What can we learn from Moses' actions when he "was forty years old"? The Moment Scripture Highlights “When he was forty years old, Moses decided to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. And when he saw one of them being mistreated, he defended him and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian” (Acts 7:23-24). What Moses Actually Did • Stepped away from palace life and identified with an enslaved people. • Observed an Egyptian abusing a Hebrew and intervened violently. • Expected his fellow Hebrews to recognize his calling to deliver them (Acts 7:25). • Attempted to reconcile two quarreling Hebrews the next day (Acts 7:26-27). • Fled to Midian after Pharaoh sought his life (Exodus 2:15). Positive Takeaways • Courage to leave worldly privilege—“By faith Moses, when he was grown, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter” (Hebrews 11:24-26). • Genuine identification with God’s covenant people, foreshadowing Christ who “is not ashamed to call them brothers” (Hebrews 2:11). • Sensitivity to injustice—“He saw one of them being mistreated… went to his defense” (Acts 7:24). True leadership begins with compassion. Cautionary Insights • Zeal without God’s timing can harm. Moses’ method (striking down the Egyptian) forced a forty-year detour (Exodus 2:15; Acts 7:30). • Relying on fleshly strength cannot accomplish divine purposes—“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6). • Expecting instant recognition of a call often leads to disappointment (Acts 7:25). God’s approval outweighs human affirmation. How God Used the Failure • Midian became the classroom where Moses learned humility (Numbers 12:3) and shepherd-leadership (Exodus 3:1). • Forty years of tending sheep prepared him to shepherd Israel through the wilderness. • The burning bush encounter (Exodus 3) shows that divine commissioning follows surrender, not self-appointment. Living the Lessons • Choose identification with Christ and His people over temporary worldly status. • Confront injustice, yet wait for God’s means and moment. • Let setbacks refine, not define; God can redeem missteps into future ministry. • Cultivate patience—God may be shaping unseen qualities today for tomorrow’s assignment. |
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