Go to Pharaoh and tell him to let my people go! Moses is tentative in his response. Moses is filled with questions – God is filled with incredible answers. Moses is going in the name of I AM, the eternal sovereign God of the universe. He has been given two miraculous signs (the staff/snake and the healing/leprous hand) and several divine promises of success and deliverance. And yet Moses is still reluctant.Moses turns his concerns from his fear of others (Pharaoh and the Israelites) to his own inadequacies. Picking up the text in Exodus 4: 10, Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past not since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” The focus here is still the fears of Moses. Being the mouthpiece of God means standing in front of large groups of people and verbally confronting, challenging, and rebuking others.
How many of us can identify with Moses on this one? Public speaking is one of the most common fears of people. I remember having to say memory lines in front of my high school English class. I died a thousand deaths waiting for my turn in front of the group. Nervousness and anxiety took on new meanings for me. I remember deciding during those times of angst that I would never go into a profession that I had to talk in front of people – if I only knew that I would be doing this on a regular basis. The feelings of personal inadequacies and fear of being rejected are powerful forces that defeat many leaders. Moses found himself face-to-face with this demon.
God quickly puts Moses in his place and promises to provide the words and teach the shepherd how to speak like a national leader. Listen to the great reminder from the Creator Himself, “The LORD said to him, ‘Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’” (Exodus 4:11-12) Of all the words of direction and encouragement in these verses, two words stick out to me – “Now GO.” I can’t help but imagine that God was tiring of Moses’ hesitations and is underscoring the command within the calling.
Instead of jumping to his feet, taking the staff/snake in his hand, and running toward Egypt, Moses comes to the bottom line. He would rather not be considered for the position. He would like to take his hat out of the ring. Thanks for the vote of confidence but I must decline the offer. Or as Moses put it, “O LORD, please send someone else to do it.” Even the first time I read this, I could not believe Moses’ response. If I were God, I think I would be tempted to turn the staff into a snake and swallow the man I saved as a baby in the bulrushes. A quick zap from a lightning bolt would have done the trick or even changing him into a mouse might have been an option. Although God was angered, He provided human support for the reluctant leader. Moses’ brother Aaron was on the way.
Exodus 4:14 describes God’s response, “Then the LORD’s anger burned against Moses and he said, ‘What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you.’” Aaron (and maybe the fear of God) seemed to satisfy the last excuse of Moses. After Aaron’s arrival, Moses went back to his boss (and father-in-law) Jethro, requested permission to go to Egypt, gathered his wife and sons, and made his way to the kingdom of the Nile and Pharaoh’s court. The rest is a story of strong leadership and the redemption of an entire nation.
Have you seen yourself somewhere in Moses’ story? Some of his hurdles to effective leadership may be present in your life as well. Feeling inadequate to lead? This is normal and probably good – inadequacies can drive us to the source of strength and allow us to humbly rely upon the sovereign, eternal One for direction and purpose.
Illustration from the 1897 Bible Pictures and What They Teach Us
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