“And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.” Exodus 2:13-14
Before we begin discussing this verse, let’s set the stage with a few points.
-Moses was raised as the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
-Moses looked like an Egyptian.
-Moses had killed an Egyptian task master who was mistreating a Hebrew.
-Pharaoh wanted to kill Moses.
-Moses has just attempted to resolve a quarrel between two Israelites.
-The above statement was the response to Moses’ efforts to correct a wrong.
This comment seems absurd in the face of the other information. Moses, a member of the pharaoh’s household would certainly have qualified as prince over the servant race. As a fellow Hebrew, who had defended an Israelite slave from a cruel Egyptian task master, he made a pretty awesome judge. But look at Moses’ reaction: He feared. And he ran.
Furthermore, Moses was right in his assessment of the situation because the pharaoh wanted to kill him when he found out Moses had vindicated the Hebrew slave.
So, what does this tell us?
-Moses was not revered by his birth family, the Hebrews.
-Moses was not viewed as an equal by his adoptive family
-Moses did not fit in.
-No one saw Moses as a leader.
-Moses did not see himself as a leader.
Yet, what was fact?
-Moses was called to lead.
We’ve all been in Moses’ sandals. Square pegs in round holes, some would say. Worse than being a misfit, we’ve had the very attributes of our destiny slammed, and we’ve probably done some slamming as well.
“Don’t talk to strangers,” “Be quiet,” “Listen; don’t speak,” “You want to be friends with her?!” we tell our people-loving children, perhaps stifling, rather than nurturing a soul-winner’s personality.
“Sit down!” “Do it this way!” “Stop drawing all over your homework.” May cut at another’s creative destiny.
I knew someone who was anointed to pray for the sick. She could pray over them and they’d be healed, but she hesitated to do that because she was in poor health and her hands were crippled. Self-doubt and some critical remarks caused her to shy away from her calling. On the other hand, I've seen video clips of a young man who has nothing but a head and a torso turn his handicap into a way to encourage others.
I see the elderly often feel insignificant because their health is failing and they no longer have physical vitality. For some, this is their greatest day. They impart wisdom, intercede in prayer, and lend value to those around them.
I imagine Jacob had experienced better days, but he journeyed to Egypt to be with Joseph, and in doing so, separated a people from the Canaanite gods that would have corrupted his people.
It’s likely Peter was told to be quiet a few times, but he was the chosen spokesperson for the New Covenant between God and His Church.
Paul may have heard that he was a fanatic, but he carried the Gospel to heathens and remained full of passion in prison.
Hasn’t God said He likes to show His strength in our weaknesses? Why then, do we only consider our talents when we seek to discover what God intends for us to be?
Moses found that God could speak through stutterers, a physical malady that seemed contrary to his calling. And he also discovered that the areas that had been crushed by others and broken within himself were awesome avenues of God’s strength. Though others declared he was no leader, though he himself felt inferior, he was chosen to lead and to experience the supernatural power of God in magnanimous portions.
How about you? What has others tried to stifle in you? Where are your ailments, your fears, your insecurities? Perhaps those are the areas God would most like to use.
Tip/Tidbit: Look back at your childhood. What most often caused you to get in trouble? What was perceived as a weakness? As a teen, where did you feel inferior? As an adult where are your struggles and hesitancies, your physical maladies? Let these be clues to the weaknesses God is able to use.
Before we begin discussing this verse, let’s set the stage with a few points.
-Moses was raised as the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
-Moses looked like an Egyptian.
-Moses had killed an Egyptian task master who was mistreating a Hebrew.
-Pharaoh wanted to kill Moses.
-Moses has just attempted to resolve a quarrel between two Israelites.
-The above statement was the response to Moses’ efforts to correct a wrong.
This comment seems absurd in the face of the other information. Moses, a member of the pharaoh’s household would certainly have qualified as prince over the servant race. As a fellow Hebrew, who had defended an Israelite slave from a cruel Egyptian task master, he made a pretty awesome judge. But look at Moses’ reaction: He feared. And he ran.
Furthermore, Moses was right in his assessment of the situation because the pharaoh wanted to kill him when he found out Moses had vindicated the Hebrew slave.
So, what does this tell us?
-Moses was not revered by his birth family, the Hebrews.
-Moses was not viewed as an equal by his adoptive family
-Moses did not fit in.
-No one saw Moses as a leader.
-Moses did not see himself as a leader.
Yet, what was fact?
-Moses was called to lead.
We’ve all been in Moses’ sandals. Square pegs in round holes, some would say. Worse than being a misfit, we’ve had the very attributes of our destiny slammed, and we’ve probably done some slamming as well.
“Don’t talk to strangers,” “Be quiet,” “Listen; don’t speak,” “You want to be friends with her?!” we tell our people-loving children, perhaps stifling, rather than nurturing a soul-winner’s personality.
“Sit down!” “Do it this way!” “Stop drawing all over your homework.” May cut at another’s creative destiny.
I knew someone who was anointed to pray for the sick. She could pray over them and they’d be healed, but she hesitated to do that because she was in poor health and her hands were crippled. Self-doubt and some critical remarks caused her to shy away from her calling. On the other hand, I've seen video clips of a young man who has nothing but a head and a torso turn his handicap into a way to encourage others.
I see the elderly often feel insignificant because their health is failing and they no longer have physical vitality. For some, this is their greatest day. They impart wisdom, intercede in prayer, and lend value to those around them.
I imagine Jacob had experienced better days, but he journeyed to Egypt to be with Joseph, and in doing so, separated a people from the Canaanite gods that would have corrupted his people.
It’s likely Peter was told to be quiet a few times, but he was the chosen spokesperson for the New Covenant between God and His Church.
Paul may have heard that he was a fanatic, but he carried the Gospel to heathens and remained full of passion in prison.
Hasn’t God said He likes to show His strength in our weaknesses? Why then, do we only consider our talents when we seek to discover what God intends for us to be?
Moses found that God could speak through stutterers, a physical malady that seemed contrary to his calling. And he also discovered that the areas that had been crushed by others and broken within himself were awesome avenues of God’s strength. Though others declared he was no leader, though he himself felt inferior, he was chosen to lead and to experience the supernatural power of God in magnanimous portions.
How about you? What has others tried to stifle in you? Where are your ailments, your fears, your insecurities? Perhaps those are the areas God would most like to use.
Tip/Tidbit: Look back at your childhood. What most often caused you to get in trouble? What was perceived as a weakness? As a teen, where did you feel inferior? As an adult where are your struggles and hesitancies, your physical maladies? Let these be clues to the weaknesses God is able to use.
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