This Week with the Word

The Uniform Lesson for June 14
Background & Commentary by Sam E. Stone

Last week’s lesson concluded with God telling Moses that he would be with him as he returned to Egypt to lead out the Israelites (Exodus 3:10). Moses responded with the first of five expressions of reluctance: Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? (v. 11). God answered, “I will be with you” (v. 12). Moses was still hesitant, asking who he should tell the people had sent him (v. 13). God replied, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you’” (v. 14).

His third expression of reluctance was, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” (4:1). God changed Moses’ rod into a snake. He also made his skin leprous, then restored it again, and promised other miraculous signs (vv. 6-9). This is where today’s printed text begins.

Moses’ Hesitation/Exodus 4:10-16

Moses hesitated again. “O Lord, I have never been eloquent. I am slow of speech and tongue” (v. 10). This excuse does not mean that he stuttered or had some other speech impediment. In fact, Scripture suggests his abilities were just the opposite. Stephen described him as “powerful in speech and action” (Acts 7:22).

God countered, “Who gave man his mouth?” (Exodus 4:11). Several other Old Testament leaders demonstrated similar reluctance to answer God’s call for leadership and service. A fuller understanding of this passage can come by studying other “call” narratives in Scripture. These include Joshua (Joshua 1), Gideon (Judges 6), Samuel (1 Samuel 3), Isaiah (Isaiah 6), and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1, 2). In each one of these, God initiated the contact while the leaders were going on with life as usual. He called people from ordinary circumstances to do his extraordinary work, offering strength and support when they struggled to accept the challenge.

In the end, all of Moses’ objections were inconsequential. Peter Enns noted, “Moses sees this and, left with no further ‘reasonable’ argument against God’s call, blurts out one final attempt to convince God of the error of his plan—‘O Lord, please send someone else to do it!’” (v. 13). That was too much for God! His anger burned against Moses, but he told Moses that he could use his brother Aaron, a capable speaker, to accompany him and take the Lord’s message to Pharaoh.

Aaron was to have the same relation to Moses that a prophet had to God. The prophet would speak only God’s message and Aaron would bring only the message Moses gave to him, just as he himself had received it from the Lord.

Aaron’s Presentation/Exodus 4:27-31

The Lord also told Moses to be sure and take his staff “so (he) can perform miraculous signs with it” (v. 17). After this encounter with God, Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro. He told him he wanted to return to Egypt and check on his people there. Jethro wished him well and Moses, along with his wife and sons, started back.

Verses 17-26 are omitted from our printed text. There God instructed Moses to perform before Pharaoh all of the wonders he had given him the power to do (v. 21). Then he added, “But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.” This introduces an important topic—how Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. Ten times Scripture tells us God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, but 10 times it says Pharaoh hardened his own heart! This makes it clear that God’s hardening of his heart was not something he did in spite of Pharaoh’s desires to the contrary. Both the sovereignty of God and the free will of man are taught in Scripture. Neither concept can be allowed to rule out the other.

C. F. Keil adds, “After every one of these miracles, it is stated that Pharaoh’s heart was firm, or dull, i.e. insensible to the voice of God and unaffected by the miracles performed before his eyes . . . . It is not till after the sixth plague that it is stated that Jehovah made the heart of Pharaoh firm (9:12).” God wants sinners to repent and live (Ezekiel 33:11). He wants all people to be saved and come to know the truth (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).

When Aaron met Moses on the mountain of God (4:27), he learned all about the Lord’s message and the miraculous signs his brother had received. Together they assembled the elders of the Israelites. Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people and they believed (v. 30). Hearing Moses’ story and seeing his miracles, the people were convinced. When they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped (v. 31). |L

Sam E. Stone is the former editor of Christian Standard. He continues his writing and speaking ministry from his home in Cincinnati, Ohio.