I’d like to talk more about Moses and situations he faced. He could have felt overwhelmed a couple of times.
Exodus 2: 11-15
Years later, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his own people and observed their forced labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. Looking all around, and seeing no one, he struck the Egyptian dead and hid him in the sand. The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you attacking your neighbor?”
“Who made you a leader and judge over us?” the man replied. “Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?”
Then Moses became afraid and thought: What I did is certainly known. When Pharoah heard about this, he tried to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharoah and went to live in the land of Midian and sat down by a well.
Early in his adult life, Moses was living as an Egyptian prince. He saw an Egyptian misusing a Hebrew slave. He did not like what he saw. He took action, killing the Egyptian. Soon after he saw two Hebrews fighting. He spoke to them, but one asked him if he was going to kill him, just as he had killed the Egyptian. Moses knew that his actions were known — and fled. His life would not have been long if Pharoah had found out what he had done! He handled that difficult circumstance by running away.
Running away did not change the call of God on his life. He was called by God to lead the people out of Egypt. When he was approached by God, he handled the situation by trying to argue with Him. Moses did not win the argument . . . the story is told in Exodus 3:1 – Exodus 4:13.
Ex. 4:10 – 13
But Moses replied to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent–either — in the past or recently or since You have been speaking to Your servant–because I am slow and hesitant in speech.
Yahweh said to him, “Who made the human mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, seeing or blind? It is not I, Yahweh? Now go! I will help you speak and I will teach you what to say.”
Moses said “Please, Lord, send someone else.”
Moses eventually accepted the challenge of leadership. He accepted the help that God offered, in the signs that God gave him and by having Aaron as his spokesperson.
Fast forward several more years, and he is trying his best to lead the people, handling all their concerns. Moses was wearing himself out with too much work and the people were getting worn out by having to wait so long until he could handle their concerns. The story is told in Exodus, chapter 18.
Exodus 18: 13-16
The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, ;and they stood around Moses from morning until evening. When Moses’ father-in-law say everything he was doing for them he asked, “What is this thing you’re doing for the people? Why are you alone sitting as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”
Moses replied to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me, to inquire of God. Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I make a decision between one man and another. I teach them God’s statutes and laws.”
Jethro made the suggestion that Moses get help, setting commanders over the people and having them deal with the less important matters, while Moses was to represent the people before God, bring their cases to him, instuct the people and deal with the harder cases. Moses listened and his load became more bearable.
Moses was called to lead Israel, but when he was young, tried to help the people the wrong way. He had to run away, which saved his life, but did not help him accomplish his goal of helping the Hebrew people. Arguing with God, telling God that he (Moses) was not good enough, was not a good idea. God had given him signs to show the people, but Moses was still afraid to do it alone. God told him that his brother Aaron was coming to meet him (for more information on this, please read Exodus 4:14-31).
Accepting help enabled Moses to carry the load. Yes, he had the help of God, but God sent human helpers, in the form of Aaron and Jethro.
Are you in an overwhelming situation? Accept the help that God is sending you.
Dear Jesus, we all face difficulties, challenges and things that could overwhelm us at times. Help us to turn to You and give us the wisdom to accept the help You send. Amen.
copyright: K Carswell, 2020
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by Permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible, Holman CSB and HCSB are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
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