Leadership Lessons from Moses (Part 5 / conclusion)

There are four main lessons from this discussion about the life of Moses, so let us review...

1) We are to shun sin

In Hebrews 11:24-26, it reads that... "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward."

2) We need to learn to exhibit patience

Like Moses, this is one that I occasionally have issues with. Notice the rationale that Moses uses in Acts 7:25-28, and from it we can see that being in the will of God was not enough. We cannot assume that everyone around us will understand what we are trying to accomplish. If we are acting within God's will and God's timing, a proper way will be made for us and our gifts. "For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?"

Moses wanted to be the deliverer for the people of Israel, but not in God's time. Moses then worked for another 40 years before God was ready for him. Acts 7:30 "And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sinai an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush."

Luke 8:15 "But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience."

Psalm 27:14 "Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD."

Luke 21:19 "In your patience possess ye your souls."

3) We must stop making excuses for not moving forward. Eventually we must stop the talk and the stalling and DO SOMETHING!

As we have read in Exodus (3:11, 12; 3:13; 4:1, 2; 4:10, 11; 4:13, 14), Moses had lots of ready excuses for not wanting to do God's will, but God did not take kindly to these excuses.

God still speaks to us in this way...

Today God says, "Seek ye first…." Matthew 6:33

God says, "Do all to the glory of God" 1 Corinthians 10:31

How many times do we say to ourselves and to others, "I can't, because ________________?"

We can do all things through Christ! Philippians 4:13

Are we seeking to excuse ourselves from our responsibilities or do we humbly submit to God's will?

4) Proceed in meekness

Moses was meek. This in no way implies that he was weak! We should be meek, but we should never compromise God's truth. Moses never did this. Instead we see Moses as the man who was in Mt. Sinai and stayed for 40 days and nights. We see him as a bold and courageous leader of God's people. We see him as someone who defied the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abijah.

Meekness is a trait which all we as Christians should have. Notice Matthew 5:5 "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth."
Meekness is one of the items listed in the fruit of the Spirit. Gal. 5:23

It is something that we need to receive God's word. James 1:21tells us, "Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls."

Conclusion:

Moses' life serves as a model for us on many levels, not just about leadership. We tend to pick and choose certain figures to bring our certain points or lessons for life. We must keep in mind that the Bible is not just a storybook, with lots of little plays and vignettes to tickle our fancies. The Bible is one story, held together by one message- redemption.

So, if you feel as though you have fallen away from the path, Moses' life serves as a great example of faithfulness and as such calls us back to God. He did not let the pleasures, promises and seductions of this world interfere with his responsibilities toward God. Do you?

Perhaps you’ve never been on the path…this is how it works:

Find a friend to help you, or find a church community…

a) Hear the word; Romans 10:17 "Faith comes by hearing . . ."

b) Believe with all your heart; Hebrews 11:6 "For without faith it is impossible . . . ."

c) Repent of your sins ( Acts 17:30).

d) Confess Jesus as the Son of God ( Matt. 16:16).

e) Be baptized for the remission of your sins ( Mark 16:15,16).

Now, go and DO!

Amen...

Leadership lessons from Moses (Part 4)

Moses’ life teaches us the lesson that there are certain sins that will continue to haunt us all throughout our lives (Lesson #6). That same hot temper that had gotten Moses into trouble in Egypt also got him into trouble during the wilderness wanderings. I mentioned Meribah earlier in the discussion. At Meribah, Moses struck a rock in anger in order to provide water for the people. However, he neglected to give God the glory, and he had not followed God’s precise commands. This is why God forbade him from entering the Promised Land. In like manner, we all give in to certain besetting sins which plague us all our days.

Our favorite sins require us to be on full and constant alert!!!

These have been just a few of the practical lessons that we can learn from Moses’ life. However, if we look at Moses’ life in light of the Scripture taken as a whole, we see larger, theological truths that fit into the story of redemption.

