How does God's anger in Exodus 4:14 reveal His expectations for obedience? Setting the scene Moses has spent two chapters answering God’s call at the burning bush with excuses: – “Who am I?” (3:11) – “What if they don’t believe me?” (4:1) – “I am slow of speech” (4:10) – “Please send someone else” (4:13) God answers every objection with assurance, signs, and promise. Moses’ continued reluctance cues the moment in 4:14. Reading Exodus 4:14 “Then the anger of the LORD burned against Moses, and He said, ‘Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And even now he is on his way to meet you; when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.’” What ignites God’s anger? • Repeated resistance after clear revelation • Doubt of God’s sufficiency in spite of miracles (staff, leprous hand, water-to-blood) • A heart that prefers comfort to commission Moses isn’t striking a single moment of hesitation; he is inching toward refusal. God’s “burned” anger shows the crossing of a line: reluctance becomes disobedience. Divine expectations made clear 1. Immediate obedience when His will is unmistakable – Compare Jonah 1:1-3; Luke 9:59-60 2. Trust in His equipping over personal limitations – 2 Corinthians 3:5 “our competence comes from God” 3. Reverence that submits, not bargains – Ecclesiastes 5:2 “Let your words be few before God” 4. Acceptance of the task without shifting responsibility – 1 Samuel 15:22 “To obey is better than sacrifice” Patterns repeated in Scripture • Israel at Kadesh-barnea (Numbers 14): clear command, refusal, divine anger • King Saul (1 Samuel 15): partial obedience provokes God’s rejection • Zacharias (Luke 1:18-20): doubt at Gabriel’s word results in discipline Each episode echoes Exodus 4: when God speaks plainly, hesitation dishonors Him. Takeaways for everyday obedience – God’s anger underscores that delayed or negotiated obedience is disobedience. – He graciously provides help (Aaron) but doesn’t relax the mission; expectations remain. – Our perceived inadequacies never justify refusal; they spotlight God’s strength. – Obedience safeguards intimacy; stubbornness invites discipline (Hebrews 12:6). – The account urges quick, trust-filled responses to God’s revealed will in Scripture, confident He supplies what He commands. |
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