Ep. 16 | Please Send Someone Else!

Text: Exodus 4:1-2, 10-20

1 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listento me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?” 2 Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied.

10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the Lordwas kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. 16 He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. 17 And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.” 18 Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 And the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” 20 So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.

Denying God’s Word (We suggest God is Incorrect)

Deeming God Withdrawn (We suggest God is Indifferent)

Depreciating God’s Work (We suggest God is Incapable)

(1)    RECOGNIZE what is in your hand (Staff)
The question was not asked to give God information He did not have. The question was asked to direct Moses’ attention to what he had in his hand. 
o   What is ACCESSIBLE?
o   What is APPARENT? What is right before you?
o   What is AVAILABLE?

(a) The staff was his IDENTITY as a shepherd
(b) The staff was his TOOL of his trade
(c) The staff was his PROTECTION in the wilderness

(2)   RELINQUISH what you have

INABILITY—3:1-12

INADEQUACY—3:13-22

INFERIORITY—4:1-13

Archaelogy Bible: “Egyptian magicians were well known for being eloquent orators who gloried in their splendid powers of speech.”   

THIS: It is not about your ability or lack thereof. It is about HIS presence and the fullness thereof. GO forward ON HIS WORD.

(3)   RESPOND to the LORD (v20)

THREE REASONS Moses lack of faith was NATURAL—humanly speaking

1.          Trauma (his past)

2.          Time (over 200 years since God appears to anyone directly)

3.          Threats (Egypt)

The staff that previously was uses to count sheep returning to the fold would now strike a river bringing devastation to a nation.

The staff that formerly rescued sheep in precarious situations would be raised above the Red Sea to divide the sea, dry the sand, and rescue the sheep of Israel from their precarious situation.

The staff that previously provided stability for Moses as he trekked the midbar/the desserts now would be raised above fighting armies in the Valley of Rephidim bringing victory over the Amalekites.

Mary Maxwell: 

Channels only, blessed Master,
But with all Thy wondrous pow’r
Flowing through us, Thou canst use us
Every day and every hour.

Emptied that Thou shouldest fill me,
A clean vessel in Thy hand;
With no pow’r but as Thou givest
Graciously with each command.