Êxodo 4

Êxodo 4

Irving Jensen (Online) - Used by Permission View Chuck Swindoll's chart of Exodus, Summary Chart of The Book of Exodus DELIVERANCE FROM OPPRESSION PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP Redemption from Egypt Ex 1:1-18:27 Revelation from God Ex 19:1-40:38 Getting Israel Out of Egypt Getting Egypt Out of Israel! Narration Legislation Birth of Moses Ex 1-2 Call of Moses Ex 3-6 Conflict with Pharaoh Ex 7-10 Exodus from Egypt Ex 11-12 Red Sea Crossed Ex 13-15 Journey To Sinai Ex 16-18 Law Given Ex 19-24 Tent Plan Ex 25-31 Idol Worship Ex 32-34 Tent Built Ex 35-40 Subjection Redemption Instruction Suffering and Liberation of People of God Guidance of God Worship of God Moses and Burdens of Israel Pharaoh and Plagues Upon Egypt Red Sea Deliverance Wilderness Provision Sinai Instructions Bondage and Oppression Deliverance and Provision Law Pattern and Construction Israel in Egypt Ex 1:1-13:16 Israel to Sinai Ex 13:17-18:27 Israel at Sinai Ex 19:1-40:38 God's People Enduring Bondage God's Grace Revealed in Redemption God's Glory Manifested in Worship Egypt 430 Years (15% of Exodus) Wilderness 2 Months (30% of Exodus) Mt Sinai 10 Months (55% of Exodus) From Groaning To Glory! Jensen's Survey of the Old Testament - online Click for Excellent Map of Route of the Exodus Click another Exodus from Egypt Click for Events during the Sojourn at Kadesh-Barnea GENESIS EXODUS human effort and failure divine power and triumph word of promise work of fulfillment a people chosen a people called God’s electing mercy God’s electing manner revelation of nationality realization of nationality SUMMARY OF THE PENTATEUCH (from Believer's Study Bible) Exodus 4:1 Then Moses said, "What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, 'The LORD has not appeared to you.'" Ex 4:31 Ex 2:14 Ex 3:18 Jer 1:6 Eze 3:14 Ac 7:25 Exodus 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries MOSES' THIRD OBJECTION! HE QUESTIONS HIS CREDIBILITY Thompson reminds us "We are in a context in which Moses is making a bunch of excuses before God as to why he does not want the job or think he is the man for the responsibility. His first excuse was, “I am a nobody” (Ex 3:11-12). His second excuse was, “I don’t know your name” (Ex 3:13-22). Moses is talking to God at a burning bush and there is a lot of interaction. Think of this, he is talking to a burning bush. You would think that in itself would be enough evidence." (Sermon) Some writers see this reaction as Moses expressing a sense of inadequacy, and have referred to him as the "doubtful deliverer!" (Hannah) They won't accept my "credentials." Now keep the context in mind -- Jehovah is still speaking from the burning bush and has just told him the elders "will pay heed to what you say." (Ex 3:18+) And yet Moses persists by saying "what if they will not believe me?" Moses in now no longer just doubting himself, but he is calling into question the Word of God! It is like saying “But what if you are wrong, God?” THOUGHT - In the spiritual life, it is not wrong to say "We can't." But we need to follow that statement with "God can." Here is the testimony of Major Ian Thomas - As a young evangelist, my love and enthusiasm for Christ as my Saviour kept me very, very busy until out of sheer frustration, I finally came to the point of quitting. That was the turning point which transformed my Christian life. In my despair I discovered that the Lord Jesus gave Himself FOR me, so that risen from the dead He might give Himself TO me, He who IS the Christian Life. Instead of pleading for help I began to thank Him for all that He wanted to be, sharing His Life with me every moment of every day. I learned to say “Lord Jesus, I can’t, You never said I could; but You can, and always said You would. That is all I need to know”. From that moment life became the adventure that God always intended it to be.” Moses isn’t doing that, but is saying “God, I can’t and I really don’t think You can either.” I like Scott Grant's sermon title for this section - "The deliverer needs a Deliverer" Then Moses said, "What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? - Moses feared to do all that God was calling him to do; so he made a series of excuses beginning with what if they will not believe? There is some basis for Moses asking this question for we read in Acts that "he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand." (Acts 7:25+). So if they did not understand the first time, why would they understand this time? Of course, there is a major difference, because in Moses' first attempt to be Israel's deliverer, he did it relying on his own strength, but in the present passage, God is commissioning him, so the results depend on God's power, not Moses' power. The problem with Moses' reasoning is that God had already told him "They will pay heed to what you say." (Ex 3:18+) So clearly Moses doubted God's word and fear crept into his mind. Doubt indulged soon becomes doubt realized. That's what happens when we begin to doubt. As someone has said "Never doubt in the dark what God told you in the light." In fact, what God teaches us in the light will become even more meaningful in the darkness. Spurgeon said "Doubt breeds distress but trust means joy in the long run." God did not fail Moses. And God will not fail you. THOUGHT - What does Moses fear? Personal rejection. Does this sound familiar? Isn't this one reason we shy away from sharing the Gospel? We don't want them to reject us. Alan Redpath - Fear is always the enemy of faith; this is the battleground of Christian experience. A man grows and triumphs as his faith overcomes his fear. To believe God, to rest in the Word of God, to enjoy the promises of God is to conquer our fear. But to doubt God and to question His motives cause our faith to shrink until literally we cease to be believers-we are believers in name, but not in practice or action (ED: REPATH IS NOT SAYING ONE CAN LOSE THEIR SALVATION, BUT ONLY THAT THEY CAN LIVE AS IF THEY WERE UNSAVED!). How is your faith overcoming your fear? If fear has its way in your life, what crazy things can you imagine happening in your life? “It takes but a moment to make a convert; it takes a lifetime to manufacture a saint.” G Campbell