The author of the Book of Hebrews (probably the Apostle Paul) devotes ten verses of the eleventh chapter to Moses and the faith he displayed. We learn hear that it was by faith that Moses refused the splendor of Pharaoh’s palace in order to identify with the predicament of his people. The writer of Hebrews says, “[Moses] considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt” (Hebrews 11:26). Moses’ life was one of faith, and we well know that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).

Likewise, it is by faith that we, looking forward to heavenly riches, can endure daily hardships in this lifetime (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

Moses was a “type,” a predecessor, a foreshadowing of the life of Christ. Like Christ, Moses was the go-between or intermediary of a covenant. Once again, the author of Hebrews goes to great lengths to demonstrate this point (Hebrews 3, 8–10). The Apostle Paul also makes the same points in 2 Corinthians 3.

The difference is that the covenant that Moses mediated was temporal and more importantly conditional; whereas the covenant that Christ mediates is eternal and unconditional.

Like Christ, Moses provided redemption for his people. Moses delivered the people of Israel out of slavery and bondage in Egypt and brought them to the Promised Land of Canaan. Christ delivers His people out of bondage and slavery to sin and condemnation and brings them to the Promised Land of eternal life on a renewed earth, which will be consummated upon His return.

Like Christ, Moses was a prophet to his people. Moses spoke the words of God to the Israelites just as Christ did (John 17:8). Moses predicted that the Lord would raise up another prophet like him from among the people (Deuteronomy 18:15). Jesus and the early church believed and taught that Moses was speaking of Jesus when he wrote those words (John 5:46; Acts 3:22, 7:37).

In so many ways, Moses’ life is a forerunner of the life of Christ. As such, we can catch a glimpse into how God was working His plan of redemption in the lives of faithful people throughout all of human history.

This gives us hope that just as God saved His people and gave them rest through the actions of Moses, so too will God save us and give us an eternal Sabbath rest in Christ; both now and in the life to come.

Finally, it is interesting to note that even though Moses never set foot in the Promised Land during his lifetime, he was given an opportunity to enter the Promised Land after his death. Moses was seen on the mount of transfiguration with Christ and Elijah.

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Leadership Lessons from Moses (Part 3)

Lesson #1:

The first lesson for us in this study of Moses' life has been that we must be acutely aware of not only doing God’s will, but doing God’s will in His timing, not ours. As we can see with countless other biblical examples, when we attempt to do God’s will in our timing, we usually make a bigger mess than originally existed.

Moses needed time to grow and mature and learn to be a little more meek and humble before God. This brings us to the second 40 year span in the life of Moses; his 40 years in the land of Midian. No longer a prince of the realm, during this period of time, Moses learns the simple life of a shepherd, a husband, and a father. God took an impulsive and hot-tempered young man and began the process of molding and shaping him into the perfect instrument for His use.

What can we learn from this part of his life? If the first lesson is to wait on God’s timing, then Lesson #2 is to not be idle while we wait on God’s timing. While the Bible doesn’t spend a lot of time on the details of this part of Moses’ life, we do not think that Moses was sitting lazily waiting for God’s call. He spent most of these 40 years learning the fine points of being a shepherd and supporting and raising a family. These are not trivial things!

I find it interesting that God would make him a shepherd and he would have to learn firsthand how to get sheep to do what they are supposed to. Sheep are not the sharpest tools in the animal cracker box…And what does that say about Christ and the leader of the church being shepherds? Why do you think we are called sheep?  Hmmm...

But back to becoming leadership material. While we may long to have a ‘mountain top’ experience with God, the bulk of our lives are lived in the valley doing the mundane, day-to-day tasks that make up a life. We need to live our lives for God while we are ‘in the valley’ before He can possibly enlist us into the battle.

It is hard to make a good and compassionate leader out of someone who has never been led, or one who refuses to submit to any authority!

