FAITH – THE MAKING OF MOSES

Week 3: Faith over Fear

Introduction

During this study, we will be doing a ‘deep dive’ into a scriptural passage. It is strongly encouraged that you study the passage and entire chapter ahead of the study. Also be prepared with your research tools, for example Google or your study Bible, as you will need to reference it during the study. Spend time answering and discussing each question with the intention to gain sufficient understanding to help your own private Bible study as you further explore these topics.

Study Chapters: Exodus 4

Pilot text

Exodus 4:1-8 1 Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’ ” 2 So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” 3 And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. 4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand), 5 “that they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” 6 Furthermore the Lord said to him, “Now put your hand in your bosom.” And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, like snow. 7 And He said, “Put your hand in your bosom again.” So he put his hand in his bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and behold, it was restored like his other flesh. 8 “Then it will be, if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, that they may believe the message of the latter sign.

Discussion Points

Here we come face to face with 80-year old Moses, someone we may not recognise from the earlier events of his life. He had been through the crucible of divine preparation and came out a different man. In the 40 years that he had been in exile, many things had changed. He perhaps felt that he had lost his relevance and his best years were behind him. But in a life-changing encounter with God at the burning bush, the narrative changed. What can we learn from Moses’ burning bush experience?

1. God will often work with that which we already have. Moses was understandably concerned that no one would listen to him, and that he would not be able to fulfil the purpose to which God had called him. God’s response was ‘what is that in your hand?’, as He then went on to show Moses that in God’s hands, anything and anyone can be put to extraordinary use. In fact, in v20 we see that same rod being called the rod of God. So, even when we think that we just happened to stumble upon something (like a rod in Moses’ case), when we are walking with God in faith He will take over that little which we have and turn it into something divine.
2. When faith comes, it deals with fear. We see that when Moses encounters God at the burning bush, God spends much of their conversation dealing with Moses’ fears. First, when Moses ran from the snake that the rod had become, God asked him to take it by the tail. From that moment on, Moses would no longer run from snakes. Next, God dealt with Moses’ fear of rejection (this is what happens to lepers), by showing him that God himself can turn that which was a reproach into a miraculous sign. And so forth – the conversation continued through a number of other situations dealing with a fear of failure. While God deals with each of us in different ways, we will always find that when we put our faith in Him He will help us deal with those fears that hold us back.
3. The response of faith is ‘Yes Lord’, and corresponding action. At the end of Moses’ conversation with God in vs 1-17, it was not clear where exactly Moses’ head was. In fact, his last comment (v13) suggested that he wasn’t convinced. He may still have had some doubts and insecurities, but we know that he had faith; because he took action (v18 onwards). Faith does not always mean that we have everything figured out, or that we have no doubts at all. But it does mean that we believe God enough to say “Yes, Lord”, and take action.

Closing thoughts:

God’s ways are not man’s ways. If Moses had written his own story, he would probably not have included 40 years of ‘failure’ in that narrative. But what men may call failure can in fact be the most significant time of divine establishment. In those 40 years, God turned Moses into a shepherd that was fit to lead God’s people on the greatest journey of their lives. What we see here is divine purpose at work, setting the stage for the greatest deliverance story ever; and sparing no expense in preparing his own man to fulfil that purpose. But in order to apprehend it for himself, Moses had to come to a place of faith. We come to Hebrews 11:23-29, and see how faith was the key to the making of Moses. Like Moses, we also need to see ‘Him who is invisible’, so that we can take hold of that which is impossible. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. (Heb 11:27, NKJV)

Application Questions (use scriptures to support your position):

1. New testament believers (Christians) should not be asking God for signs as this amounts to putting God to the test. Agree/disagree with reasons.
2. A fellow Christian tells you that she’s going to leave her (well-paid) job as a step of faith, because she believes that God will honour that act of faith and provide her with a better source of income. She is her family’s bread winner. What would you advise her?