What role does humility play in God's preparation, as seen in Moses' exile? Setting the Scene: Acts 7:29 in Context • Acts 7:29: “At this remark, Moses fled to the land of Midian, where he lived as a foreigner and had two sons.” • Stephen reminds his listeners that Moses, after imagining he could deliver Israel by his own strength (Acts 7:23-25; Exodus 2:11-12), is forced into forty years of exile. • That exile is not wasted time; it becomes God’s chosen furnace to forge humility into the future deliverer. The Midian Desert: God’s Classroom of Humility • Stripped of royal privilege. Moses moves from palace to pasture, exchanging titles for a shepherd’s staff (Exodus 2:15; 3:1). • Hidden years. Forty years of obscurity silence the applause of Egypt and drown out self-reliance. • Daily dependence. In a harsh desert, every drink, grazing spot, and safe night testifies that survival is the Lord’s gift, not human ingenuity. • Family responsibility. Marriage and fatherhood (Exodus 2:21-22) teach service before leadership. Marks of Humility God Cultivated in Moses • Teachable spirit: admitting “I need to learn” replaces earlier confidence in personal strength. • Meekness: Scripture later records, “Moses was a very humble man, more so than any man on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). • Reverent fear: the burning bush encounter (Exodus 3:2-6) shows a man quick to remove sandals in awe. • Honest self-assessment: “Please, Lord, I am not eloquent” (Exodus 4:10) flows from genuine recognition of limitation, not false modesty. Why Humility Was Essential for the Mission • Authority under authority. Only a man bowed low before God can stand firm before Pharaoh (Exodus 5–10). • Patience with a stubborn people. Forty years of shepherding sheep prepare Moses to shepherd Israel’s complaints (Exodus 16:2; Numbers 14:2). • Intercession rooted in compassion. Humility allows Moses to plead for the people instead of seeking personal vindication (Exodus 32:11-14). • Endurance in leadership. Pride breaks under constant pressure; humility flexes and endures. Scripture’s Broader Witness on Humility and Preparation • Deuteronomy 8:2: Israel’s own wilderness years mirror Moses’: “to humble and test you.” • 1 Peter 5:6: “Humble yourselves… that He may exalt you in due time.” God’s pattern remains unchanged. • James 4:6: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Grace flows downhill to the lowly. • Isaiah 66:2: The Lord looks with favor on “the one who is humble and contrite.” Key Takeaways for Today • God rarely rushes the shaping of a servant; hidden seasons are integral, not incidental. • The desert is not punishment but preparation when God is present. • Humility equips a leader to carry both authority and compassion without collapsing under either. • Exaltation is God’s prerogative; our part is to bow low and stay teachable. Summing It Up Moses’ exile demonstrates that humility is God’s chosen groundwork for significant kingdom assignments. Acts 7:29 captures the turning point: flight to Midian becomes the doorway into a forty-year lesson where pride is dismantled and dependence on the Lord is learned. When the time is right, a humbled shepherd emerges as Israel’s deliverer—proof that God exalts only after He has first humbled. |
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