There is something else we learn about Moses and the time spent in Midian. When God finally did call him into service, Moses was resistant. The man of action in his youth, now 80 years old, had become overly timid. When called to speak for God, Moses said he was “slow of speech and tongue.” Some commentators believe that Moses may have had a speech impediment, like stuttering. Perhaps Moses just didn’t want to go back into Egypt and fall flat on his face again. This is not an uncommon feeling.

How many of us have tried to do something (whether or not it was for God) and failed, and then been hesitant to try again; reluctant to get back on that horse?

There is however, something that Moses seems to have overlooked now that he is being called into service. That God would be with him. Moses failed at first not only because he acted impulsively, but because he acted without God.

So, Lesson #3 is that when we discern a clear call from God, we should step forward in faith, knowing that God goes with us! Do not be timid, but be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might (Ephesians 6:10-3)

The third and final segment of Moses’ life is the portion that the Scriptures spend the most time recording, namely his role in the redemption of Israel. What additional lessons lie in these pages for us?

The first of these lessons is how to be an effective leader of people. Moses in actual fact had responsibility over 2 million Hebrew refugees. When things began to wear on him, his father-in-law, Jethro, suggested that he delegate responsibility to other faithful men. This is a lesson (#4) that many people in authority over others need to learn.

In Moses, we also see a man who was absolutely dependent on the grace of God to help with his task. Moses was repeatedly pleading on behalf of the people before God. Wouldn’t it be great if all people in authority would petition God on behalf of those over who they are in charge! (Lesson #5)

Moses’ life also teaches us the lesson that there are certain sins that will continue to haunt us all throughout our lives (Lesson #6). That same hot temper that got Moses into trouble in Egypt also got him into trouble during the wilderness wanderings. I mentioned Meribah earlier in the discussion. At Meribah, Moses struck a rock in anger in order to provide water for the people. However, he neglected to give God the glory, and he had not followed God’s precise commands. This is why God forbade him from entering the Promised Land. In like manner, we all give in to certain besetting sins which plague us all our days. These sins require us to be on full and constant alert.

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Leadership Lessons from Moses (Part 2)

Let us continue with the historical setup for Moses. We are all formed by the things that happen to us, the good, bad and ugly. Those things help make us who we are. And, as we can see in the case of Moses, life's trials and God's intervention helped form Moses into an extraordinary leader.

After the exodus (migration) from Egypt, Moses leads the people to the edge of the Red Sea where God provides another saving miracle by parting the waters and allowing the Hebrews to cross over to the other side, while drowning the Egyptian army (Exodus 14). Moses brings the people to the foot of Mount Sinai where the Law (the Ten Commandments) is given and the covenant is established between God and the newly formed nation of Israel (Exodus 19 - 24).

The rest of the book of Exodus and the entire book of Leviticus take place while the Israelites are encamped at the foot of Mount Sinai.

God gives Moses detailed instructions for the building of the Tabernacle, the traveling tent of worship, all of the worship utensils, and finally the Ark of the Covenant (Indiana Jones). The Ark is representative of God’s presence among His people. God has also gives Moses explicit instructions on how He is to be worshipped.

The book of Numbers shows the Israelites moving from Mount Sinai to the edge of the Promised Land. But, relying on their own strength and understanding instead of God, they refuse to go in without checking it out first. They send twelve spies out, and when ten of twelve bring back a bad report, they do not want to go forward. God condemns the entire generation of Jews to die in the wilderness for their disobedience and subjects them to 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.

This is a trip that should have taken them 40 days, and they are stuck here for 40 years!

By the end of the book of Numbers, the next (and new) generation of Israelites is back on the borders of the Promised Land and properly poised to trust God and take the next step by faith.

The book of Deuteronomy shows Moses giving several sermon-type speeches to the people, reminding them of God’s saving power and faithfulness. He gives the second reading of the Law (Deuteronomy 5) and prepares this generation of Israelites to receive the promises of God.

