Shaping Deliverers
Exodus 4:14-16, 18
And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
Here in Exodus 4, we see God dealing with a certain Midianite family. Moses was adopted as a baby in a practice known as infant adoption. Remember according to Exodus 2:1-4, all male infant had been decreed slain save for Moses. Yet according to most modern scholars and some church going people, Aaron was three years older with Miriam aged twelve. See, if you carefully read the text, it says that a man married a woman and conceived Moses. In those days, people cared a lot more for their honor than they do today. Thus, it is likely that Moses's mother knew not a man before. This fact is important because the order of the text clearly establishes Moses as the firstborn. So, in my mind the greatest disservice the church and the world has done is hiding a fact which ought not to have been kept secret at all. Then the text provides another clue to Aaron's identity stating only that he was of the house of Levi.
Today's modern times sees the word Levite as a form of laughter. Trust me, there is nothing funny about this situation at all. As a descendant of Leah, that other woman of Jacob's, the name Levi originally meant to join together. See, there cannot be a joining together first without a leave taking. Yet God is present even in the leaving. Herein you see more clearly the need for the one which has not heard to be taught. Even Moses himself was unsure of God and his words. There was a special reason for that which we will soon see. So then, this thing of God dwelling with his people, speaking his Words, and teaching them was entirely new. Indeed, such had not been the case since Enoch walked with God and was not for he was taken. More than that, God promised to so guard them, that naught but his words would escape. Is it not good when God keeps your mouth. Therein you can be sure he has kept the whole body. How many of you would not be here today were it not for the Lord keeping you. See, both Moses and his brother Aaron had need of God's provision. For were they not a bunch of hotheads if left to themselves. But whether of the desert or not, here it did not matter much. For even so would our God still keep them.
And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
Notice here the disorder that one man's sin worked. By Moses refusal to let God keep his mouth, he gave utterance unto his brother Aaron instead. Could it be that is what is wrong in some places of the world even to this day. So also, would Moses be as God unto Aaron. Now how many of you know this is a very dangerous position in which to be found. Maybe that is just the matter with some of you today. Some of you would rather know a man than the Lord. God must be put in his rightful place for all else to follow. See, Aaron rather ought to have known God for himself. Then would he better have represented him before the people. How can you lead a nation without the knowledge and the presence of God. But for all that, God was with Aaron also as we will soon see. He would not let him be deceived nor leaderless. So, it was the burden fell unto Moses to represent God well.
Could it be this is the reason God judged him so harshly for how he portrayed the Lord before his brother and his people both. There are two things to be seen here. First, God will not share his place with any. Therein holds a shadow against the end of time. The echo of the beast and the false prophet is seen in the choosing of Moses with his priest Aaron as a god unto Pharaoh. In Jude 1:9 the devil is to be found disputing the body of Moses with Michael, the archangel. Rather, the devil ought not to have worried about Moses at all. The focus instead should have been upon Aaron and whatever was going on inside this house. This is why it is so important to give heed to the Lord rather than the traditions of men. Otherwise, what you and I would be left with is a big old happy family with three children, of whom Moses is the youngest. But that is not really what we started out with is it. The text here says Moses has no earthly idea if any of his Hebrew brethren yet live. Notice how he pleads to his Midianite father-in-law Jethro to also let him go with all his blessing that followed. See, God has bigger concerns going on than all of your pain and your heartache projected onto one Hebrew deliverer. In all of this, God is working to bring all men unto himself. For behold as I have said before, is this not his house and his family. Some of you really ought to let him have his way and also do his work.