Miracles For Moses Series

(Sing) “I believe for every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows. I believe that somewhere in the darkest night, a candle glows. I believe for everyone who goes astray, someone will come to show the way. I believe, I believe. I believe above the storm the smallest pray'r will still be heard. I believe that someone in the great somewhere hears every word. Every time I hear a newborn baby cry, or touch a leaf or see the sky, then I know why I believe!”

I like that song. I always have. It’s been sung by Frankie Vale, Frank Sinatra, Mahalia Jackson, The Lettermen, and many others. And what appeals to me (and the millions that have loved it like I have) is that it declares that there is hope in this world. And the reason there’s hope is because we believe in a God who does mighty things. In fact, as Christians, that’s the power of what we believe: we believe in a God who does stuff. A God who does mighty stuff.

Now that brings me to our story this morning. Moses has been commissioned by God who tells him “I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” (Exodus 3:10) The problem is, Moses doesn’t want to go, and he’s been trying one excuse after another to get out of it. But this morning’s scripture (I think) gets to the heart of why Moses doesn’t really want to go.

I don’t think Moses believes… anymore. He might have believed once. He might have felt he was ordained by God to save the people of Israel. I mean, that’s probably why he struck and killed the Egyptian who’d been beating an Israelite. But God hadn’t rewarded him for stepping up and defending His people. And so Moses had become a fugitive from justice and an exile for the last 40 years.

Now God has come to Moses and asks Moses to believe in Him. And Moses is saying “Thanks… but no thanks.”

Moses says “behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’” (Exodus 4:1) They WILL NOT BELIEVE! And under his breath I can sense Moses saying: “I don’t either. I don’t believe… either.”

Moses is struggling with unbelief, and so I think these 3 miracles are as much for Moses’ benefit as they would have been for the Israelites he was being sent to. The miracles are there to give Moses confidence. It’s something he desperately needs.

Now, before we get to these 3 miracles, we need to understand the nature of miracles.

1st - when God does something miraculous He always has a reason. In the Bible (for example) there were 5 seasons of miracles where God used numerous miracles to establish something He wanted done. At the CREATION He did miracle after miracle. He spoke and the Sun appeared. He spoke and the dry ground appeared. He spoke and there were Fish and Birds and numerous Animals. Then, when God FLOODED THE EARTH there was miracle upon miracle - God brought the animals to Noah and He flooded the earth. When MOSES LED ISRAEL out of slavery until they settled in Promised, there were the 10 plagues God brought upon Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai, the miraculous giving of water and Manna in the wilderness. When God used PROPHETS LIKE ELIJAH AND ELISHA He again used numerous miracles to try to draw His people back from paganism. And, of course, during Jesus’ ministry up thru the establishment of the church there were numerous healings, raising people from the dead and casting out of demons.

In each of those five seasons miracles occurred one after another. But in between those 5 seasons of miracles we don’t read much a lot about miracles taking place. It’s not that they didn’t occur, it’s just that they didn’t occur so often. It was if there wasn’t a need for them.

This has led one writer (Gary Richmond) to note that “If they were happening every day, they wouldn't be called miracles, they'd be called regulars.”

But when God did miraculous things… there was always a reason.

A 2nd thing to remember about miracles is that God does them when He’s ready. If God does something spectacular in your life it will be on HIS timetable… not yours. And that can be frustrating.

ILLUS: There was once a famous preacher who was known for his great faith. But one day a friend of his saw him pacing the floor obviously agitated. His friend asked him “What’s the problem?” The Preacher replied “The problem is – I’m in a hurry… but God isn’t.”