Moses himself is prohibited from entering the Land because of a sinful issue he had back at Meribah (Numbers 20:10-13). At the conclusion of the book of Deuteronomy, we have the record of Moses’ death (Deuteronomy 34). He is taken up on Mount Nebo and is allowed to look at the Promised Land. Moses was 120 years old when he died and the Bible records that his “eye was undimmed and his vigor unabated” (Deuteronomy 34:7).

These are the highpoints and salient features of Moses’ life. What can we learn from all of this?

Moses’ life is broken down into three 40-year periods.

The first was his life in the court of Pharaoh. As the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter, Moses would have been given access to all of the advantages and privileges of a prince of Egypt. He was instructed “in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds” (Acts 7:22). As the plight of the Hebrews began to gnaw at his soul, Moses takes it upon himself to be the savior of his people.

From this incident, we learn that Moses was a man of action, as well as a man possessed of a hot temper and prone to rash actions; boy, that sounds a lot like Peter in the New Testament.

Did God want to save his people? Yes.

Did God want to use Moses as his chosen instrument of salvation? Yes.

But Moses was acting rashly and without really thinking. He tried to do things in his own timing what God wanted done in His timing.

Lesson #1:
The first lesson for us is that we must be acutely aware of not only doing God’s will, but doing God’s will in His timing, not ours. As is the case with many other biblical examples, when we attempt to do God’s will in our timing, we usually make a bigger mess than originally existed.

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Leadership lessons from Moses (Part 1)

Moses is one of the most prominent figures in the Old Testament. Abraham is referred to as the “Father of the Faithful” at least in part because he was the recipient of God’s unconditional covenant of grace to his people. Moses was the man chosen to bring redemption and deliverance to his people. God specifically chose Moses to lead the Israelites out of their captivity in Egypt to salvation in the Promised Land. Moses is also commonly referred to as the giver of the law. And finally, Moses is the principle writer of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) and the foundation of the Old Testament.

Unfortunately, this is going to take a little history to set up. Our main Text: Exodus 2:1-3.

We first encounter Moses in the opening chapters of the book of Exodus. In chapter 1, we learn that after Joseph rescued his family from the great famine and moved them to the land of Goshen (in Egypt); their descendants lived in peace for several generations. This worked well until there was a new Pharaoh who “did not know Joseph” (Exodus 1:8). He subjugated and enslaved the Hebrew people and used them for the construction of his massive building projects. Because God had blessed the Hebrew people with rapid numeric growth, the Egyptians began to worry that the Jew would overrun them. This and several other factors lead the Pharaoh to order the death of all male children born to Hebrew women (Exodus 1:22).

In Exodus 2, we see Moses’ mother attempting to save her child by placing him in a basket and putting it into the Nile River. The basket was eventually found by Pharaoh’s daughter, and she adopted him as her own and raised him in the palace of the Pharaoh himself. As Moses grew into adulthood, he began to sympathize with the plight of his people, and upon witnessing an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave, Moses intervenes and kills the Egyptian. Later, in another unrelated incident, Moses attempts to intervene in a dispute between two Hebrews, but one of the Hebrews chides Moses and sarcastically comments, “are you going to kill me as you did the Egyptian?” (Exodus 2:14). Realizing that his criminal act was made known, Moses flees to the land of Midian where he is once again cast into the role of hero, as he rescues the daughters of Jethro from some bandits. In gratitude, Jethro grants the hand of his daughter, Zipporah, to Moses.

The next major incident in Moses’ life is his encounter with God in the burning bush (Exodus 3) where God calls Moses to be the savior of his people. You know this stuff from Charlton Heston in The Ten Commandments or the animated movie The Prince of Egypt. Well, this is where it came from.

Eventually, Moses and his brother Aaron go to Pharaoh in God’s name to demand that he let the people go to worship their God. Pharaoh stubbornly refuses and ten plagues follow which are representative of God’s judgment upon the people and the land; the final plague being the slaying of the first born. Prior to this last plague, God commands Moses to institute the Passover, which is a remembrance of God’s saving act in redeeming His people from bondage in Egypt.

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