Dear Family,
Today is Tuesday, May 23, 2023. It is Day 45; Day 3 of Week 7 in our Count to Pentecost.
During this last week of our Count to Pentecost, we find several people coming to see Moses. Jethro, Moses’ Midianite father-in-law, brought Moses’ family to him: Zipporah, Gershom, and Eliezer. Moses had been completely involved in the specific commission God had given him, so Moses had not seen his wife and sons for some time.
Exodus 18:1-4 (1) When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt; (2) Then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, (3) And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land: (4) And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh:
Moses’ two sons were half Levite and half Midianite. Although the Bible contains much about Moses and how God used him in such mighty ways, God’s promises to make a great nation did not come through Moses and his two sons. Yet, it is interesting to consider that God offered Moses just such an opportunity. After all, Moses’ sons were from Abraham’s line, at least partly.
After Israel’s encounter with God at Pentecost, it did not take long for them to turn to idolatry, and God was so angry with them, He offered this special position to Moses. Of course, Moses declined. He begged God for mercy on these specific people and reminded God of His promises.
Exodus 32:9-15 (9) And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: (10) Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. (11) And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth Thy wrath wax hot against Thy people, which Thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? (12) Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say; For mischief did He bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from Thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. (13) Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; Thy servants, to whom Thou swarest by Thine own self, and saidst unto them; I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. (14) And the LORD repented of the evil which He thought to do unto His people. (15) And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
This is one of the many stories about Moses that shows he had no agenda of His own. He was a faithful servant of the LORD and a caretaker of God’s people. May God bless us all with such a true servant’s heart.
Ben Faulkner, Pastor
©2023, Church of the Sovereign God