MOSES CONTINUES TO OBJECT TO GOD'S REQUEST AND GOD GIVES HIM THREE SIGNS (EXODUS 4:1). Moses continued to express his doubts so God told him of three signs which he would be able to use in order to demonstrate his credentials. The first deals with a snake, the symbol of much religious belief in Egy... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SECOND SIGN - THE LEPROUS HAND (EXODUS 4:6). It was with his hand that Moses had smitten the taskmaster whom he had murdered. Now he was to be made to recognise that it was defiled, and needed purifying by Yahweh. But to Israel it would signify that although they were defiled in God's eyes thro... [ Continue Reading ]
THE THIRD SIGN - WATER FROM THE NILE TURNED TO BLOOD (EXODUS 4:9). This sign could not be enacted immediately as Moses was not near the Nile. It is, however, an indication by Yahweh that He will demonstrate His power over the gods of Egypt as soon as Moses arrives there. The Nile god was seen as on... [ Continue Reading ]
MOSES CONTINUES HIS RESISTANCE AND YAHWEH BECOMES ANGRY (EXODUS 4:10). Moses is naturally appalled at the hugeness of the responsibility that Yahweh is seeking to place on him and desperately tries to avoid taking it on. But Yahweh has prepared him precisely for this and is adamant, and in the end... [ Continue Reading ]
MOSES LEAVES MIDIAN FOR EGYPT (EXODUS 4:18). This is a section of powerful contrasts. On the one hand Jethro is Moses' tribal leader with acknowledged rights (Exodus 4:18 a), on the other Yahweh demands lordship over Moses and his family, represented by the sign of circumcision. On the one hand Phar... [ Continue Reading ]
THE THREE SONS (EXODUS 4:21). This section could be described as being at the heart of the book of Exodus, for it deals with three attitudes that lie at the heart of God's dealings with the world: His dealings with Israel, His dealings with Pharaoh and His dealings with each individual who is to se... [ Continue Reading ]
THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE CONTEST BETWEEN YAHWEH AND PHARAOH IN EGYPT (EXODUS 4:27 TO EXODUS 7:13). Moses now meets up with Aaron and they go to Egypt to demand the release of Israel so that they may go into the wilderness and worship Yahweh. Pharaoh refuses their request and responds viciously. a O... [ Continue Reading ]