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Not God’s Way, March 17
Exodus 2:11-15
And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was
mighty in words and in deeds.
Acts 7:22
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Moses supposed that his education in the wisdom of Egypt had fully qualified
him to lead Israel from bondage. Was he not learned in all the things necessary
for a general of armies? Had he not had the greatest advantages of the best
schools in the land?—Yes: he felt that he was able to deliver them. He first set
about his work by trying to gain the favor of his own people by redressing their
wrongs. He killed an Egyptian who was imposing upon one of his brethren. In
this he manifested the spirit of him who was a murderer from the beginning,
and proved himself unfit to represent the God of mercy, love, and tenderness.
He made a miserable failure of his first attempt. Like many another, he then
immediately lost his confidence in God, and turned his back upon his appointed
work; he fled from the wrath of Pharaoh. He concluded that because of his
mistake ... God would not permit him to have any part in the work of delivering
His people from their cruel bondage. But the Lord permitted these things that
He might be able to teach him the gentleness, goodness, long-suffering, which it
is necessary for every laborer for the Master to possess....
In the very height of his human glory the Lord permitted Moses to reveal the
foolishness of man’s wisdom, the weakness of human strength, that he might
be led to understand his utter helplessness, and his inefficiency without being
upheld by the Lord Jesus
In slaying the Egyptian, Moses had fallen into the same error so often
committed by his fathers, of taking into their own hands the work that God
has promised to do. It was not God’s will to deliver His people by warfare, as
Moses thought, but by His own mighty power, that the glory might be ascribed
to Him alone. Yet even this rash act was overruled by God to accomplish His
purposes. Moses was not prepared for his great work. He had yet to learn the
same lesson of faith that Abraham and Jacob had been taught—not to rely upon
human strength or wisdom, but upon the power of God for the fulfillment of His
promises
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27
Fundamentals of Christian Education, 342-344
.
28
Patriarchs and Prophets, 247
.
84