Topical Bible: Rising: Moses

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Moses stands as one of the most pivotal figures in the biblical narrative, embodying the theme of rising in both a literal and spiritual sense. His life, as chronicled in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, illustrates a journey from humble beginnings to becoming the leader and lawgiver of the Israelites.

Early Life and Rise to Leadership

Moses was born during a time of great oppression for the Israelites in Egypt. Pharaoh had decreed that all Hebrew male infants be killed, but through divine providence, Moses was saved. His mother placed him in a basket along the Nile, where he was discovered and adopted by Pharaoh's daughter (Exodus 2:1-10). This act of rising from the waters of the Nile foreshadows his future role in leading the Israelites through the Red Sea.

Raised in the Egyptian court, Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, yet he retained a connection to his Hebrew heritage. His rise to leadership began when he fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave (Exodus 2:11-15). In Midian, God called Moses from the burning bush, commissioning him to lead His people out of bondage (Exodus 3:1-10).

The Exodus and the Giving of the Law

Moses' leadership is most prominently displayed during the Exodus. Through a series of plagues, God demonstrated His power over the Egyptian gods, culminating in the Passover and the Israelites' deliverance from slavery (Exodus 12:1-42). Moses led the people through the Red Sea, where they rose from the depths of despair to the heights of freedom as the waters parted before them (Exodus 14:21-31).

At Mount Sinai, Moses ascended to receive the Law, rising to meet God and bringing down the Ten Commandments to the people (Exodus 19:20; 20:1-17). This moment established the covenant relationship between God and Israel, with Moses serving as the mediator.

Challenges and Faithfulness

Throughout the wilderness journey, Moses faced numerous challenges, including the people's frequent rebellions and complaints. Despite these difficulties, he remained faithful to God's calling. His intercessory prayers often rose to God on behalf of the Israelites, demonstrating his role as a mediator and shepherd (Exodus 32:11-14; Numbers 14:13-19).

Moses' leadership was marked by humility and obedience. Numbers 12:3 describes him as "a very humble man, more so than any man on the face of the earth." His faithfulness is further highlighted in Deuteronomy 34:10-12, which states, "Since that time, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face."

Legacy and Typology

Moses' life and leadership serve as a typology of Christ, the ultimate deliverer and mediator. Just as Moses led the Israelites out of physical bondage, Christ leads believers out of spiritual bondage. Moses' role as a lawgiver points to Christ, who fulfills the Law and establishes a new covenant.

Moses' rising is not only a account of personal elevation but also a testament to God's power to raise leaders who fulfill His divine purposes. His life continues to inspire faith and obedience, reminding believers of the importance of rising to God's call.

Nave's Topical Index

Exodus 8:20
And the LORD said to Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; see, he comes forth to the water; and say to him, Thus said the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
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Exodus 9:13
And the LORD said to Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, Thus said the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
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Library

I am Told, Further, that You Touch with Some Critical Sharpness ...
... upon some points of my letter, and, with the well-known wrinkles rising on your ... He
also takes as written by Moses not only the eighty-ninth Psalm which is ...
/.../13 i am told further.htm

How God Appeared to Moses.
... endured both to be set at nought and to suffer, that by dying and rising again He
might conquer death. And that which was said out of the bush to Moses, "I am ...
/.../justin/the first apology of justin/chapter lxiii how god appeared to.htm

The Rod of Moses.
... Had he not been divinely sent? The pow'r was from the LORD alone,. And Moses but
the instrument. ... To ask a blessing for our youth,. The rising generation's hope,. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/hymn 16 the rod of.htm

And the Rulers of the Synagogue, and the Priests and the Levites.. ...
... not seen it; for it is written in the law of the Lord, And Moses died according ... What
is it that Rabbi Simeon said: Lo, he lies for the fall and rising again of ...
/.../unknown/the gospel of nicodemus /chapter 16 and the rulers 2.htm

Messiah Rising from the Dead
... Messiah Rising from the Dead ... All others, Mahomet, Numa, and even Moses himself, blended
their religious institutions with their civil, and by them, obtained ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 1/sermon xxv messiah rising from.htm

The Sun Rising Upon a Dark World
... The Sun Rising upon a Dark World ... The single circumstance of keeping herds of swine,
as the Gadarenes did, seems a proof, that the law of Moses was but little ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 1/sermon viii the sun rising.htm

And the Rulers of the Synagogue, and the Priests and the Levites.. ...
... not seen it; for it is written in the law of the Lord, And Moses died from the ... Symeon
say, when he saw Jesus, "Behold, he lies for the fall and rising again of ...
/.../unknown/the gospel of nicodemus /chapter 16 and the rulers.htm

Aron, Brother of Moses, 486, 487.
... Law, written and unwritten, [665]1; of Moses promises temporal rewards mostly,
[666]445 ... 139; two kinds, ie of the sun and of God, [690]479; rising before light ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/aron brother of moses 486.htm

The Assumption of Moses
... When Joshua heard the words of Moses, we are told, he rent his clothes, and fell ...
Other men are buried in the earth; but thy grave is from the rising to the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the assumption of moses.htm

The Polity Settled by Moses; and How He Disappeared from among ...
... they ought to do, they should erect an altar that should face the rising sun, not ...
and the observation of his laws, and who did not reject what Moses had said ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 8 the polity settled.htm