The Resurrection of a Misfit Leader: How Moses Became a Great Leader in Forty Short Years
The Resurrection of a Misfit Leader
How Moses Became a Great Leader in Forty Short Years
Larry R Evans
December 25, 2021
Some Highlights from Our Study of Deuteronomy
We are now coming to the end of our study of Deuteronomy. It’s been a rewarding experience with many applications for our lives today. A few of the insights that have emerged are:
· When taken as a whole, it is the longest sermon in the Bible.
· It is not so much a 2nd law as much as a reapplication of certain laws.
· It is not a political treaty but rather a covenant between God and His people.
· God wanted a people that would be different from the Canaanites in the land to which they were going.
· God can be known and He is faithful to His word.
· God cannot be controlled by what He has created – the worshippers do not control their Creator
· Deuteronomy is foremost a book about God’s grace and His love for the people of Israel.
Introduction
The Man Moses
Given the circumstances, Moses had the best education possible—both from his mother and from the Egyptians. However, his two worlds collided. This became evident when he sought to deliver his people from the Egyptian bondage by murdering an Egyptian. Moses did not fit in with either world. A misfit is defined as “a person whose behavior or attitude sets them apart from others in an uncomfortably conspicuous way.” This was true of Moses. It became clear that he had some lessons to learn.
He made a miserable failure of his first attempt [to right the wrongs done to the Israelites by killing the Egyptian]. Like many another, he then immediately lost his confidence in God, and turned his back upon his appointed work; he fled from the wrath of Pharaoh. He concludedthat because of his mistake, his great sin in taking the life of the cruel Egyptian, God would not permit him to have any part in the work of delivering His people from their cruel bondage. But the Lord permitted these things that He might be able to teach him the gentleness, goodness, long-suffering, which it is necessary for every laborer for the Master to possess; for it is these characteristics that constitute the successful workman in the Lord's cause. –Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 342.
Another influential leader, the Apostle Paul, was also a misfit leader. He too had a past that tried to shadow him but he eventually concluded.
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:13,14, NLT)
QUESTION: Why do you think it takes so long for leadership to develop? Does it take longer to develop leaders or followers?
Leaders for God become leaders over time. They may be leaders in the home or society or the Church, but God-fearing leadership often comes after hard lessons are learned.
I have yet to find a parent, teacher, preacher, or administrator who hasn’t thought at some point, “I wish I would have known at the beginning what I know now.” We confess that in all honesty, yet often the past hides the reality: personal growth takes time.
One such person in the Bible is Moses. For him, the real change began at the burning bush, his encounter with God. In his mind, he had failed. His failure brought a crisis into his life. “You want me to do what!” He had tried leading based on a conviction but having convictions is not enough. His response to God, however, showed his brokenness.
But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt? (Exodus 3:11)
Excuses flowed freely:
1. I am a nobody!
2. I don’t know enough!
3. I might fail!
4. I have weaknesses!
QUESTION: Why do we make excuses? Can you think of others?
Once broken by his past actions, Moses concluded he was not fit to lead. So, when God commissioned him, he simply said, “I don’t think I can do this!” The obvious conclusion was easy: End of story. Time to move on! We should remember, however, that we must not try to write the conclusion when God is still adding chapters! Such was the case for the once misfit leader. His surrender to God not only changed him; it would change a whole nation. When God calls, He never asks for a little commitment. He asks for our whole life. This is important because our call is not to create visions for God to fill, but for us to fulfill His vision for His Kingdom! Often it takes a long time to realize this, and God knew this, and He was willing to invest His time in the development of Moses. In the case of Moses and the assignment to which God was calling him, it would take 40 years tending sheep to prepare him. As Isaiah once reminded us, “God’s ways are not our ways” (Isa. 55:8). As with many today, Moses needed to learn that we must allow God to lead.
The Sin After His Calling
Qualified but Not Sanctified
It comes as no surprise that leaders aren’t perfect, and no one expects them to be or at least shouldn’t. However, in times of crisis, leaders must stand firmly on principle. As the Israelites neared the Promised Land the characters of Moses and the people he was leading were tested. In Deuteronomy 32:51 God tells Moses exactly what he and Aaron did wrong. What they did would block them from entering Canaan.
This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Desert of Zin and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites.
QUESTION: What two “principles” did Moses and Aaron break that stopped them from entering Canaan?
1. “you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites”
2. “you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites.”
A leader’s influence is critical. What leaders do is even more important than what they say. The critical moment came when the water stopped flowing when the Israelites reached Kadesh.
The hills of Canaan were visible. Their long journey was nearing the end. Moses was instructed to turn the people northward and enter the land of Edom where they would find food and water. The fact that the flow of water ceased should have been good news. It was a sign that they were nearly there! But unbelief took hold of the people and they complained and threatened a coup.
