3 LIfe's lessons from MosesMessage preached by Dr. Jamili Nais at the
SIB Metro Church on 29th June 2008 Three life’s lessons from Moses in Exodus
Chap 4 Lesson 1: The process: Scripture:
Exodus 4:21, “And the LORD said to
Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders
before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.”
(NKJV) So it was
God who made it difficult for the Israelites to leave Egypt. Have we wonder why God would
harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he would not let the Israelites leave Egypt?
What would happen if Pharaoh had
just simply agreed and let the Israelites go? Pharaoh would have been hailed as the
great “God fearing king”, wouldn’t he? Moses would have been
lifted up as the “Messiah” of the Israelites, wouldn’t he? But yet
it was God who hardened Pharaoh’s heart not to let the Israelites
go. Why? I believe the process is
as important as the result or objective or destination. God purposely made the
process ‘elaborate’ and comparatively ‘difficult’ in
order to show the Israelites that it was God who delivered them out of the
bondage in Egypt and not Pharaoh or Moses so that all generations of Israel
will remember the miracle and acknowledge the greatness of God forever. At the same time, Pharaoh would be
totally and utterly subdued by the might and power of
God, that the nations may hear of such miracle and fear God. Lesson 2: The rod In Exodus
4:2, the LORD said to Moses, "What is that in your hand?" Moses answered, "A rod." God asked Moses an obvious question, not
because God does not know but to ask Moses to make a reflection; to take stock
of the current situation. What do you have right now. Moses
replied “a rod” – a very ordinary and common thing, used
daily and almost everyone had it (in those days). But the rod or staff was used as an instrument for his career or livelihood
or profession and later for the working of many miracles. Similarly,
God is continually asking us what we have at hand, now. Need not be something
special or extraordinary. Use whatever we have now to serve God (no need for
special talent, skill, riches to serve God) Lesson 3: The snake In Ex
4:3-5, we read, “And He said, "Cast it on the ground." So he
cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. Then
the LORD said to Moses, "Reach out
your hand and take it by the tail" (and he reached out his hand and
caught it, and it became a rod in his hand), "that they may believe that
the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the
God of Jacob, has appeared to you." From
verse 3, we already know that Moses (like most of us, especially me) is
terrified of snakes. In verse 3, when the staff became a snake, Moses
immediately ran away from it. What
would have happened if God said “take it by the HEAD”? That would
have been too much for poor Moses. Remember, he is
terrified of snakes. If I was asked to take the snake by the head, I probably
would not have done it. But God is
good and understanding. He will not ask you to do something beyond your
capabilities. Knowing Moses is terrified of snakes, God only asked Moses to
take the snake by the TAIL. Now this is very much easier. In summary, the three lessons? First, God
hardened Pharaoh’s heart: The process is as important as the objective, Secondly,
the staff: God use whatever ordinary talent we have right now, and Thirdly,
the snake’s tail: God will not ask things beyond our abilities. So,
brothers and sisters,
I would like to end by saying, God is probably asking you right
now: “what’s that in your hand?” God is asking you to take
stock and reflect on what you have right now. Use it to serve and glorify God. God
Bless you. Dr. Jamili Nais, an Elder of SIB Church Sabah |
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