MOSES / PHARAOH
Life of Moses
The Background of the New Testament:
Hebrews 11:23 - parent's faith..."By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's edict." (NASB)
Acts 7:22 – Education and Character..."Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds." (NASB)
Hebrews 11:24 – 26 - Moses' faith..."By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward." (NASB)
Moses’ Life: 40 years of thinking he was somebody
40 years of learning he was a nobody
40 years of discovering that God uses nobodies!
Moses’ Flight to Midian 2:11 – 25
Moses stands up against injustice but in the wrong way (Acts 7:24 – 25..."And when he saw one {of them} being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian. "And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand. (NASB))
Moses flees to Midian – Hebrews 11:27..."By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen." (NASB) (Midians were nomadic sons of Abraham through Keturah (Genesis 25:2..."She bore to him Zimran and Jokshan and Medan and Midian and Ishbak and Shuah." (NASB))
Hebrews 11:23 - parent's faith..."By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's edict." (NASB)
Acts 7:22 – Education and Character..."Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds." (NASB)
Hebrews 11:24 – 26 - Moses' faith..."By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward." (NASB)
Moses’ Life: 40 years of thinking he was somebody
40 years of learning he was a nobody
40 years of discovering that God uses nobodies!
Moses’ Flight to Midian 2:11 – 25
Moses stands up against injustice but in the wrong way (Acts 7:24 – 25..."And when he saw one {of them} being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian. "And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand. (NASB))
Moses flees to Midian – Hebrews 11:27..."By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen." (NASB) (Midians were nomadic sons of Abraham through Keturah (Genesis 25:2..."She bore to him Zimran and Jokshan and Medan and Midian and Ishbak and Shuah." (NASB))
Moses’ Objections to Gods’ Call
Inferiority (Exodus 3:11 – 12..."But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?" And He said, "Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain." (NASB)) - “I will be with you.”
Lack of Authority (Exodus 3:13 – 17..."Then Moses said to God, "Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you.' Now they may say to me, 'What is His name?' What shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" God, furthermore, said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations. "Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, "I am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt. "So I said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey."' (NASB)) – Self-existing, eternal God sends you, the God of the Abrahamic Covenant
Fear of Failure (Exodus 4:1 – 7..."Then Moses said, "What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, 'The LORD has not appeared to you.'" The LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?" And he said, "A staff." Then He said, "Throw it on the ground." So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. But the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand and grasp {it} by its tail"--so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand--"that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you." The LORD furthermore said to him, "Now put your hand into your bosom." So he put his hand into his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. Then He said, "Put your hand into your bosom again." So he put his hand into his bosom again, and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was restored like {the rest of} his flesh." (NASB)) – God’s power demonstrated in two miracles shows we should fear God and not failure
Inability: I can’t (Exodus 4:10 – 12..."Then Moses said to the LORD, "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." The LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes {him} mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? "Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say." (NASB)) - God created you and your ability.
Disobedience: I won’t (Exodus 4:13 – 16..."But he said, "Please, Lord, now send {the message} by whomever You will." Then the anger of the LORD burned against Moses, and He said, "Is there not your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he speaks fluently. And moreover, behold, he is coming out to meet you; when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. "You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I, even I, will be with your mouth and his mouth, and I will teach you what you are to do. "Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you and you will be as God to him." (NASB)) – God is understanding with our weakness but He confronts our disobedience
Lack of Authority (Exodus 3:13 – 17..."Then Moses said to God, "Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you.' Now they may say to me, 'What is His name?' What shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" God, furthermore, said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations. "Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, "I am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt. "So I said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey."' (NASB)) – Self-existing, eternal God sends you, the God of the Abrahamic Covenant
Fear of Failure (Exodus 4:1 – 7..."Then Moses said, "What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, 'The LORD has not appeared to you.'" The LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?" And he said, "A staff." Then He said, "Throw it on the ground." So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. But the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand and grasp {it} by its tail"--so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand--"that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you." The LORD furthermore said to him, "Now put your hand into your bosom." So he put his hand into his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. Then He said, "Put your hand into your bosom again." So he put his hand into his bosom again, and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was restored like {the rest of} his flesh." (NASB)) – God’s power demonstrated in two miracles shows we should fear God and not failure
Inability: I can’t (Exodus 4:10 – 12..."Then Moses said to the LORD, "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." The LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes {him} mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? "Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say." (NASB)) - God created you and your ability.
