as Jehovah, and he does not address Him as Jehovah but as Adonai ('adonay) which is a title of both respect and deference conveying the nuances of lord, master, sir. In this context Moses is substituting Adonai for the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) Please (0994)(bi) is used 14x in 12 v - beg (1), O (4), Oh (6), please (2), please (1). - Ge 43:20; Ge 44:18; Ex 4:10; Ex 4:13; Nu 12:11; Jos. 7:8; Jdg. 6:13; Jdg. 6:15; Jdg. 13:8; 1 Sa 1:26; 1 Ki. 3:17; 1 Ki. 3:26. The uses are followed by appeal to either God or humans. This Hebrew particle is generally considered a polite interjection, and it may carry the nuance of the speaker accepting the consequences which the speech may incur. Baker adds "The particle is intended to express politeness, pardon, deep concern with great respect toward the one spoken to. It is used in addressing noble men, such as Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Eli, Solomon (Gen. 43:20; 44:18; Num. 12:11; 1 Sam. 1:26; 1 Ki. 3:17, 26); divine beings, the angel of the Lord (Judg. 6:13, 15); but most often the Lord (Ex. 4:10, 13; Josh. 7:8; Judg. 13:8). (Complete Word Study Dictionary – Old Testament) Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past - Notice the "I's" in this passage -- Moses was focused on self, not Savior, something we all tend to do! Our flesh ever loves to throw us a "pity party!" Eloquent is literally in Hebrew "a man of words." The Septuagint translates this with the adjective hikanos which means adequate (cf Paul uses this in 2 Cor 3:5-6+ where a proper understanding of our "adequacy" is a good thing - but Moses seems to be using it in a differ way as his subsequent statement in Ex 4:13 proves) and here is preceded by the negative thus mean absolutely not adequate! Is Moses being truthful about his ability to speak? Or has he developed a case of selective amnesia? Stephen declared "Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power (dunatos) in words and deeds." (NLT = "he was powerful in both speech and action" KJV = "mighty in words and deeds") (Acts 7:22+). Power in Stephen's description of Moses is the Greek word dunatos which describes that which has sufficient or necessary power, means, skill, or resources to accomplish an objective or task. Did he lose this power during his 40 years talking with the sheep? Did he forget how to speak Egyptian? Does he really just not want to go back to Egypt? Guzik - Those years of eloquence in Egypt ended 40 years before this. For 40 years, Moses only seemed to speak to sheep. His self confidence was gone; but he needed God confidence instead. J Ligon Duncan - Maybe he’s saying that he’s not very good at Egyptian any more. It’s been forty years since he spoke it regularly in court. He knows what he’s saying, but what he’s asserting is that he’s not eloquent, he’s not up to the task. And Moses here, I want you to see this. Moses here begins to reflect the very unwillingness that he fears Israel will show about his leadership. You remember he’s already said, "Lord, what if they don’t listen to me?" But is Moses listening to God? He’s worried that Israel won’t listen to him. But here the spokesman of God to Israel is continually saying to the Lord, "Well, I’m not sure that I’m really willing to do this." You see the irony. Moses fears that Israel won’t be willing. But he himself is not willing, and indeed he will see their unwillingness in coming days. Moses objection, he says, "Lord, I’m not a good speaker, and even my encounter with you hasn’t helped." Look at how he says this. I have never been eloquent, neither recently or in time past. In other words, I don’t have a track record for eloquent speech, and Lord, even this encounter with You hasn’t changed things. It’s almost like an accusation. Lord, I’ve never been an eloquent speaker. And you would think that if You’re gonna call me to do this, that at least you’d do a miracle here in Sinai, and I’d be a good speaker. It’s almost an accusation. He lays the blame with God. You see the sin of Moses here. This fear of Moses was real. It continued to dog him. If you were to turn forward to Exodus 6:12 he’ll raise the issue again. Moses spoke before the Lord, saying: "Behold, the sons of Israel have not listened to me. How then will Pharaoh listen to me for I am unskilled in speech."...There have been suggestions this is a speech impediment. There have been suggestions that this is a loss of some of his linguistic skills, even though he’d grown up in Egypt. Even though he had grown up speaking their language, perhaps he was fearful that he had lost the pronunciation or the touch in his forty years in the wilderness. I don’t know what it is, but the point is, Moses’ worry misses the point. God has not chosen him because he’s eloquent. Eloquence is not what is needed. A man who simply speaks the truth is that which is needed. And Paul recognized this in his own day. If you turn with me to 2 Corinthians 10:10, believe it or not Paul himself was accused by the Corinthians of being fairly unimpressive in his public speech when he was preaching amongst them. They apparently thought Apollos was a lot better preacher than Paul. I’ve always had a hard time taking that in. But apparently they thought Apollos was a lot better preacher than Paul. They say, 2 Corinthians 10:10, they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible." (Exodus 4:10-17 A Spokesman for Moses) NET - Now Moses took up another line of argumentation, the issue of his inability to speak fluently (Ex 4:10–17). The point here is that God's servants must yield themselves as instruments to God, the Creator. It makes no difference what character traits they have or what weaknesses they think they have (Moses manages to speak very well) if God is present. If the sovereign God has chosen them, then they have everything that God intended them to have. NET on eloquent (man) - When a noun clause is negated with al { (lo' = "never"), rather than !yae ('en), there is a special emphasis, since the force of the negative falls on a specific word. The expression "eloquent man" is 'ish dabarim (literally "a man of words"). The genitive may indicate a man characterized by words or a man who is able to command or control words. Moses apparently is resigned to the fact that he can do the signs, but he knows the signs have to be explained. The prophet Jeremiah voiced a similar excuse declaring "Then I said, “Alas, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, Because I am a youth.” (Jer 1:6) (Note - Of course as he writes this he is speaking, so to speak!) Nor since You have spoken to Your servant for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue - Slow of speech is literally "heavy of mouth" and in the Septuagint is the adjective ischuophonos (not in NT) used only here in Scripture which the meaning of having a speech impediment, describing one who stutters or stammers. Here is the irony of Moses' excuses... Moses was backward in speech, yet talked with God. And God clearly had no difficulty understanding him! Ryken - Like Moses, we are prone to place far too much reliance on natural ability, and not nearly enough on supernatural assistance. If God is with us, then we will be able to do his will, even in spite of ourselves. Remember that the “I” who promised to go with Moses—and who has promised to be with us forever—is the Great I Am, the eternal and all-powerful Lord. (Ibid) Walter Kaiser explains that "Moses’ complaint was not in defective articulation, but in his inability to take command of Hebrew and Egyptian (cf. Ezekiel 3:5, where ‘heavy of tongue’ = difficulty with a foreign language …).” (EBC-Ex) F B