Indispensable

Many of us know the story of God calling Moses out of the burning bush to go back to Egypt to save the Israelites from captivity.  So... how many of us think that Moses was special, the indispensable GUY, the chosen one for God at the time?  Hands up, me.

So, if Moses was indeed the chosen one, then why did this happen in Exodus 4:22-26?

21 The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’”  24 At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him. 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. 26 So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision.)  Exodus 4:22-26

Puzzling one isn't it?  If Moses was THE GUY, why would God want to kill him?

I thought about it for some time, and here's my take.  Circumcision was a command from God to Moses.  Clearly, Moses must have disobeyed because his son was not circumcised.  Disobedience, as we know = sin.  And sin = punishment.  As a just God, God was meting out judgment on Moses.  Now, put aside the issue of whether the command applies to us today for another day.

The point is that Moses was in a state of disobedience and sin, so God chose not to use him as His instrument.  Supposing Zipporah hadn't stepped in to get her husband out of trouble, do you think the Israelites would have been saved out of Egypt?  Now that THE GUY has been eliminated, what would God do?  Say to the Israelites "Sorry, your hero is indisposed"?

Probably not eh?  I think it's quite clear that God would simply have chosen someone else.  This suggests that contrary to popular belief, Moses couldn't have been indispensable after all.  This doesn't mean Moses was not THE GUY that God chose.  He certainly was.  But if we choose disobedience, God can and will choose someone else.  After all, how can the disobedience of man mess up God's sovereign plan?  We think too highly of ourselves!

So if Moses had continued in disobedience, then all the awesome miracles that Moses later got the chance to see and do - the plagues, the saving of an entire nation out from Pharoah's fist, the parting of the Red Sea, the pillar of cloud and fire, the manna, the tablets of the law, even seeing God Himself on Sinai... all that would have gone to someone else.

God has a plan for everyone of us.  We are HIS GUY in the places and times He has put us in.  He has prepared for us His mercy, so that in our lives we may see His mighty salvation for us and our family and friends.  He has put in our hands His power so that we may part seas of obstacles for the advancement of His kingdom.  He has marked the path with His Word and His wonders, so that we may see His pillar of cloud by day and His pillar of fire by night.  He has torn the veil so that we may see Him face to face.

But if we choose not to be His guy, then He'll just give it to someone else.  Don't wait till it's too late.  Let's grasp this glorious destiny (and remind your wife, like Zipporah, to help keep you on the right path too :)).

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