Our Failures Are In God's Plan

Too often, we try to take things into our own hands. We see a leak, grab the wrench, and four hours later, we're calling the plumber or our father-in-law to come and fix the problem. What could've been a quick fix for the right person becomes a frustrating nightmare of a problem that costs us time, energy, and more money than we'd like to spend.

Some of you learn quickly not to get in over your heads. Others of us have to keep hearing the same lecture over and over again because we're hard-headed. Moses can resonate with those of us who are slow to learn. His first passionate outburst is on full display in Exodus 2:11-15.

Moses' Passion
At forty years old, Moses decided to go out to his people and look upon their burdens. Imagine the grief he must've felt to see his flesh and blood relatives subjected to the horrific evils of Egyptian slavery. As he watched, he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew who was "one of his people" (v. 11). The English doesn't fully convey it, but the Hebrew root word "nakah" carries with it the idea of beating someone to inflict injury, sometimes even to death. In what seems to be a mixture of passion, justice, and rage, Moses looked one way, then another, and he "struck down" (nakah) the Egyptian in defense of his relative. To cover up what he did, Moses buried the man's body in the sand.

For centuries, biblical interpreters have debated whether Moses was in the wrong or not. Opposing Moses' actions, Alec Motyer, a well-known scholar and lover of the Old Testament, says, "Humanly speaking, we would say Moses promptly got it all wrong and set God's [program] back by forty years." In defense of Moses, John Calvin said that he "was armed by God's command.” Acts 7 sheds light that at least Moses' motives were to "defend the oppressed man" and avenge him (Acts 7:24-25). Hebrews 11 seems to show that Moses did this to "be mistreated with the people of God" rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin and the treasures of Egypt (Hebrews 11:24-26).

It seems that Moses' desires were good, but his actions went too far. Yet, even if we take the stance that Moses was justified in the killing, we ought not to take it as a command or example for us to follow. Rather, Paul later calls us to "never avenge yourselves but leave it to the wrath of God" (Rom. 12:19). His "heart" (Acts 7:23) was set on forsaking his Egyptian rights to suffer with Israel, something that points to Jesus forsaking the riches of heaven to become poor for those who trust in Him (2 Cor 8:9).
 
Moses' Detour
The next day, Moses saw two of his Hebrew brothers fighting, and he asked the one in the wrong, "Why do you strike (nakah) your companion?" (v. 13). The Hebrew aggressor then asked, "Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" (v. 14). Uh-oh. What Moses thought was his big secret had already spread and would soon have Pharaoh coming for his neck—something he'd already escaped once! Moses was afraid because his murder had been made known, and he fled to Midian after hearing that Pharaoh was after him.

What a mess Moses was in! Yet it's hard to fault him for his passion

.As a black man, it's tough to fathom what it must've felt like for a free slave to see an enslaved African in America. Oh, what grief and anger a Jew must've felt toward the Nazis! The consequences of Moses' violence led him to a forty-year detour. Unlike Joseph, his actions got him in trouble, but just like Joseph, God was up to something.

God meant it all for good. In Midian, Moses found a wife, Zipporah, and had two sons. He found a father-in-law, Reuel (also called Jethro). He learned to shepherd as he dwelt among a people described by Philip Ryken as "a tribe of desert nomads." If you look ahead to Exodus 3, you'll even see that God used the wilderness in Midian to prepare Moses for his next season of ministry in the wilderness with Israel. What gracious providence God was working out in the life of Moses during this forty-year wilderness detour in Midian!

God's Preparation
Zooming back out, we see that in those forty years, the king of Egypt died. The people of Israel still groaned under slavery, and they cried out to God for help! Close your eyes and imagine a mother and a father crying out to God as their young children slave away making pyramid bricks for a wicked king! They needed rescue.

As always, God was at work behind the scenes, preparing His hero to lead Israel out of Egypt. Their cry came up to God, and like a father who rushes to rescue his injured, God rushed in to save the day! The covenant-keeping God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob "saw the people of Israel—and God knew" (v. 25). He didn't just know factually. He knew intimately.

Just as God knew the suffering of Israel under the weight of the harsh Egyptian taskmasters, He also knew our suffering under sin. We were under a cruel master who controlled our hearts and actions, but God came down to us through His Son and made a way for us. By His Spirit, we received new hearts and a new master, one who is gentle, lowly, and righteous! The God who heard is the God who hears today. The covenant-keeping God of Israel keeps His new covenant that was ushered in by the blood of Christ. Cry out to Him for help! He knows.

Reflection Questions

1. How have you seen righteous passion in your heart spill over into unrighteous actions?
2. Do you think Moses was in the right to avenge the Egyptian for his actions?
3. How have you seen God work behind the scenes in your life despite some big mistake you’ve made? How did you feel while you were in the midst of the situation?
4. How does the gospel remind us that God truly knows our sorrows?
5. How does the deep knowledge and care of God help you love and trust Him more, especially in moments of trials and suffering?

Prayer Points

1. Pray for eyes to see. Ask God to help you recognize the oppression occurring in the lives of people in your community. Weep with those who weep as they face the burden of injustice.
2. Seek both zeal and self-control. Pray that God would grant you zeal for righteousness and justice, while also providing you with self-control. When you experience righteous emotions, pray that Satan would not exploit them for evil purposes.
3. Express gratitude to God for His grace, despite your shortcomings. Thank Him that even when you fall short, He is merciful and gracious towards you. In His presence, reflect on times when you deserved punishment and suffering but received mercy instead.
4. Pour out your heart to God. If you are weighed down by trials, sin, or hardships, cry out to God. As you pray, acknowledge God's faithfulness to those who are in Christ. Be still and know that He is God.

Photo by Laura Meinhardt: https://www.pexels.com/photo/lone-house-in-the-wilderness-16102240/x