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CALL OF MOSES
The call of Moses is a significant and captivating event in religious history that plays a pivotal role in the stories and teachings of multiple faiths, particularly Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Moses, one of the most prominent figures in the Bible, is called by God to carry out a divine mission of great magnitude and significance.
According to the biblical accounts, Moses was originally an Israelite who was born at a time when the Pharaoh of Egypt had ordered the killing of all Hebrew male infants. In an extraordinary turn of events, Moses was spared from this fate and was raised as an Egyptian prince, unaware of his true heritage. However, as Moses grew older, he became aware of the suffering and oppression of his fellow Israelites, which ignited a deep sense of justice within him.
The call of Moses occurred when he was tending to a flock of sheep in the wilderness near Mount Horeb, also known as Mount Sinai. Here, Moses came across a burning bush that was engulfed in flames but unconsumed by the fire. As he approached the extraordinary sight, he heard the voice of God calling out to him from within the burning bush. This encounter was profoundly awe-inspiring and marked the beginning of Moses' divine commission.
God commanded Moses to remove his sandals, as the ground he stood on was considered holy. Then, the Lord revealed that He had witnessed the suffering and heard the cries of the Israelites in their bondage under the Egyptians. God expressed His plan to deliver them from their oppressors and bring them into a land flowing with milk and honey, the Promised Land.
Overwhelmed with a sense of humility and doubt in his abilities, Moses questioned God's choice, expressing his own limitations in speech and uncertainty about being the right person for this mission. However, God assured Moses that He would be with him, guiding his words, and providing signs and wonders to affirm His presence and power.
Reluctantly, Moses accepted his divine calling, setting in motion a series of remarkable events that would lead to the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. Moses became the leader, prophet, and mediator between God and the Israelites, delivering God's commandments and guiding the nation on their arduous journey through the wilderness toward the Promised Land.
The call of Moses exemplifies several significant themes in religious teachings. It emphasizes the idea that God often chooses unlikely individuals to carry out His plans, thereby highlighting His sovereignty and the significance of faith over personal shortcomings. Additionally, the call of Moses demonstrates the compassion of God, who heard the cries of His people and intervened to bring about their liberation.
The story of Moses' call also holds important lessons about personal growth, responsibility, and courage. Moses initially doubted his ability to fulfill God's mission but eventually overcame his insecurities through divine guidance and support. This serves as an inspiration to individuals facing daunting tasks or challenges, reminding them to trust in a higher power and their own potential to accomplish great things.
The call of Moses serves as a powerful narrative of faith, liberation, and the transformative power of obedience. Its influence extends far beyond religious circles, leaving a lasting impact on individuals seeking guidance, purpose, and the strength to confront adversity.
The Israelites Experiences in Egypt
After the death of Joseph, a new Egyptian dynasty emerged. This dynasty regarded the Hebrews as political danger in the land and so reduced them to the condition of slaves.
The Israelites who were now quite numerous were oppressed under Serti I (1310-1290) and Rameses II (1290-124), and forced to do hard labor such as painting of frescoes Rekhmre’s tomb (15th century), and making of bricks. To break their spirits and at the same time, utilize their labour force (Ex 1:8ff), the people were subjugated to more hard
works. This measure in the end was not regarded as adequate measure and so the Pharaoh ordered that all male children born to the Israelites should be put to death. It was during this time of suffering and death that God decided to send deliverers to the people of Israel who will take them out of the land of Egypt to the promise land of Canaan.
God then chose Moses leader to accomplish this noble task. The tradition that the Israelites were slaves in Egypt is confirmed by the Old Testament, in the Exodus events, which constitute the central pivot or element in the later religion of Israel (cf. Deut. 6:31-35; Deut. 26:5-9).
Preparation for Moses Career
The career of Moses falls into three periods of forty years of training and preparation in Egypt. The second period was spent in the land of Midian, and was a time of unconscious preparation. The third was the period of actual accomplishment of his task.
The story of his preservation as a child from harm is not without parallels in the
traditions of other people than the Hebrews. That, a woman, should seek to save her child from death was natural. That, a woman should put him in the basket of papyrus reeds and placed him by the bank of river Nile where women came to bathe, shows the
resourcefulness of a mother’s love. That, an Egyptian princess should show pity for a helpless infant, and arrange for his nurture needs is not a romantic story telling. And if it to be objected that permission would never have been given by Pharaoh for the nurture of a Hebrew child within his own household in violation of his own decree, the rejoinder may be made that there was no occasion to regard one child as a political danger. So, Moses with his own mother as a nurse was brought up in the royal household and in due course instructed in all the wisdom of Egypt.