Disobedience: I won’t (Exodus 4:13 – 16..."But he said, "Please, Lord, now send {the message} by whomever You will." Then the anger of the LORD burned against Moses, and He said, "Is there not your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he speaks fluently. And moreover, behold, he is coming out to meet you; when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. "You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I, even I, will be with your mouth and his mouth, and I will teach you what you are to do. "Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; and he will be as a mouth for you and you will be as God to him." (NASB)) – God is understanding with our weakness but He confronts our disobedience
Moses Answers Gods’ Call
Moses Departs (Exodus 4:18 – 20..."Then Moses departed and returned to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, "Please, let me go, that I may return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see if they are still alive." And Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace." Now the LORD said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead." So Moses took his wife and his sons and mounted them on a donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt. Moses also took the staff of God in his hand." (NASB))
God’s Prediction about Pharaoh (Exodus 4:21..."The LORD said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go." (NASB))
Israel God’s Son (Exodus 4:22..."Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the LORD, "Israel is My son, My firstborn." (NASB)) – Corporate Solidarity
God’s Conflict with Moses (Exodus 4:24 – 26..."Now it came about at the lodging place on the way that the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and threw it at Moses' feet, and she said, "You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me." So He let him alone. At that time she said, "{You are} a bridegroom of blood"--because of the circumcision." (NASB))
The People’s 1st Response to Moses and Aaron (Exodus 4:27 – 31..."Now the LORD said to Aaron, "Go to meet Moses in the wilderness." So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD with which He had sent him, and all the signs that He had commanded him {to do.} Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the sons of Israel; and Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. He then performed the signs in the sight of the people. So the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD was concerned about the sons of Israel and that He had seen their affliction, then they bowed low and worshiped." (NASB))
God’s Prediction about Pharaoh (Exodus 4:21..."The LORD said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go." (NASB))
Israel God’s Son (Exodus 4:22..."Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the LORD, "Israel is My son, My firstborn." (NASB)) – Corporate Solidarity
God’s Conflict with Moses (Exodus 4:24 – 26..."Now it came about at the lodging place on the way that the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and threw it at Moses' feet, and she said, "You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me." So He let him alone. At that time she said, "{You are} a bridegroom of blood"--because of the circumcision." (NASB))
The People’s 1st Response to Moses and Aaron (Exodus 4:27 – 31..."Now the LORD said to Aaron, "Go to meet Moses in the wilderness." So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD with which He had sent him, and all the signs that He had commanded him {to do.} Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the sons of Israel; and Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. He then performed the signs in the sight of the people. So the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD was concerned about the sons of Israel and that He had seen their affliction, then they bowed low and worshiped." (NASB))
History of Pharaohs of Egypt
Amenhotep I (1546 – 26) died in the year Moses was born
Thutmose I (1526 – 1512) came to power next, probably author of infanticide
Thutmose II (1512 – 1504) married older half-sister
Hatshepsut—died under mysterious circumstances
Thutmose III (1504 – 1450), son of a concubine, came to rule as a minor—He ruled for 20+ years under dominated control of his mother-in-law, Hatshepsut (for he married his half-sister, the daughter of Hatshepsut)
Moses was likely reared in the surrounding with Hatshepsut
Moses may have been a candidate for pharaoh and became a threat to Hatshepsut & Thutmose III
Moses fled to Midian during the reign of Thutmose III (approx. 1486)
Moses returns to Egypt under the rule of Amenhotep II (1450 – 25) in 1446
Thutmose I (1526 – 1512) came to power next, probably author of infanticide
Thutmose II (1512 – 1504) married older half-sister
Hatshepsut—died under mysterious circumstances
Thutmose III (1504 – 1450), son of a concubine, came to rule as a minor—He ruled for 20+ years under dominated control of his mother-in-law, Hatshepsut (for he married his half-sister, the daughter of Hatshepsut)
Moses was likely reared in the surrounding with Hatshepsut
Moses may have been a candidate for pharaoh and became a threat to Hatshepsut & Thutmose III
Moses fled to Midian during the reign of Thutmose III (approx. 1486)
Moses returns to Egypt under the rule of Amenhotep II (1450 – 25) in 1446
The Hardening of Pharaoh’s Heart
In Egypt Pharaoh was considered to display all the character of the gods. The heart of Pharaoh was the essence of the gods. He was considered the controller of all things. This is one of the reasons why God shows his control by hardening his heart.
Egyptian theology - See Dr. Randall Price, The Stones Cry Out
Egyptian theology - See Dr. Randall Price, The Stones Cry Out