Regret to Redemption--Moses

Moses is the third most mentioned person in the Bible.  In the Old Testament, he was mentioned approximately 767* times, second only to King David.  In the New Testament, he was mentioned approximately 85* times, not even close to the most mentioned--King Jesus (OBVI).  Moses is known by many focal points in his life story--saved as a baby by the bravery of his mom and sister; found as a baby in a basket- and subsequently raised--by an Egyptian princess; the burning bush; the ten plagues; crossing the Red Sea; the Ten Commandments.  He wrote the first 5 books of the Bible, known as the Torah to the Hebrews.  It would take us months to study all Moses did in his walk with the LORD.  

But for this series, we are going to start with his regret.  Not necessarily an action that Moses regretted, although he had many of those.  He killed a man he saw mistreating a Hebrew slave.  God instructed Moses to strike a rock once for water, but he struck it twice, blocking his entrance into the Promised Land.  No doubt Moses regretted those actions.  But the verse we are going to study is using this definition of regret--"A feeling of loss or remorse for a fault, act, loss, or disappointment". (dictionary.com)  In Exodus 3 and 4, Moses is shepherding the flock of his father-in-law.  While in the wilderness, an angel of the LORD appeared to him in the burning--but not consumed--bush.  God called out to him from the burning bush, proclaiming the place as holy ground. (Spoiler alert--This is the same mountain where Moses will return to receive the Ten Commandments from God.  Holy Ground indeed!!)  God has heard the cry of the Israelites--Moses's true people--and is commanding Moses to go and deliver them.  God lays out the plan before Moses, promising His Presence the whole way. Moses had questions--"Who will I tell them sent me?"; "What if they don't believe me?" God gave His eternal name and some miraculous signs to reassure Moses.  Then finally, Moses said "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent--either in the past, or recently or since You have been speaking to Your servant--because my mouth and my tongue are sluggish."  "Please, Lord, send someone else."  God relents angrily, sending Aaron along to speak on Moses's--and God's--behalf.  

Moses asked honest, human questions.  But what it all boiled down to is this--all he saw was his own lack.  Even in the miraculous presence of Almighty God, Moses was filled with regret that it was his lack that would prevent God's rescue plan for the Israelite nation. 

But God redeems our lack.  That's literally the whole point of the Bible.  The Old Testament is filled with people who did wrong and people who tried to do right.  In fact, there are several people in the Old Testament who did so much right and followed God so closely that you can almost convince yourself that THIS is the superhero--Abraham, Solomon, David-- only to watch them go down in flames over sinful choices.  That lack is designed to make us long for the True Superhero--the True and Better Moses; the True and Better Solomon; the True and Better David---Jesus, Lord of All!

We know the story of deliverance for the Hebrew slaves.  (If you don't, read Exodus.  Or you'll have an opportunity to watch the Ten Commandments the Saturday night before Easter to refresh your memory!) God through the leadership of Moses and Aaron rescued the slaves and brought them into the wilderness for a time of learning.  (They weren't always great learners--from leadership on down.)  God canceled Moses's entry into the Promised Land and he dies in the wilderness.  God Himself buried His friend, and no one knew his final resting place. ("The LORD would speak with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend...."Exodus 33:11) Yet Moses DID go to the Promised Land in the New Testament, with the Superhero Himself, Jesus at His transfiguration. (Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36) 

But what about Moses and his personal regret?  The self-doubt that almost caused him to bow out of God's purpose for his life.  We know that talking became a huge part of his ministry.  We know that people hung on his words--Pharaoh in defiance; the Israelites in obedience or disobedience, depending on the day.😖 In fact, he is most famous for receiving the Ten Commandments, also known as the Ten Words.  

But to me, the most evident redemption of Moses's personal regret is found in Acts 7-- approximately 1550 years after the burning bush--in the speech of a young follower of Jesus Christ.  Stephen has been accused of blasphemy by those who oppose the teachings of Jesus.  The "bad guys" convinced some other "bad guys" to lie and say they heard Stephen speaking against Moses and God.  They stirred up a mob against Stephen, seized him, and brought him before the religious rulers of the time.  The high priest asked, "Are these things true?" The question that launched the sermon where Stephen obeyed God's purpose lined out for Moses in Exodus 10:2 "So that you may tell..... and so you will know that I am the LORD."   Stephen starts at the beginning, tracing the line of God's faithful, loyal, stubborn love for Israel.  And in this sermon, we find the redemption to Moses's regret.  "So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his speech and actions."  (Acts 7:22)  

What difference does it make what some squirt disciple (sorry Stephen, I'm saying this for effect only...) centuries later says about Moses and his abilities?  Because Stephen was speaking in wisdom and BY THE SPIRIT!!! As Moses was the mouthpiece for God to the Israelites, so is Stephen to these leaders and all the mob gathered near.  If God says it, it is said.  Our arguments against it hold no sway.  

What about us?  Do we have lacks--real or perceived--that we use as an excuse to not lean in to God's purpose for our lives?  Do we long to serve God but only see the list of why we can't?  Or maybe we do finally obey, and see no result?  Can we accept that our regrets will possibly not see redemption while we are on this side of the Promised Land?  Is the purpose still worthy?  Yes, it is.   My prayer is that we will take our regrets and give them to Jesus.  They are only safe in His hands as He calls us toward our purpose.  For our Good.  For His Glory. 

 Let's end with some of my favorite words of Moses--Psalm 90.  

"Lord, You have been our refuge in every generation.  

Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, 

from eternity to eternity, you are God.

You return makind to the dust, 

saying "Return, descedants of Adam." 

For in your sight a thousand years 

are like yesterday that passes by, 

like a few hours of the night.  

You end their lives; they sleep.  

They are like grass that grows in the morning--

in the morning it sprouts and grows; 

by evening it withers and dries up.

For we are consumed by your anger; 

we are terrified by your wrath.

You have set our iniquities before you,

our secret sins in the light of your presence.

For all our days ebb away under your wrath;

we end our years like a sigh.

Our lives last seventy years

or, if we are strong, eighty years.

Even the best of them are struggle and sorrow; 

indeed, they pass quickly and we fly away.

Who understands the power of your anger?

Your wrath matches the fear that is due you.

Teach us to number our days carefully

so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.

LORD---how long?

Turn and have compassion on your servants.

Satisfy us in the morning with your faithful love

so that we may shout with joy and be glad all our days.

Make us rejoice for as many days as you have humbled us, 

for as many years as we have seen adversity.

Let your work be see by your servants,

and your splendor by their children.

Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us;

establish for us the work of our hands--

establish the work of our hands!"

*These numbers are approximate based on the version of the Bible.  Also, I did not count every time but used a few trustworthy resources such as gotquestions.org and biblegateway.com