Moses patriotism
Moses patriotism is clearly manifested in his refusal to be called son of Pharaoh’s
daughter and shared in the sufferings of his people thus showing them patriotism when he killed the Egyptian who was beating his kin’s man. He taught his fellow Jews to remain faithful always in the saving power of God. In all circumstances, Moses kept God’s commandments and showed love to his fellow Jews by constantly interceding to
God for them as a faithful leader.
Moses personal character and leadership qualities
Moses had many desirable personal and leadership qualities which made him a
successful and accomplished leader in Israel. These personal and leadership qualities include: (a) Obedient (Ex 5:1-5,
7:6; 14:16, 21,27). (b) Funnel and flexibility (Ex. 32:9-13). (c) Confidence in God’s strength (Ex 14:13- 14). (d) Trustworthy leader (Ex 14:31). (e) Patient (Ex 14:1-4). (f) Communicated with God formally (Ex 5:22-23). These aforementioned personal and leadership qualities made Moses a successful leader. Jochebed taught him (Moses), God’s way as a child (Ex 6:20). For example, He murder of the Egyptian taught him that he could not liberate
his people by himself. He learned humility and survival skills as an exile.
Moses as a Successful Leader
Moses accepted God’s call with reluctance and his forty years in the desert had destroyed all the ambitions and pride in him. He was not afraid to express his frustration and honest feelings to God (Ex 5:22-23).He was obedient to God (Ex 7:6). He trusted
God and did not complain of the people as discouraging him (Ex 14:10-14). He was teachable. And so did not feel too big to take godly instruction from those beneath him (Ex 18). He was willing to even die for the sins of the people (Ex 32:32). He was more concerned about God’s reputation than his own (Ex 32:11-13; Num 14:13-16). He prayed for his people and interceded for them (Ex 21:11-13; Num 14:19). He stood for the truth and refused to compromise in spite of pressure and popular opinion (Num 14).
Saving the people was more important for Moses than his personal reward or ambition (Num 14:12).He instituted for Jewish history, a new form of leadership and was a servant of God, not a strong man who ruled by military power or accumulated wealth.
The Problem of Moses with Egyptian Authority
Despite all these personal and leadership qualities, Moses still consider his task of
delivering the Hebrew people from the bondage as not an easy one. He had two great problems to face. The first problem was how to make the impossible Pharaoh to allow the Israelites go. The second problem was how to persuade the people themselves that they could and must leave Egypt (Ex 3:19; 5:1-13). Moses had the assurance of God’s help and he soon had the need of it. The people were fearful and have lost consciousness of their mission as a race (Ex 1410; Num 13:31-14:4). For long, they had been slaves, and their confidence in themselves had been destroyed by the years of servitude. They were completely defeated and demoralized and Moses was to build up their morale, persuade them that they could and must leave Egypt. With strong courage, Moses
appeared before the Pharaoh to get his consent for their people to leave Egypt.
The Ten plagues
The order of ten plagues is as follows (1) water turned to blood, (2) Frogs, (3) Lice, (4) Flies, (5) Murrain, (6) Boils, (7) Hail, (8) Locusts, (9) Darkness, (10) Death of the firstborn of animals and human beings.
The Exodus from Egypt
The departure from Egypt is one of the fundamentals of Israel’s faith, along with the creation and election of Abraham. The exodus account is very central in the both political and religious history of the people of Israel. It portrays them to have lived or sojourned in the land of Egypt, where God, out of his own saving grace took them out of the land of slavery to the promised land of Canaan. The exact date when the Exodus from Egypt took place is still disputed. The arguments for dating the Exodus even in the 15th century B.C are being more and more discounted, while those indicating the 13th century B.C. are gaining found and adherent.
Crossing of the Red Sea
As the host of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt, deliverance was to be
completed, only after the crossing of the Red Sea (Ex 7:41). The crossing of the “sea of Reeds” was to place the children of Israel finally beyond Egyptian domination. After their first confusion, the Egyptian pulled themselves together, and rushed in pursuit of the Hebrews, but just as their situation became critical, God intervened to save his
people. When Pharaoh drew near: The people of Israel cried out to the Lord…Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and the Lord driven the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. The Egyptians pursued and went in after them, with all Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and his horsemen. And in the morning watch the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down upon the host of the Egyptians, and discomfited the host of the Egyptians, dogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. Then the Lord said to Moses: “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariot and upon their horsemen”.
So Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its wonted flow when the morning appeared, and the Egyptians fled into it, and the Lord routed the Egyptians in the midst of the sea…not so much as one of them remain.
The conquest of Canaan
At a point later, they crossed the Jordan River and began the conquest of Canaan itself.
