Moses was born in Egypt in 1393 B.C., the son of Levi and Jochebed, and the brother of Aaron, a high priest of Israel.
Moses was raised in the house of Pharaoh where he received a thorough education in the affairs of the state and he was also aware of the gods of Egypt.
Other than Jesus and King David, the name of Moses is used more than any other name in the Bible.
"And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds." (Acts 27: 22)
"Moses probably lived in the palace with his mother (Pharaoh's daughter), Pharaoh, and the rest of his family, for about 35 years. We can understand from this conjecture, that Moses had access to the cream of everything in Egypt. Being part of the Royal Family, if he rode out on a chariot, the people on the street bowed. He would have had the best. If Moses traveled down the Nile by barge, it was among the finest in Egypt. When it came to education, he probably had the finest tutors available in the land. We know for sure, from written records, that they had a great university, in its time comparable in esteem to an Oxford or a Harvard today. He would have been instructed in art, astronomy, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, and music."
(John Ritenbaugh, Bible Tools)
There came a day, however, when Moses killed an Egyptian, who was beating a Hebrew, and, out of fear from the wrath of Pharaoh, Moses fled to the wilderness to escape with his life.
By and by, something strange and unexpectedly happened to Moses there in the wilderness: God showed up!
"And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I." (Genesis 3: 2-4)
From there, God proceeded to tell Moses about the affliction of His people in Egypt and how Moses would return to speak to Pharaoh.
"Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" (Genesis 3: 10-11)
If you or I had been there, instead of Moses, perhaps we would have also said, Who am I? Who am I that should do this? Lord, isn't there someone else you could send instead of me? After all, Moses had fled to the wilderness to save his life, and now he is being told that he will return to see Pharaoh.
For the next forty years, however, Moses remained in the wilderness. He married Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro, and had two sons, Gershom and Eliezer.
During this time, too, God prepared the mind and heart of Moses for the journey ahead---a responsibility that God did not expect Moses to perform alone: for God had said to Moses at the beginning, "Certainly I will be with thee". (Exodus 3: 12)
From there, Moses returned to Egypt, led the people out of slavery, through the Red Sea, and across the wilderness to their own land. And God was with Moses every step of the way.
For more than 3000 years, the story of Moses and the Exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt has been told thousands of times---or 1400 years before the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.
As Christians, how do we react and respond when God, suddenly and unexpectedly, shows up and offers us an assignment? We can be sure, however, that the Lord will help us in our assignment, just as He helped Moses.
Jesus said,
"Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come." (John 16: 7, 13)
(John Ritenbaugh, Bible Tools)
There came a day, however, when Moses killed an Egyptian, who was beating a Hebrew, and, out of fear from the wrath of Pharaoh, Moses fled to the wilderness to escape with his life.
By and by, something strange and unexpectedly happened to Moses there in the wilderness: God showed up!
"And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I." (Genesis 3: 2-4)
From there, God proceeded to tell Moses about the affliction of His people in Egypt and how Moses would return to speak to Pharaoh.
"Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?" (Genesis 3: 10-11)
If you or I had been there, instead of Moses, perhaps we would have also said, Who am I? Who am I that should do this? Lord, isn't there someone else you could send instead of me? After all, Moses had fled to the wilderness to save his life, and now he is being told that he will return to see Pharaoh.
For the next forty years, however, Moses remained in the wilderness. He married Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro, and had two sons, Gershom and Eliezer.
During this time, too, God prepared the mind and heart of Moses for the journey ahead---a responsibility that God did not expect Moses to perform alone: for God had said to Moses at the beginning, "Certainly I will be with thee". (Exodus 3: 12)
From there, Moses returned to Egypt, led the people out of slavery, through the Red Sea, and across the wilderness to their own land. And God was with Moses every step of the way.
For more than 3000 years, the story of Moses and the Exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt has been told thousands of times---or 1400 years before the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.
As Christians, how do we react and respond when God, suddenly and unexpectedly, shows up and offers us an assignment? We can be sure, however, that the Lord will help us in our assignment, just as He helped Moses.
Jesus said,
"Nevertheless, I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come." (John 16: 7, 13)
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