What can we learn from Moses' obedience in Exodus 10:13? Setting the Scene: Exodus 10:13 “So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD directed an east wind upon the land all that day and through the night; by morning the east wind had brought the locusts.” The Shape of Moses’ Obedience • Immediate —He obeyed “so” quickly after hearing God’s command (Exodus 10:12). • Specific —He did exactly what the LORD said: stretch out the staff, nothing more, nothing less. • Public —His act happened before Pharaoh’s court and the watching nation. • Dependent —Moses’ action alone could not summon locusts; God supplied the power. Why Obedience Matters • Releases God’s power. Moses lifted a staff; God moved an east wind (cf. Joshua 3:13-16). • Confirms God’s word. Each plague validated God’s earlier promise (Exodus 7:5). • Confronts idolatry. The locusts devastated Egypt’s crops, exposing their gods of agriculture (Exodus 10:15; Numbers 33:4). • Shapes the servant. Repeated obedience trained Moses for harder tasks ahead (Exodus 14:16). Principles to Live By • Obey first, understand later. Like Moses, we often grasp God’s purposes only after we act (Proverbs 3:5-6). • Small acts, big impact. A simple gesture can unleash divine intervention (Luke 16:10). • God honors precision. Partial compliance is disobedience (1 Samuel 15:22). • Public faith strengthens others. Visible obedience encourages God’s people and confronts unbelief (Matthew 5:16). Christ Foreshadowed Moses’ lifted staff prefigures Christ lifted on the cross (John 3:14-15). One obedient act became the channel of deliverance, proving Hebrews 5:8 true: “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered.” Steps for Today • Read Scripture carefully; listen for specific directions. • Act promptly on what you know God has already revealed. • Trust God to supply the power and results beyond your capacity. • Let your obedience stand in the open, pointing observers to the faithfulness of God (Philippians 2:15-16). Obedience in Exodus 10:13 shows that when God’s servant simply does what God says, heaven’s resources move, idolatry falls, and faith is strengthened—then and now. |
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