Christian Family Fellowship - PDO, Muscat.
Moses
- Part III.because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them" (Num 20:12).
In this study, we shall notice the persistent grumblings of the Israelites against Moses (and against the Lord) as they journeyed through the wilderness, and how Moses dealt with such situations. On one occasion, Moses faltered and the Lord let down His rod of punishment upon Moses - the death of Moses.
a) The Journey through the wilderness contd. (Exo 17:1-4; 18:5-11, 24-26; 32:9-13)
Several times during the journey, the Israelites murmured and grumbled against Moses, and against the Lord. Moses remained dedicated to his calling from the Lord to lead the Israelites and remained faithful in the service. He tended to be overworked until his father in-law visited him and counseled him to delegate some of the responsibilities.
Discussion
i) How did Moses receive his father in-law? As leaders, do we look down on others, whether elders or the younger ones? Are we also teaching our children to respect elders?
ii) What weakness in Moses was revealed to him by his father in-law? What was Moses’ reaction to his father in-law’s counsel? Was it a godly counsel - justify? When our weaknesses are made known to us, how do we react? Do we treat with disdain, the counsel of others - what should our reaction be (words of elders are...).
b) Moses, the mediator between the Israelites and God (Exo 19:1-8, ~ 24:12-18; 32:1-5), 19, 30-32)
The Israelites rather than desire to hear from God directly sought to hear from God through Moses. The Lord called Moses up to the mount Sinai to receive specific instructions for the Israelites and things that had to be done. Moses spent forty days on the mount Sinai communing with God. While he was there, the Israelites got tired of his absence and lured Aaron into making them false gods contrary to God’s warnings.
Discussion
iii) Aaron succumbed to the ‘pressures’ of the Israelites in making them a false god. Did Moses adequately prepare Aaron for the task of holding forth while he was to be away with the Lord? (cf Mat 26:36-41). Do we prepare our surbodinates to ably fill-in the gap in our absence? Can our children hold forth in our absence, or do we always think they are too young to do that?
iv) In Ex 32:10 God threatened to wipe out the Israelites and thereafter make Moses into ‘a great nation’. What was Moses’ reaction? Do we like to build upon the foundations others have laid, or would we rather have such foundations destroyed, and build our own that our names be immortalised? Think about the leadership we’ve had thus far in Nigeria (OFN, School to land; WAI, WAIC; Better life for rural women, FSP; etc). Some people say, "if person own no spoil, another person own no go better
v) Moses was rightly angry at the sin of the Israelites and let the "stone tablets on which God had written" drop from his hands. How do we react when we are angry - pray that we may be calm always, even in our anger.
vi) In Ex 36:6 Moses would not task the people more than was necessary. Do we keep asking the congregation to bring more and more even when there is more than enough already all in the.name of saving for the rainy day?
c) The death of Moses (Num 20:2-12, Deu 3:23-27; 32:48-52; 34:1-7)
After so many displays of loyalty and courage Moses faltered, and was faulted for his ‘lack of trust’ in God. Moses pleaded with God, but that yielded no results: he would only see, but not step his feet on the Promised Land.
Discussion
vii) What was Moses’ ‘sin’ that brought the anger of the Lord upon him? What does this teach us as leaders, and God’s children?
viii) If there were someone to intercede for Moses, would the Lord have changed his mind concerning the death of Moses?
Concluding question
What effect did the forty-day encounter with God on mount Sinai have on Moses?