THE EXCUSES OF MOSES

 

1) “WHO AM I?”

o   EXCUSE: Exodus 3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

o   ANSWER: Exodus 3:12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

2) “WHAT SHALL I SAY?”

o   EXCUSE: Exodus 3:13 Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?

o   ANSWER: Exodus 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

 3) “SUPPOSE THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE ME?”

o   EXCUSE: Exodus 4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.

o   ANSWER: Exodus 4:2 And the LORD said unto him, WHAT IS IN THINE HAND And he said, A rod. 3. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. 4. And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: 5. That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.

4) “I AM SLOW OF SPEECH”

o   EXCUSE: Exodus 4:10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but Iam slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

o   ANSWER: Exodus 4:11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? 12. Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.

5) “PLEASE SEND SOMEONE ELSE”

o   EXCUSE: Exodus 4:13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.

o   ANSWER: Exodus 4:14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. Exodus 4:15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.

THE ARRIVAL OF JETHRO

• The Cliff notes version: Jethro’s daughters are attacked in some way while drawing water, Moses defends them, Jethro is grateful and gives Moses his daughter Zipporah.
• Moses has a lot of respect and admiration for Jethro. Seemed to have a close and good relationship
• Moses as we know had a calling and a purpose on his life – as each of us do.
• And like most of us – the sacrifice, the fear, the unknown of our calling and purpose in the kingdom of God, often keep us from jumping right in and getting involved to the level that God intends for us to

Exodus 4:18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren whichare in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace. ¹⁹And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.

• God has taken away all of Moses’ excuses …
• Its obvious Moses is not enthused about this situation-he was not jumping into this thing.
• Finally, while Moses agreed to his appointment as the redeemer of his people, he still had one more request from God.
• He had to obtain the permission of his father-in-law, Jethro (Yeser): So Moses went and returned to Yeser his father-in-law, and said to him, ”Let me now go back to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see if they are still alive.”  MOSES IS STALLING.

GET YOUR KICKS FROM JETHRO

JETHRO GIVES MOSES A PLAN (Exodus 18:13-23)

Exodus 18:12 And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father in law before God. 13.And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. 14.And when Moses’ father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? 15. And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God: 16. When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws. 17. And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. 18. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. 19. Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: 20. And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. 21. Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: 22. And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. 23. If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

CONCLUSION

•   Who can be your Jethro?
•   What are your excuses?
•   What are your resources?
•   What is your plan?

This series is loosely based off Leonard Sweet’s book by 11: Indispensable Relationships You Can’t Be Without  and the preaching notes of my friend, Shawn Stickler, Lead Pastor of The Pentecostals of Quinte in Belleville, ON. I have also personalized these outlines with my own thoughts and stories.

FRIENDS OF THE BIBLE SERIES

LESSON ONE: WHO’S YOUR JONATHAN? YOU NEED A TRUE FRIEND!

LESSON TWO: WHO’S YOUR NATHAN? YOU NEED AN EDITOR!

LESSON THREE: WHO’S YOUR JETHRO? YOU NEED A MOTIVATOR!

LESSON FOUR: WHO’S YOUR DEBORAH? YOU NEED A PROTECTOR!

LESSON FIVE: WHO’S YOUR BARNABAS? YOU NEED AN ENCOURAGER!

LESSON SIX: WHO’S YOUR RHODA? YOU NEED A LITTLE ONE!

LESSON SEVEN: WHO’S YOUR PAUL/PETER? YOU NEED A MENTOR!