They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the LORD! Why did you bring the LORD’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? (Numb 20:3-5, NIV)
QUESTION: When circumstances change it is easy for patience to fade and tempers to begin to flare. Why? When are we more likely to reject change?
Moses and Aaron were beside themselves. God knew that and told them what to do.
The LORD said to Moses, “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.” (Number 20:7,8)
But when the time came for Moses to act, his frustration and now anger burst forth.
So, Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. (Numbers 20:9-11)
QUESTIONS: What did Moses do wrong and why was it wrong?
Moses took the rebellion personally and responded accordingly.
The water gushed forth in abundance to satisfy the host. But a great wrong had been done. Moses had spoken from irritated feeling; his words were an expression of human passion rather than of holy indignation because God had been dishonored. “Hear now, ye rebels,” he said. This accusation was true, but even truth is not to be spoken in passion or impatience. . .
Thus the people were given occasion to question whether his past course had been under the direction of God, and to excuse their own sins.—Patriarchs and Prophets, p.417.
QUESTION: Spiritual leadership has been defined as “moving people onto God’s agenda.” (Blackaby). For that to happen, what kind of person should the leader be? What kind of follower is needed?
Note the deeper reasons why the leadership of Moses (and Aaron) was harmful.
1.) To the people, Moses showed a lack of faith in God.
Moses manifested distrust of God. “Shall we bring water?” he questioned, as if the Lord would not do what He promised. “Ye believed Me not,” the Lord declared to the two brothers, “to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel.” At the time when the water failed, their own faith in the fulfillment of God's promise had been shaken by the murmuring and rebellion of the people. (Patriarchs and Prophets, p.417)
2.) Moses and Aaron assumed power that belongs only to God.
More than this, Moses and Aaron had assumed power that belongs only to God. The necessity for divine interposition made the occasion one of great solemnity, and the leaders of Israel should have improved it to impress the people with reverence for God and to strengthen their faith in His power and goodness.
3.) The prophetic picture portraying the sacrifice of Christ was destroyed.
By his rash act, Moses took away the force of the lesson that God purposed to teach. The rock, being a symbol of Christ, had been once smitten, as Christ was to be once offered. The second time it was needful only to speak to the rock, as we have only to ask for blessings in the name of Jesus. By the second smiting of the rock the significance of this beautiful figure of Christ was destroyed. (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 418)
Question: Can leaders use their influence selfishly? Can followers use their resistance selfishly?
Ellen White makes this insightful statement.
Moses and Aaron had felt themselves aggrieved, losing sight of the fact that the murmuring of the people was not against them but against God. It was by looking to themselves, appealing to their own sympathies, that they unconsciously fell into sin, and failed to set before the people their great guilt before God. (Patriarchs and Prophets, p 418-419)
The Resurrection of a Changed Moses
Moses made a terrible mistake at Kadesh, but the legacy of Moses was not to be defined by that mistake. There was accountability, for sure, but the written conclusion to the life of Moses was not about his mistake. It was about the closing moments he had with the One who had called him. Note carefully how God wrote the conclusion . . . or was it a conclusion.
And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. (Deut. 34:5,6)
Think about what had just taken place. The Lord met with Moses alone. There, from the summit of Pisgah, called Mount Nebo, the One who had called Moses to deliver His people, showed Moses the Promised Land. We don’t know what was said but we can imagine the conversation.
“Moses, I had a plan for your life before you were ever born. Satan tried to end it soon after your birth.” And then from there, they must have talked about his training for ministry, his 40 years as a shepherd of sheep, and then the 40 years in the wilderness. They must have shared their love for the people and the promise the Lord had made to Abraham. The Promised Land was just over there but Moses would not be going. We don’t know what the last words were, but we feel the warmth of a long relationship by the recording of the words, “He [the Lord] buried him.” (Deut. 34:6). Whether it was the Lord Himself or the angels (1T:659) we know it cosmic battle was not over. Satan argued that Moses should not, could not be raised! (Jude 9)
Satan fought to end the story on Nebo, but he lost! On what is called the Mount of Transfiguration, we find Moses and Elijah now ministering to the One who had strengthened them. (Matt. 17:2)
At the transfiguration, the Lord sent Moses and Elijah to talk with Jesus concerning His sufferings and death. Instead of choosing angels to converse with His Son, God chose those who had themselves experienced the trials of earth. – Early Writings, p.162.
So, it is today. Those who have faced trials of persecution, sickness, hardships of all kinds, yet have maintained their faith will be used by God to bring encouragement to others. Mistakes made, of course! But it is their faith, not their mistakes that will define them. The testimony of Job has inspired many to keep pressing on, yet Job had no idea how his troubles, faced with faith, would impact generations to come.
Oh, that my words were written!
Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!
That they were engraved on a rock
With an iron pen and lead, forever!
For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:23-28)
And all the people said . . .
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