Verse 1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.
Twenty seven out of thirty one verses in this chapter begin with the word “and,” indicating an ongoing dialog in which more and more information is revealed. The reader learns that Moses is continuing to doubt his ability to be God’s ambassador in Egypt and that God is continuing to command Moses to follow instructions and go. God had already assured Moses in verse 18 of Chapter 3 that the Hebrews would “hearken to thy voice.” But Moses was not convinced.
Application: The believer is often plagued with insecurity and doubt when trying to serve the LORD. Take comfort in reading about this man Moses, one of the most loved and respected heroes in Jewish history, and his difficulty with regard to doubts and insecurity. God knew how to encourage him and He knows how to encourage believers today.
Verses 2-3 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. 3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
Shepherds often carried a crook or a stick with a curved end with which to place around the neck of an uncooperative sheep, and a staff that was used for walking support over rough ground and as a defensive weapon. A rod is often a metaphor in the Bible for power. Moses experienced his first miracle, one in which he was a participant. He saw the power of the living God and he was probably as afraid of that power as he was of the snake. More than likely the snake was venomous and therefore a danger.
Application: God used a familiar object or tool that Moses had in his hand to teach Moses to trust Him. Believers often fail to serve the LORD because they do not believe that they have the necessary resources to make a difference. But if a believer is in the will of the LORD, what resources or tools he/she has that are willingly put at the LORD’s disposal will be enough for the task at hand.
Verses 4-5 And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth 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, hath appeared unto thee.
One should never pick up a snake by its tail as it can easily strike the hand or another body part of the person holding it. Assuming that this snake was poisonous, Moses was acting on great faith to reach out and grab it by the tail. The normal technique is to hold the snake just behind its head so it cannot strike. But this was a miracle and Moses was gaining faith and respect for the LORD and His words. The God that created the snake and the rod had no difficulty changing the structure of each item.
Application: Television and horror stories have aided the powers of darkness to convince people that Satan, represented as a serpent in the Garden of Eden, is powerful and to be feared. However, the truth is that Satan is weak and true believers can metaphorically and spiritually take him by the tail and have the victory. He is an enemy of all people, but the people of God have the Holy Ghost and His power and therefore cannot be defeated; a point that needs to be remembered.
Verses 6-7 And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. 7 And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.
Leprosy in the Old Testament was the term used for any skin disease. But the true disease of leprosy causes the skin to turn white and eventually it destroys body parts such as fingers, toes, noses and so forth. It was a disease feared and the people suffering from it were outcasts and not part of society. The victim of leprosy was required to walk with the whole body covered including his nose and mouth and to cry out, “Unclean, unclean” as a warning to others. Leprosy takes time to develop and to be diagnosed, so it was a miracle that the tissues in Moses’ hand were structurally changed to that of a disease process and then restored again in rapid fashion. Scholars and skeptics may try to explain away a burning bush as a natural phenomenon, but the rod and hand miracle cannot be explained away.
Verses 8-9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign. 9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.
The Egyptians could avoid a leprous hand and a poisonous snake, but without the Nile River, they would die. The river was not only their main source of domestic water, but it was a source of food and the irrigation to produce crops. Every year the river would overflow its banks and flood the land. This produced fertile valley soil in which to grow food and to graze livestock. There would be no Egypt without the Nile River.
The first miracle demonstrated to Moses by the LORD was to show him that God was giving him power over the spirit world. The second miracle was demonstrating power over the flesh. The water to blood miracle was telling Moses that God was giving him power over the natural world. These are the three enemies of all believers: the devils, the flesh, and the world.
Application: Like Moses of old, today’s believers have been given power from Jesus. Most are not aware of this power as evidenced in the lack of miracles seen in today’s churches and communities. Luke 24:49 records Jesus telling his disciples to remain in Jerusalem after His resurrection until, “ye be endued with power from on high.” 2 Timothy 1:7 states, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” A believer cannot fulfill the commandment in Matthew 10:8 to, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give” without having the spiritual power of God over both the physical world and the spiritual world. Are believers living beneath their abilities today and if so, why?
Verse 10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
I do not know about you, the reader, but if I had seen the three miracles listed above, (two seen and one promised), I would be very excited to go out and do what the LORD had asked and try out my staff of power. But we are not all alike and it takes more prodding by the LORD for some believers to obey than for others. There is nothing wrong with that. The encouraging aspect of this dialogue between the man Moses and the creator of the universe is that Moses could speak to God freely and express his feelings and fears. Here Moses, aware that he will have to confront the elite and powerful in Egypt, is afraid that he will not be able to speak with authority and counter the words of the Egyptian Pharaoh and his advisors. It would be like trying to present a legal case to the highest court of a nation without being a lawyer. He was intimidated. He was also over thinking the possible “what if” scenarios.
Application: Do not be afraid to be honest with the LORD. He already knows what you are thinking at all times and He knows your personality because He created you. He wants the believer to be as intimate with Him as with a trusted friend or family member. It is alright to question the circumstances in your life as long as you continue to have faith in the God that loves you.
Verses 11-12 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
This verse is interesting in that it appears to teach that the LORD causes infirmities. As a result, churches have taught that if a believer is sick, disabled, or dying it is the will of God. Many other verses in the Bible do not support this doctrine. As you study the scriptures, look for passages that either support or do not support this belief and decide for yourself.
Application: God always meets a person where they are at that particular moment in time. He knows your needs and will take care of you. Only believe.
