I Am Obeying God... For The Most Part

¡§I¡¦M OBEYING GOD¡K FOR THE MOST PART!¡¨

Exodus 4:19-24

INTRODUCTION: Moses had been called by God to carry out the deliverance of God¡¦s people from the bondage of slavery in Egypt. Moses hearing God¡¦s call obediently follows the directions of God and sets out for Egypt with his wife, Zipporah and their two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. In route to Egypt stops at what is known as a Khan, or caravansary ¡V unfurnished buildings open to all travelers providing them with shelter free of charge, the traveler being responsible for his own food and other necessities. While at this stopover, God met with Moses and according to Exodus 4:24 God ¡§sought to kill him.¡¨ Why would God seek to end the life of the man that He commissioned to lead the people out of Egypt before he could carry out that mission? To understand the situation we need to look at these opening chapters of Exodus and see Moses¡¦ Commission, Moses¡¦ Obedience, and Moses¡¦ Disobedience. You see, Moses, like many of us, was obeying God. That is he was obeying God for the most part.

I. Moses¡¦ Great Commission

A. His call ¡V to be an Ambassador to Pharaoh and a Leader to Israel

„h Exodus 3:10 "Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that you may bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt."

„h Exodus 4:21-23 "And the LORD said unto Moses, When you go 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. [22] 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."

B. His credentials

1. A Rod - Exodus 4:2-4 "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. [4] 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:"

2. A Hand - Exodus 4:6-7 "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."

3. Water - Exodus 4:9 "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."

C. His message

„h Exodus 4:22-23 "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."

II. Moses Obedience

A. Moses obeyed the direct command of God

B. Exodus 4:18-20 "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. [19] 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."

C. He did not tarry but went to his father-in-law but set out to move to Egypt, taking his family with him.

D. Obedience means marching right on whether we feel like it or not. ¡V Dwight Lyman Moody (1837-1899)

E. Delayed obedience is disobedience.

F. The Christian who claims the promises of God should also obey the commands of God.

III. Moses¡¦ Disobedience

A. Exodus 4:24 "And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him."