The point of this lesson: God is not distressed with us when we experience times of discouragement.
It took a lot to convince Moses to accept God's mission to return to Egypt and become Israel's leader! The questions Moses raised are not seen as excuses, but as genuine issues in Moses' mind. To Moses, these were legitimate concerns.
God is not our enemy when we experience "real life" concerns instead of being men and women of faith. Too often we consider ourselves the solution. It often is genuinely discouraging to be forced to realize we cannot "fix" all the situations we want to improve. As a general rule, no person can "fix" what he or she did not break.
Before we acknowledge Moses' questions, remember the circumstances that led to his encounter with God. Read Exodus 2:11-25. Moses, as an adult who grew up in Pharaoh's (the king's) palace, tried to protect a Hebrew slave from an Egyptian. His defense of the Hebrew resulted in the death of the Egyptian. While Moses thought his act was not common knowledge, he learned the next day from two who were Hebrews fighting that his act was common knowledge among the Hebrews. The result: Moses was afraid. Though he seemingly knew his Hebrew origin, the Hebrews rejected him and were a source of danger to him.
Read about and prepare yourself to discuss Moses' first attempt to rescue a Hebrew from an Egyptian.
Moses was not wrong about Pharaoh's reaction when he learned of Moses' act. To survive, Moses fled to a remote region far from the Egyptian influence. There he lived a solitary life as a shepherd in the wilderness. He literally abandoned life in Egyptian society's highest level to become a shepherd in a remote wilderness. Attempting to help the Hebrews cost Moses a lot! To Moses, it was obvious the Hebrews wanted nothing to do with him. To Moses, he would not merely show up, say, "I am your leader," and the Israelites say, "Hurrah! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
Note (1) Moses was correct about Pharaoh's reaction to Moses' deed and (2) Moses was quite hesitant to make himself vulnerable to the Hebrews again. Past experience suggested the Hebrews did not want his help. He did not think they would bestow leadership on him simply because he asked them to do so.
Consider Moses' hesitation questions. "Who am I to go back and be Israel's leader" (verse 11)? Had not he already demonstrated he had no influence with the royal family and no influence in Israel? "Who will I say You are" (verse 13)? Israel had been around Egypt's gods for generations and knew their names. They surely would ask, "What is the Name of the God you represent? How can I hope to have any credibility if I cannot tell them Your name?" Moses then asked, "What if they do not believe You sent me" (4:1)? God gave Moses miraculous acts. Moses responded, "Please send someone else--I am not eloquent!" He certainly did not have a good past record! He also had been alone for quite a while! Can you see why he had no self-confidence?
Moses' questions indicate a massive lack of confidence. Commonly, rejection when one makes a serious, sacrificial effort attacks the person's willingness to try again. No one likes rejection!
Finally Moses returned and became an exceptional leader. Though Pharaoh was hesitant and the Israelites distrustful, through God Moses achieved Israel's release and a successful crossing of the sea. God spoke to Moses face to face as one spoke to his friend (Exodus 33:11) -- unlike God spoke to any other prophet (Deuteronomy 34:10; Numbers 12:7, 8).
When Moses replaced confidence in self with confidence in God, he became an exceptional leader. God paid tribute to the kind of person Moses became by communicating with Moses as He did with no other person. The quality of communication with a person (first name basis, possession of private telephone number, access, etc.) often is a primary indicator of the depth of the relationship.
Once Israel depressed Moses. Moses reached the point that enough was enough! He listened to all Israel crying because they were homesick for Egypt. (What an awful sound must have been produced by a whole nation crying!) Moses said to God, "You are being too hard on me! Why do You burden me with these people? I did not conceive them! I did not bring them here! I cannot feed them the meat they want! I cannot do this anymore! If this is the way You are going to treat me, kill me so I do not have to look at what a failure I am!"
Israel's complaining and crying came at a time when it was too much for Moses to take. His reaction was, "The need is too great! The whole situation is unfair! I would be better off dead!"
Instead of God reacting against Moses, He gave Moses help. He understood, and He responded with understanding. He did not make Moses suffer because of Israel's lack of faith.
Many would picture God as reacting with a "how dare you" attitude. God did not react that way. God understood Moses' situation and need, and God helped.
God is not your enemy because you have moments of struggle! God is not your enemy because you take your difficulties to Him. Take Hebrews 4:14-16 to heart.
This scripture should verify God's desire to help us. God does not want to be our enemy. He wants to be our helper.
"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Please note:
A high priest was to represent the weaker to the stronger. Because of what Jesus did, God cannot misunderstand our struggles.
Jesus has been a human and understands the agony and pull of temptation.
We need God even more in moments when we know we are weak than in moments when we are convinced we are strong. (The truth is that we always are weak. We merely think at times we are strong.)
Our awareness of need and failure should motivate us to turn to God. The problem is not God's being ashamed of us, but it is our being ashamed of ourselves.
We should go expecting help, not condemnation.
This is not an encouragement to develop a "do nothing" attitude, but to cultivate the attitude of confidently going to God in moments of distress. Go to God assured of God's concern for us! God always has been a source of help to those who dare to be His people.
This does not urge Christians to do nothing. It urges Christians to realize that God is for us, will never abandon us even in our weakest moments. God takes no delight in administering consequences! His sending Jesus for us proves the depth of His concern for us.
For Thought and Discussion
To Moses, his questions were declarations of genuine issues he must deal with.
The answer to this question centers in Moses reaching out to a Hebrew when he was harmed by an Egyptian.
He left life at the highest level of Egyptian society to be a shepherd in a remote wilderness.
He spoke to him face to face, as one does with his friend.
The crying of Israel disheartened Moses. The sound of massive mourning must have been a horrible sound!
He felt powerless to change a situation he did not produce. He felt the situation was unfair to him. He wanted God to kill him instead of letting him see his ineffectiveness.
God helped Moses instead of reacting against Moses.
God is not your enemy because you struggle.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 8