Understandably, Moses asked how would they believe him. (v1) Moses was seemingly lacking in confidence, but that was not necessarily a bad thing. However, what was not so good was his lack of trust in God who had promised would be with him.
I’m sure we all have doubts when God asks us to do something. Confidence in the flesh is not good, but if God is calling us, and has given us His promise, we can go with confidence that He will go before us, behind us and alongside us.
So, the ‘wonders and signs’ begin (v2-5). Firstly, to assure Moses of The LORD being with him. The LORD simply asked Moses what he had in his hand? It was his rod, so The LORD told him to throw it on the ground and it became a serpent. This was not a model of a snake but a real one, hence, Moses was afraid and he ran from it, but The LORD told Moses to take hold of it by the tail. He did so and it became a rod. This was to assure Moses that He was with him, and He could do anything by using Moses’ staff, which was what he had used over the years to shepherd the flock. This rod would be used again to a remarkable effect in the future. At the outset, God expected obedience from Moses however dangerous it might appear.
This was confirmation to the people that God had sent Moses.
In verses 6-9 we have two more signs, firstly Moses is told to put his hand inside his coat and when he did so it became full-blown leprous and when God told him to put his hand back again, and he drew it out, it was clean. Secondly, he was told to take water from the river and pour it on the dry ground and it would become blood.
These were to be signs to the people to authenticate Moses’ authority, but he is still doubtful (v10) and says, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”
This was another excuse for Luke tells us in Acts 7:22 “Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds.” One commentator suggests that he meant that he had difficulty with the Hebrew and Egyptian language. One can only assume that maybe over the last forty years his confidence in speaking in the two languages had lapsed, but again, his confidence needed to be in God who was giving him the authority.
God’s reply to him was profound (v11,12) “So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.””
God reminds Moses that he made our mouths and if He tells us to say something, then somehow, we can say it.
However, this statement, seems to go much further. I suggest that God takes absolute responsibility for how we are made, whether mute, deaf, seeing or blind, or anything else, He is the creator of everything. He is sovereign over all. Some might think that God is cruel to make people like that. Disability is no barrier to God using people. We often are led to believe that it is someone’s fault that children are deformed but God cares for us all whatever our condition and He has no difficulty in using anyone who is willing to submit to Him.
Some would say that God should heal everyone, but it is clear that not everyone is healed, but that is no barrier to being a witness for Him. How often have people with illnesses or disabilities been used by God to reach out to others? Joni Eareckson Tada is a shining example – a quadriplegic, injured in a diving accident, has been used amazingly for God; blind hymn writers have been such a blessing – Fanny Crosby, Frances Ridley Havergal etc; my late friend Peter Jackson, blind since early childhood and brilliant pianist, hymn writer. I spent some time with him as he tuned pianos, taking them apart and putting them back together again. An excellent preacher too.
Moses’ reply angered God, when he said, ‘Please send someone else’. He had told Moses that He would be with his mouth, so what more did he need. God said, “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.”
God goes further (v13-17) and instructs Moses to speak to Aaron and tell him what to say. Then God assured Moses and Aaron, “I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”
God had been very patient with Moses with his procrastinations, but He was angry when Moses said to send someone else. Moses was not unable but unwilling. Even though God knew that Aaron was a good speaker it would prove to be a big problem to Moses as we shall see as we go through this book and elsewhere in Leviticus and Numbers. Aaron might have been a good orator, but he was weak character.
After this incident Moses returned to his father-in-law Jethro to ask for his permission, to go back to Egypt to his people, and Jethro sent him on his way (v18). In spite of what had gone before, Moses was being obedient to God. Unknown to him, it was going to be a long job. It is clear that he should respect his employer even though God had called him. Not that one should obey man rather than God, but be respectful.
God then told Moses vital information that the people who had wanted his life were now dead. That would have given him some comfort and assurance. God leaves no stone unturned; it was now safe for him to go (v19-23). “Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand. And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.”’”
God in His mercy gave Moses prior warning that it wouldn’t be easy and that it would take the death of the firstborn before Pharaoh would release the Israelites. He refers to Israel as His son, His firstborn, and Moses was to tell this to Pharaoh and to warn him that if he refused to let Israel go, God would kill Pharaoh’s firstborn. This sounded serious but Moses was pre-warned, although I doubt if Moses fully understood the details. It seemed to be a risky way to speak with Pharaoh, it was almost threatening, but he must be bold enough to do it.
We, then have a strange passage in verses 24-26, it is very mysterious. You may recall that Abraham was told that all males were to be circumcised, and it seems that Moses had not circumcised his son. God met him on the way to Egypt and showed His displeasure so much so that He was going to kill Moses, so his wife Zipporah, circumcised their son. She accused Moses of his failure. It was the duty of fathers to do this and maybe she was displeased with him for not carrying out his duty. It was so serious that she nearly lost her husband, hence, her displeasure. God demanded this circumcision to be carried out before Moses was able to fulfil God’s work.
When we are intent on serving God there are often things in our life which we have done or left undone which need to be put right before God will use us. It is necessary, therefore, that we put them right before God.
Aaron was still in Egypt with the other Israelites at this time and The LORD told Aaron to go into the wilderness to meet Moses (v27-31). Aaron did go and met Moses who told him all that the LORD had said. Obviously, there was some freedom for individuals to come and go and Moses went back with him to Egypt, and they got the elders of the people together and Aaron informed them of all that The LORD had told Moses. They also gave the people the signs which God had given to Moses. The LORD had told Moses that the people would take notice this time (3:18) and they were filled with anticipation where previously they had not taken any notice of him, in fact had rejected him. God’s timing was right, as usual.