According to the book of Joshua, chapter 7:, the conquest was completed in the three stages:
(a) Campaign in the centre (Joshua 7:9)
(b) Campaign in the south (Joshua 10)
(c) Campaign in the North (Joshua 11).
Wandering in the Desert
However, between the Exodus and the point of entry into Canaan, the Israelites were wandering in the Sinai Peninsula. It was at Sinai that God revealed himself to them and entered into union with them, establishing a covenant which spelled out the terms of their reciprocal relationship.
This Peninsula claimed to contain mountain which is regarded sacred and frequented by Pilgrims even before the advent of Christ. Some had suggested its location in NorthWestern Arabia called Median because it contains Volcanoes, since the Old Testament picture of Sinai is that of volcanoes. Some suggested the northern portion of Sinai because some Old Testament passages suggest Kadesh to which Old Testament wandering names are associated. No one however seems to know neither the actual
location of the route taken by the Israelites during the wandering nor even the location of the places named in the account of the wandering. In the biblical narrative, there are materials of early and late traditions and we are not in a position to say exactly what the
details were but all the Old Testament says is that it was at this time and place that Israel received the law and covenant
The Covenant on Mount Sinai
Nevertheless, the general picture of Moses as the founder of Israel’s religion is probably accurate because such leaders were required by the people at Sinai. Moses is portrayed as introducing the worship of Yahweh to the Israelites.
The question then arises; how did Moses himself come about the worship of Yahweh? Yahweh had his first encounter
with Moses during his first visit to the mount. This could imply that Yahweh was located at Sinai and worshipped there by other people before the time of Moses. These other people may have become the knits clan to whom Moses’ father in-law belongs. Jethro may have been a worshiper of Yahweh. This possibility that Moses learnt the worship of Yahweh from the Kenites is called the Kenite Hypothesis. Though this is probable,
it may not be true.
The Israelites Experiences in Canaan
Israel as a people with organized twelve tribes from regional bases is found only in Canaan. Before that time, they were tribes with no systematic form of organization.
What is found in Canaan as the people Israel is a mixture of different elements. Old Testament gives the impression that all the Israelites were the descendants of the sons of Jacob whose families numbered 70 souls in Egypt. This raises some doubt because apart from the difficulty of so few people producing so many descendants in Egypt, there are statements in Old Testament to the effect that Israelite migrants were such as the Midianites and the Edomites (Exodus 12:37-38). Israel also absorbed groups which he found already living in Canaan. This she did, either by conquest or absorption or through peaceful negotiation with the tribes on their own volition. A famous example of this is the treaty which Israel sought with the Gibeonites in Joshua 9:3). Also, the fact
that several Canaanite cities are listed in Joshua as part of the tribe of Manasseh
indicated that Gibeon was not the only Canaanite group absorbed into Israel. Shechem which later became the tribal capital of Israel belongs to this group.
The Hittite Treaty
It begins in a preamble in which the king identifies himself, followed by a prologue in which he speaks in the first person. He mentions what he has done for his
vassals and the things for which the vassals ought to be grateful. The second section contains a statement of obligation to be imposed on the vassal who includes complete loyalty to the king and respect to other vassals. The payment of tributes and military service to be rendered by the vassals are also stipulated. Added to this is the submission of legal disputes with other vassals of the king. Provision is made for keeping a copy of the treaty in the shrine of the vassal and for a public reading of it at regular intervals. Section five all the gods who are witness to the treaty. It closes with section six which contains
all the blessings for obedience to the terms of the treaty and curse for disobedience.
Israelites Tribal Associations
For 200 years in the land of Canaan, Israel had a tribal association based entirely on the covenant. This tribal association traced its origin to the sons of Jacob born by his two wives. At an early period, Levi was given a special provision in Israel but it was ceased
to be part of the twelve tribe’s organizations. To make up for this loss, the tribe of Joseph was divided into two tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. While Manasseh was divided in two parts by her occupation of western and eastern portions of the conquered land, the
organization of the twelve tribes was cantered on the shrine which in the early days was a tent containing the Ark of the Covenant. This tent was located at Shiloh, the centre of Palestine.
Summary
We have seen that Israelites salvation history started with the patriarchs who were the founder of Hebrew people as a race. Through the help of Moses and Aaron, God’s plan of salvation for the people of Israel was to be accomplished. This promise of God which was later ratified by the sign of circumcision of every male child came to be fulfilled in
the birth of Isaac. Thus, the people of Israel departed the land of Egypt between 1300-1200 BC and wandered in the wilderness of sin before crossing the red sea into the promise land of Canaan.