“Now then, go; I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” (Ex. 3:10)

Moses was the greatest figure in the Old Testament. It was evident from his very birth that he was destined for greatness. His parents were from the tribe of Levi, the caste of devout priests.  Born a tiny baby, he was forced to be hidden in the River Nile. Unlike all other Jewish baby boys, Moses was rescued from the water by Pharaoh’s own daughter. His mother disguised herself as his wet nurse. After that, Moses was raised in the Egyptian royal palace, a place of schooling and education for future leaders and officials. Clearly, Moses was the ‘complete package’: born into a devout Hebrew family and educated in the wisdom of the Egyptian court. He was indeed well-suited to be a negotiator between two nations: Egypt and Israel, the coloniser and the colonised. 

His leadership instincts became apparent when he was forced to kill an Egyptian who was oppressing a Hebrew, a fellow countryman. He was sensitive to injustice and could not bear to witness oppression. When he tried to separate two quarreling Hebrews, his role as a mediator was rejected. Moses had to flee, as Pharaoh was seeking to kill him. Thus he became a fugitive, living in the wilderness (reportedly for 40 years), marrying and becoming a shepherd. He lived in safety: far from the pursuit of the ruler, and also far from the suffering of his own people. It turned out that the LORD had a different plan. His leadership talents were to be put to use. His sensitivity to injustice was the foundation for God’s greater plan. 

God revealed Himself to Moses through a sign: a burning bush that was not consumed by the fire! Note Moses’ reaction. He immediately wanted to investigate and find out what he was seeing. He left his flock to investigate the mystery of God’s sign. He stopped and took a different path. The LORD uses people who are open to stepping away from their daily routines, who are willing to take a different path, who are always curious and keen to investigate what they see. Many people have eyes but do not see, or see but do not care, making no effort to understand more deeply. Moses was different. Therefore, the LORD chose him to be taught to see as He does. Moses had to see through the eyes of the LORD: “Indeed, I have observed the suffering of My people in the land of Egypt. I have heard their cries caused by their taskmasters. Indeed, I am aware of their suffering…” (Ex. 3:7).

Moses was called to be like a caring God. He was to be moulded to have eyes open to the suffering of his people, ears attuned to the cries and shouts of injustice, and a heart that was sensitive and ready to bring about change. 

However, God’s call is not always readily accepted. There are often objections from human beings. This is a common theme in the Bible. Take, for example, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Gideon, Mary and others; they all had reservations and questions. Moses raised five objections.  He was a fugitive,  and not a gifted speaker. He questioned God’s name. What if the people of Israel did not believe? He put forward every possible reason to refuse God’s mission. But God answered them all. 

God empowers those He has chosen. On the one hand, the task from the Lord is truly great and heavy, exceeding human capacity. Yet on the other hand, the Lord is always with us and helps us, finding a way out, appointing fellow workers, and revealing the abilities we already possess. Human reservations are not a sign of weakness. On the contrary, they demonstrate that our tasks and missions originate entirely from God, not from our own ambitions or interests. Moses’ calling serves as a model for you and me, as servants of the Lord. 

Faces of Mission, Mission Stories in the Holy Scriptures. Rev. Anwar Tjen, Ph.D., Hortensius F. Mandaru, SSL, Budi Ingelina.  Indonesian Bible Society. 2021.