Verse 13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
In the King James Bible the words, “of him whom” are in italics as an indicator that the translators added them to make the passage make sense and read well. When removed, it appears that Moses is giving up his argument and saying, “OK, send who you want.” But the next verse indicates that perhaps this is not the case and that Moses is still asking to be relieved of the task of rescuing the Hebrew people.
Verse 14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
Notice that Moses’ brother is in the process of coming to find him. God already knew what Moses’ response would be and had started Aaron on the long journey to Mount Horeb to help shoulder the responsibility of the ministry Moses was being called to fulfill. Moses’ arguments were all valid and God provided solutions to all his concerns. It is apparent that Moses may indeed have had difficulty with public speaking as God confirms that He knows Aaron “can speak well.”
Verses 15-16 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. 16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
God promises to be with both Moses and Aaron and their public speaking endeavors. But note that He intends to only speak with Moses, and that Moses is to then speak to Aaron and inform him of what the LORD wishes to be communicated. Therefore Aaron will have the position of spokesman when in public and shall be what today may be called a mouthpiece for Moses. But Moses will be in God’s position in that he will communicate the words of the LORD to Aaron. Interesting set up.
Application: Today this process is used over and over in the Church. God places leaders in the body to study His words in the Bible and to then communicate these words to the people. Often, God will speak directly to a person and that person will speak His words to the people attending a church service. This is done particularly in Pentecostal churches. However, the church member is not to use this process to neglect his/her own study of the scriptures or private time in prayer. God is quite capable of communicating to all believers if they make themselves available to Him with their time, their minds, and their hearts.
Verse 17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
The rod that Moses was to use was not a special tool. It was the one he had been walking over the desert with. However, God commands him to take that rod. It can be assumed that it was well used and not a terribly elegant stick to gaze upon. God doesn’t need gold covered and jewel-laden rods to perform His miracles. He uses the simple things of this world to make His point. Moses was comfortable with his rod, and it would give him an object through which to not only show the power of God to ungodly people, but to give him a tool to rely on because it was chosen by the LORD. God had already used this rod in front of Moses and he could be assured that God would use it again. The rod was a confidence builder
Application: Since a rod denotes power in the hands of the one holding it, the rod can be used for good or for harm. Rods can provide self defense against enemies, stability for the walker, and many other positive uses, or they can be used to beat people into submission and cause bodily harm. Believers are metaphorically rods in that they can stand up against the powers of darkness, provide righteous examples and words of encouragement to assist the person walking through this life, and be spiritual resources for the believer or unbeliever alike. Or believers can use their God given power to beat up on other believers through being critical, judgemental, and unforgiving. What kind of rod are you?
Verse 18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
Moses was a family man and he took the trouble to go to his adopted family and resign his job as sheep herder and most likely to tell Jethro what had transpired in the desert at Mount Horeb. Although the verse does not say Moses gave any explanation, later it will be seen that Jethro comes to the camp of the Hebrew people and gives Moses very valuable advice. So Jethro had to know something about what was happening to Moses and the Hebrew children.
Verses 19-20 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life. 20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
God comforts Moses before he starts his journey by letting him know that the people that wanted to catch and kill him were no more. Moses was free to take his family on this divinely appointed journey back to Egypt. Imagine all the packing and preparation and possible confusion involved with relocating to another country. But Moses remembered his rod, the demonstration of the power of the living God.
Application: One of and perhaps the most valuable rods a believer has today is the Word of God. Whether moving across town, moving to another county, going to work or school, or just out for a ride in the car, the believer should always have the scriptures with him/her. Bibles are so small today, they can be put in a shirt pocket or accessed on a smart phone. Bible verses can and should be memorized and always readily available to the believer. Hebrews 4:12 states, “For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Verse 21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
God is preparing Moses for what he might otherwise perceive as failure. Moses now knows that Pharaoh will be resistant and that it is the will of God for him to be so.
Verses 22-23 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: 23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
The word “son” is translated as such 2978 times in the KJB and as “children” 1568 times. Both uses show possession on the part of the LORD. He wants Pharaoh to know that the Hebrew people do not belong to Egypt but to Him. Also, it is through the tribe of Judah that the Lord Jesus Christ is to be born and who is the only begotten son of God. The Hebrew people needed to occupy the land of Israel because that was where the Savior was to be born centuries later.
Verses 24-26 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.
This is a difficult passage to understand. One possible explanation is that Moses needed to mentally and spiritually die to himself and to his own will and to completely humble himself to the will of God. He had failed to follow the circumcision commandment given to Abraham in the book of Genesis and had not circumcised his son. There is always a need for the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sin, and blood was shed here perhaps cleansing Moses and his family from their sin and making them acceptable to a Holy God. What do you think? Jacob in the book of Genesis experienced a similar experience when returning to meet his brother, Esau.
Verses 27-28 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him. 28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.
Back in these days, people kissed each other when they met much as handshakes are accepted greetings in many cultures today. Notice that Aaron was obedient. It can be assumed that Aaron had no idea why he was to find Moses. It was a miracle that he found him at all in the vast territory between Egypt and Midian. It was a divine appointment.
Verses 29-31 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: 3 0 And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
Application: It is always a good idea to bow our heads and worship the Lord and Savior of our souls. He deserves our worship and praise. Worship means to give your heart and praise means to publicly give thanks and show appreciation to God. We need to give Him glory and honor.