The Choice Of Moses Series

Moses 2 THE CHOICE OF MOSES

Exodus 2:5-25

B. The Savior (2:5-25)

2. His Development Spiritually (2:7-9)

3. His Development Socially (2:10)

4. His Decision (2:11-14)

5. His Development Specially (2:15-25)

In three different places God tells us that Moses, forty years old, at the peak of his power and prestige, perhaps even next in line for Egypt’s throne, gave it all away. Acts 7 says it “came into his heart to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel” (7:21, RSV). Exodus calls them “his own people” (Ex. 2:11).

He had COMPASSION when he saw an Egyptian beating a Jew. At that moment he made a COMMITMENT. Exodus tells us he looked “this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand” (Ex. 2:12).

This appears to be a rash, impetuous, spur of the moment decision. But the New Testament shows it was not. It came from the settled conviction of his soul that the Hebrews were his brothers (Ex. 2:11; Acts 7:23) and that God would use him and his powerful position and abilities to deliver them from slavery (Acts 7:25). In this commitment, Hebrews says he “refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time” (Heb. 11:24-25). In other words, if his rescue attempt failed, which it did here, he was ready to give up the palace and suffer and die with his people.

Why? Because he had CONFIDENCE in God. Hebrews says he did all this because of his faith (Heb. 11:24), the same faith his Jewish mother and father had (Heb. 11:23). It says, “By faith. . . He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ of greater value than the treasurer of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward” (Heb. 11:26). Old Testament saints did not know much about heaven, but they knew the life of faith in God and faithfulness to God would be rewarded beyond the grave.

Sadly, Moses also had COWARDICE. The day after he killed the Egyptian he saw two Hebrews fighting and tried to stop them. They, revealing their proud, stubborn nature, said, who put you in charge of us? They then told him they saw him kill the Egyptian. There was no “Thank you!” There was no gratitude. It was a preview of things to come in the desert. Knowing he had acted on his own, knowing the Jews rejected him, he was “afraid” (Ex. 2:14). When he learned Pharaoh knew, he ran to Midian, the desert region south of Canaan, where he spent the next forty years. Hebrews 11:24 says he “left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger.” That refers to the Exodus, forty years later. This time he ran like a scared rabbit.

This whole story is all about choices. One thing that sets us apart from the animals, as being created in God’s image, is the power to choose. We are not to be rudderless boats, blown this way and that way by the winds of life. We can lift our sails, hold our rudders and go where we choose most of the time. Most of us choose to go OUR OWN WAY. We choose PLEASURES and TREASURES, the very things Moses gave up. He chose to go GOD’S WAY. It cost him a lot, but in the end, his life had counted for something. He helped over a million people find a home and went to heaven when he died. He made the right choice. Let’s look then at his development by God and his decision for God.

I. THE DEVELOPMENT BY GOD

(Ex. 2:7-25: Acts 7:21-22)

1. The Spiritual Developing (Ex. 2:7-10). God took that little Hebrew boy, born to people of faith, and fitted him to be the Savior of Israel. First came the spiritual preparation by his mother and father. I don’t know how long Moses was with them, some say three years, but however long, it was long enough. He saw the Jews as his people. He knew God was about to deliver them. He had character enough not to be pulled down by Egypt’s sins, Egypt’s treasures, and Egypt’s pleasures. And he got that from Amram and Jocebed.

Herschel Hobbs says when God wants a great man or woman he begins with their parents. He says, “Take this child and rear him for me.” His parents were slaves but in their hearts they were free because they were slaves only to God. At the end of his life Moses charged the Israelites to teach their children about God (Dt. 31:13). Why? Because that’s what his parents did. Mothers, fathers, grandparents, Sunday School teachers, can’t you hear the children say,