The book of Job would properly be placed here in the timeline - between Genesis and Exodus. The book of Jasher relates that Job was one of Pharaoh's counselors and gave him advice concerning the Hebrew slaves.
Quite a bit has happened to the descendants of the sons of Jacob. For a while they reigned in Egypt (Lower Egypt - in the North - remember the Nile runs south to north) but now as the biblical record continues, they are enslaved. There is a new king (from Upper Egypt who invaded Lower Egypt) in power who did not know about Joseph. This new king ordered the death of the baby boys in a effort to control the population of the Hebrew slaves.
A baby boy, later to be known as Moses, was born to Levite parents. He was a "fine child". KJV says he was a "goodly" child. Was he one of those "easy" babies who don't cry very often? Is so, it would be easier to hide him, at least for the first few months.
Notice the verse about Pharaoh ordering that all baby boys be thrown into the Nile. Moses' mother was obedient to the order. She did add a little detail however when she placed him in a basket first. When Moses was found by Pharaoh’s daughter, she gave him back to his mother to take care of him, and not only take care of him, but she paid Moses’ mother to do it! Isn’t it just like God? He does more for us than we could ever imagine!
How did Pharaoh's daughter know Moses was a Hebrew baby? Could it be because he was circumcised? Was Moses wrapped in a cloth that would identify him as Hebrew?
As an adult, Moses killed an Egyptian slave master and as a result fled from Egypt and into Midian. This area is between Edom and Paran, east of Egypt across the Red Sea and far south of the Dead Sea. There are many historians who believe that there were God-believing people living there when Moses arrived. In fact Moses married the daughter of a priest of Midian. This priest of Midian is known by two names, Jethro and Reuel. Jasher also relates that at one time Jethro lived in Egypt and was also one of Pharaoh's counselors.
Many years later in the land of Midian God speaks to Moses from a burning bush.
The angel of the Lord appeared to Moses from within a bush. God spoke to Moses from within the bush. Can we connect some dots here???
Our granddaughter, age 5 when retelling this story, related that God told Moses to take off his sandals because they were on fire.
God asked Moses to go to Egypt to bring the Israelites out. Moses offered up:
EXCUSES, EXCUSES, EXCUSES
1. Moses: "Who am I that I should go?"
God: "I will go with you."
2. Moses: "What is your name?"
God: "I AM."
3. Moses: "What if they don't believe me?"
God: "You will show them signs and wonders."
4. Moses: "I don't speak very well."
God: "I will help you speak."
5. Moses’ fifth excuse as to why he couldn’t go was “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”
At this final excuse, the Lord's anger burned against Moses and so God says He will send Moses' brother Aaron. Of course, Aaron was already on his way. Interestingly there is an account in some ancient Jewish writings that tell how Moses injured himself as a small child when he put a burning coal in his mouth making him "heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue." However, Act 7:22 relates And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was mighty in words and in deeds.
Pay very close attention to the staff that is mentioned over the next few days' readings. There is great significance to this staff.
God also told Moses that He would harden Pharaoh's heart. But we find out later that there is a reason for this hardening of the heart. God gave Moses His entire plan, from beginning to end, including the final plague.
Going back to Moses' excuses, can we draw some conclusions concerning ourselves? How often have all of us offered up the same or similar excuses when God calls us to do His work?
We must remember that God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called!
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