Goodness (11) - Moses' Goodness (1)
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April 28, 2013 |
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 "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward" (Hebrews 11:24-26).
Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee
Moses led the people of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt into the land of Canaan. They had been in the bondage of Egypt for 400 years. God wanted to fulfill the promise He had given Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: giving the land of Canaan to them. God chose one man to thoroughly obey God's commands and lead the people of God. That man was Moses. How was it that Moses was chosen to accomplish such a historically significant task at such an important point in time? He had a heart by which he could fully trust and obey God, and it was possible for him because he was of great goodness. Let's delve into goodness of Moses that pleased God.
1. Moses chose to suffer the afflictions with the people of God
In Joseph's time, all the households of Jacob moved to Egypt to avoid famine and settled down in Egypt. After 400 years had passed since their settlement, the number of the people of Israel was getting quite large and they seemed powerful. There were millions of the Israelites living in Egypt. The Pharaoh of Egypt at the time was afraid of them, so he imposed forced labor on and abused them. He even gave an order that every newborn male child of Israel was to be put to death. Moses was born during this grim time.
When he was born, Moses' parents hid him for three months, but later they could not hide him any longer because his crying became loud. They put him into a wicker basket and set it among the reeds by the bank of the Nile. They chose this way expecting God's deliverance, so he would not be killed by the army of Egypt.
At that time the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe in the Nile and saw the basket and Moses in it among the reeds. And she drew him out of the water. Moses' sister, Miriam had watched everything and recommended Jochebed, Moses' own mother, as a nurse to the daughter of Pharaoh.
Then, Moses was raised in a royal palace as a prince and a son of an Egyptian princess. It tells us that in order to set up Moses as a leader in the times of the Israelites' Exodus, God supervised everything, and everything worked precisely according to His plan.
Moses was able to learn about the God of Israel and his people and have the best education in the royal court. At the time, Egypt had a highly developed civilization, so princes of the country had great power and authority. Moses could have continued to enjoy the riches, honor and power for the rest of his life as an adopted prince at the royal palace. But he had heard of God from his natural mother and knew the fact that his own people suffered greatly. Compassion never left his mind at all.
One day he found an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people, and felt the furor in his heart. So, he beat that Egyptian to death. As a result, he had to flee from Egypt. If he had cared only for himself, he could have tried to pass over his people's suffering.
But he chose to suffer the afflictions with the people of God rather than having the passing pleasures of sin. That's why he could not ignore it when he found his kinsman being beaten even though it meant he would lose all his fame and honor given as a prince and the son of the daughter of Pharaoh. This kind of heart of Moses was deemed to be good in the sight of God and God chose him as the leader of the Exodus.
Suppose a poor man meets a difficult situation, but he is able to overcome it because he has experienced poverty. On the other hand, however, if a rich man begins to experience poverty and financial ruin, it is not easy for him to overcome it because of the mental sufferings that oppress him. To Moses, who had lived as a prince in the royal court for 40 years, a very firm determination was needed in denying his 'self'.
Nonetheless, he chose to go that way of suffering to be with the people of God. Not only would he lose riches, honor, and fame but he also had no idea where to go in the wilderness and what to eat. He had to flee as a refugee who would have been arrested and killed if he was found by Egyptian soldiers.
2. Moses gave thanks to God from his heart when he suffered trials
Moses settled down in the wilderness of Midian after he left the palace of Pharaoh and tended the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law who was a priest of Midian. Now, the trials for Moses started in his heart when all things went well in the wilderness and he had time to look back over his past.
He considered himself as something, but in reality he realized he had nothing and began to feel vanity and frustration. He once lived in luxury as a prince at the royal house, but now, when he found his hands empty, he thought of the vanity of human life.
He came to understand that everything he had enjoyed had been obtainable only because God allowed for it. When he found nothing was gained by his own will, he found that he could gain nothing unless God permitted it. Unlike when he had been in the royal palace, there were not many things he could do as he pleased. But he was never gloomy or pessimistic about his situation. Rather he just thoroughly humbled himself.
How would we feel if we were in Moses' shoes? Suppose we gained trust from the Pharaoh and received love from everybody, and had everything. But one day we lost all we had had and became a refugee. Would we humble ourselves and only give thanks?
He never missed the past and the luxurious life. He never regretted his choice. He didn't regret it and walked the path he had chosen in joy and thankfulness. He was neither frustrated nor sorrowful. Instead, he had a new viewpoint of himself in finding his true self. He strengthened a firm assurance of the existence of God, saying to himself, "I'm nothing but God is great and He is alive for sure."
He realized that he could not even have kept his breath if God hadn't protected him, so he was thankful for everything. He was grateful for food to eat even though he spent wearisome days tendering the flock of Jethro. He gave thanks for a place to lie down. And he had to sleep in the desert in the midst of the cool dew for a short time, but he was thankful even for that brief rest.
He was thankful for being able to walk about freely. He did not consider anything as his own possession. From that moment when he realized the vanity of human life, deep thanks to God sprang out of his heart.
Like explained above, Moses passed trials with thanks and became a full and completely humble man before God. When he came to possess such an absolute faith in God, God finally called him and gave him a great mission.
As a leader of the Israelites' Exodus, God wanted not Moses the confident prince of Egypt but Moses the shepherd of the wilderness who completely humbled himself. This is because God's providence is fulfilled through men who destroy their own thoughts and obey perfectly.
We should remember that God deemed Moses to be good when he trusted God and was thankful for everything during trials. Let's check what kind of response we have shown in trials. Have you complained about your trials saying, "Why should I suffer this severe trial?" Have you felt disheartened or frustrated?
It was as many as 40 years for which Moses had lived as nothing tending the flock in the desert of Midian. He never became discouraged though nobody recognized him, but was humble and really thankful for each and every one of the circumstances and situations. When he emptied himself thoroughly in that way, God called him and made him lead the people of Israel out of Egypt.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Proverbs 17:3 reads, "The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests hearts." Therefore, I hope that all of you humble yourselves and give thanks in everything just as Moses felt thankful from his heart even in trials. I pray in the name of the Lord that by doing so you will come forth as proper and precious vessels and glorify God.
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