Ex 4:10-12 (NIV). He is Loath to be Sent
Moses said to the LORD, "Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." The LORD said to him, "Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and teach you what to say." (Exodus 4:10-12)
10. Moses said to the LORD, "Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue."
Notwithstanding the above miracles, he seems unwilling to go on the Lord's errand to Pharaoh and the Israelites. He, therefore, invents a new objection after all his other objections had been sufficiently answered: Moreover, Moses said unto the Lord,...
I am not eloquent; or "a man of words," that has words available at his command, that can speak well, unhesitatingly, on the spur of the moment and gracefully; such a one would be suitable to send to a king's court, an orator, that could make fine speeches, and handsome addresses. However, I am not qualified, neither up to now nor anytime since thou hast spoken to thy servant; neither in his younger years had he ever been an eloquent man, nor was there any change in him since God had given him this call.
Nevertheless, I am slow in speech and possess a slow tongue. Lucian the Heathen calls Moses slow tongued, or one slow of speech, and uses the exact words the Septuagint does here, which version perhaps he had seen, and afterward, he wrote it down. Did he have some impediment in his speech so that he could not freely and quickly bring his words to the surface or rightly pronounce them?
Moses expresses his fear that the Israelites would not credit his Divine mission, Exodus 4:1. God, to strengthen his faith, and to assure him that his fellow citizens would believe him, changed his rod into a serpent, and the serpent into a rod, Exodus 4:2-5; made his hand leprous, and afterward restored it, Exodus 4:6, Exodus 4:7; intimating that he had now endowed him with power to work such miracles and that the Israelites would believe Exodus 4:8; and what is more assures him that he should have power to turn the water into blood, Exodus 4:9. Moses excuses himself on the ground that he is not eloquent, Exodus 4:10, and God scolds him for his unbelief and promises to give him supernatural assistance, Exodus 4:11, Exodus 4:12. Moses expresses his utter unwillingness to go on any account. God is angry and then promises to give him his brother Aaron to be his spokesman, Exodus 4:13-16, and appoints his rod to be the instrument of working miracles, Exodus 4:17. Moses returns to his relative Jethro and requests to visit his brethren in Egypt. He is permitted to do so in Exodus 4:18. God appears to him in Midian and assures him that the Egyptians who sought his life were dead Exodus 4:19. Moses set out on their journey to Egypt with his wife and children, Exodus 4:20. God instructs him what he shall say to Pharaoh, Exodus 4:21-23. He is in danger of losing his life because he had not circumcised his son, Exodus 4:24. Zipporah immediately circumcises the child, and Moses escapes unhurt in Exodus 4:25 and Exodus 4:26. Aaron is commanded to go and meet his brother Moses; he goes and meets him at Horeb, Exodus 4:27. Moses informs him of the commission he had received from God, Exodus 4:28. They both go to their brethren, deliver their message, and work miracles, Exodus 4:29, Exodus 4:30. The people believe in and adore God, Exodus 4:31.
However, how could it be said that Moses was not eloquent when St. Stephen asserts in Acts 7:22 that he was mighty in words and deeds? There are three ways of solving this difficulty:
1. Moses might have had some natural infirmity come upon him late in life which at that time rendered it impossible for him to speak without difficulty, and which he afterward overcame; so that though he was not then a man of words, yet he might afterward have been mighty in words as well as deeds.
2. It is possible he was not intimately acquainted with the Hebrew tongue to speak clearly and distinctly in it. He had spent the first forty years in Egypt, chiefly at court, and though there was probably a kinship between the two languages, they were not the same. He had spent the last forty in Midian, and it is not likely that the pure Hebrew tongue prevailed there, though it is probable that a dialect of it was spoken. On these accounts, Moses might find it difficult to express himself with that readiness and persuasive flow of language, which he might deem essentially necessary on such a momentous occasion; as he would frequently be obliged to consult his memory for proper expressions, which would necessarily produce frequent hesitation, and general slowness of utterance, which he might think would ill suit an ambassador of God.
3. Though Moses was slow of speech, yet when acting as the messenger of God his word was with power, for at his command the plagues came and the plagues were halted; thus was he mighty in words as well as in deeds: and this is probably the meaning of St. Stephen.
By the expression, "neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant," he might mean that the natural inaptitude to speak readily, which he had felt, he continued to feel, ever since God had begun to discover himself; for though he had wrought several miracles for him, yet he had not healed this infirmity.
11. The LORD said to him, "Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD?
Or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I, the Lord? as all the senses, and the perfection of them, are from him, so all the imperfections in them are according to his good pleasure; what he suffers to be, and can remedy when he thinks fit: it is he that gives the seeing eye and hearing ear, can and does make blind and deaf, that also gives the speaking mouth, and makes that dumb, and can open it again as he pleases! and what is it that he cannot do?
12. Now go; I will help you speak and teach you what to say."
Moses' last objection is his lack of eloquence (cf. Jer 1:7). The effect of God's message does not depend on man's eloquence. Paul has learned that it does not depend on the excellence of words or wisdom (1Cor 2:1; 4; 2Cor 10:10). The flesh may be impressed by this, but it does not contribute to God's work.
We must learn what Paul has learned, that God's power is accomplished in weakness: "And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecutions, and difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, I am strong" (2Cor 12:9-10).
There is nothing left of Moses' power in work and word. There is no confidence in himself anymore, and that is good. However, there is not yet complete trust in God. He still has to learn that God also gives what is necessary to fulfill His task when He calls someone to a particular task.
In Christianity, one is sensitive to beautiful choral singing, compelling music, and in-impressive speeches, but this does not result in a conversion. This only happens through the Word of God and the working of the Holy Spirit.
In addition, it is a misunderstanding of what the Lord gives or does not give. He can make everything so that it serves His purpose. We must learn to be satisfied with this. And not only that. We must learn that this is most effective for His work. Then He gets the honor and not the one He uses. It must be "by the strength which God supplies" (1 Pet 4:11).
General Notes:
1. The abbreviation cf. is used in writing when you want the reader to make a contrast between the subject being discussed and something else.
