As I was working on my Bible study this morning, author Ann Spangler pointed out in her question that Pharaoh’s headdress included a cobra. Which led me to dive deeper into the study because a connection was made. In Exodus 4, where Moses is having this conversation with God in the burning bush, God tells Moses to take his shepherd’s staff and throw it to the ground, and it became a snake.
Which Moses ran from.
Then God commanded Moses to pick the staff up by the tail, and it turned back into a snake.
Moses was a shepherd. They use their staffs to guide, lead, correct, and rescue; they use it as a walking aid, as a weapon against predators, and as a tool to clear brush. It is a symbol of authority and care.
God commanded Moses to throw the staff down, or some translations say to cast it away. In this casting, God was calling for it to be changed, and it turned into a snake.
Pharaoh’s headdress was a snake, which to them was a symbol of royalty or divine power.
God commanded Moses to pick the snake up by the tail. He was telling him he would meet the serpent/the enemy/Pharaoh.
The snake turning back into the staff was God telling Moses that he would lead the children of Israel as he led his flock.
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Moses, who was an Israelite adopted by an Egyptian Princess, raised in royalty, and then killed an Egyptian who was beating an Israelite (so essentially turning his back on his adopted family), ran away (cast out), and then became a shepherd (an occupation that was considered low), who met God in a burning bush after many years of God not speaking verbally to his people, was told that he would lead his birth family/nation out of captivity from the Pharaoh/snake.
Is anyone seeing the connection that I am? Just me? Ok.
(Moses/Shepherd staff—Pharaoh/snake) or (Jesus/shepherd—devil/snake)
God used Moses to bring out his people from captivity. God molded Moses’ life from the beginning for this assignment. Moses was saved from being killed as an infant because his mother put him in a pitch-covered basket and let him float in the river, under the watchful eye of his sister, into the arms of a Princess who was a daughter of the very Pharaoh who enslaved his people. Moses grew up in a royal palace, learning the workings of the Egyptian pharaoh. He was learning things that no ordinary Israeli would know. He was being taught the things that he would need to know to eventually free God’s people.
So with this in mind, when God asks him to cast down the staff, confront the Israel leaders, and then confront Pharaoh, God knew that Moses already had what it would take to pull this assignment off. It was Moses who didn’t believe. It was Moses who succumbed to his own insecurities. He was the one who didn’t think that he had what it took to face Pharaoh and lead these people.
I said it yesterday, and it is striking me again today: why do we not think we are capable of doing what God is calling us to do? He knows that we are capable because he has already been preparing us for the task he is giving us.
So why, other than self-doubt and insecurities (and yes, I am stomping all over my toes on this one), do we tell God no? No, I can’t do that. I’m not capable. I don’t have what it takes. I think you are talking to the wrong “Amy” here, God. Surely you can’t be asking me to do that?
It’s almost as if our Adonay knows us.
If God used Moses’ life circumstances to prepare him to lead his people, what has/is he using your life circumstances to do for his kingdom?
Adonay is our relational God. He knows us, our past, our present, and what we are capable of in our future.
In Moses’ consistent protest, Yahweh got upset with him.
I have three kids. I adore my children. I would give them my last breath if they needed it, but there is one thing that I just cannot stand. There is one thing: if they do it, I will get very frustrated with them very quickly. That’s whining. I cannot stand whining and complaining. I even had my oldest memorize the verse Philippians 2:14 when he was younger, and I will most likely have my other two memorize it. “In everything you do, stay away from whining and complaining.”
Now, I feel like Moses didn’t just say once or twice, “Please, Adonay, send someone else.” I feel like there may have been a whiny tone, maybe a frustrated stomp, possibly even some crossed arms and a pouty lip. I don’t know; I wasn’t there. But for God to get frustrated, I feel like there was some temper tantrum-throwing level whine going on here.
Which is when God announced that Aaron was on his way, and maybe he could do the talking part until Moses could get a grip.
When we are hesitant to do what God is asking us to do when God is asking us to do it, be sure that he will make a way for us to follow that path. He will put people in our way to walk alongside us and help us. BUT, know that you are FULLY capable of doing what God is asking you to; otherwise, he wouldn’t ask you to do it to begin with.
Rest in the comfort of knowing that Adonay knows you, he has prepared you, and he is with you.
I hope you have a great day with Jesus!
