The expression “man of God” is applied to Moses 6 times in the Bible. The expression indicates a special and good relationship between God and Moses, in which the latter can enjoy direct revelations from God. Moses: Israel’s most inspiring leader. And: a source of inspiration for us! Moses is the great leader of Israel in the history of the exodus from Egypt and the journey through the desert. He was born in ±1525 BC. born in Egypt, the son of Amram and Jokebed, of the tribe of Levi. Miriam was his older sister, Aaron his older brother (Ex. 6:15-26). Moses owes his name to Pharaoh’s daughter, who rescued him from the Nile.
The books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy frequently discuss Moses. He is also regularly mentioned in other Bible books. He enjoyed his entire education and youth at the court of the Pharaoh of Egypt. He was then chosen by God as leader to take the people to the promised land. But at the last minute he himself was ultimately not allowed to enter the country. He died on the Nebo, at the age of 120, still in the prime of his life.
The content of the work of Moses
Moses received his calling directly from God (Ex 2:23-4:17). God hereby made himself known as the God of the father of Moses, of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God had seen the misery of the people and now announced His plan to bring them out of Egypt and into a land flowing with milk and honey. Moses would play a central role in this plan. He was first instructed to go to Pharaoh to persuade him to let the people of Israel go. However, Pharaoh would not give in easily and God predicts severe punishment for the Egyptians and all kinds of mighty miracles. Moses would become the leader of the people of Israel. In order to gain sufficient acceptance from the Israelites for his leadership, Moses was given the power to perform miracles with his staff and with his hand.
When Moses performed the miracles with the rod and the hand in the sight of the people, the people believed in his calling. And then a difficult confrontation with Pharaoh follows, without any supernatural intervention from God, with the result that things only got worse for the people of Israel (Ex 5). But then God intervenes in a powerful way. Through Moses and Aaron, God brought 10 great plagues on the land of Egypt, although the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, was often spared (Ex 7:14-10:36). The last plague involved the death of all the firstborn, both human and animal. The people of Israel were also spared here, under the institution of Passover (Ex 12:1-14).
After the tenth plague, Pharaoh let the people go, but he pursued them as far as the sea of reeds. The people were completely trapped there on the shore of the sea , but Moses expressed great confidence in God (Ex 14:13-14) and on that occasion God showed like never before how He, as a Father, cares for His children and wrath against the enemies of His people. Under Moses’ leadership, the people of Israel were allowed to cross the sea, which had been dried up by God, while Pharaoh’s entire army drowned in the returning flood of water.
In the desert the enemies attacked and Moses had to organize the defense. In these confrontations, Moses relied on God’s supernatural intervention (e.g. Ex 17:8ff) and not on numerical superiority or military skills.
Moses’ daily work included adjudicating between fellow citizens. He followed his father-in-law’s advice to largely delegate this work (Ex 18).
Moses’ work as a writer deserves special attention. There are several texts that point to Moses’ writing activities. He sometimes received special orders from God to record certain events (victory over the Amalekites, Ex 17:14; the description of the journeys through the desert, Num 33:2). Before the covenant was concluded in the presence of the 70 leaders, Moses had written down God’s basic rules (Ex 24:4), which he was also instructed to do by God (Ex 34:27). Ultimately, perhaps the largest part of the law was written by Moses (Deut 31:9), in the presence of all Israel (Jos 8:32). Furthermore, he wrote down a song (Deut 32:1-43) that was to warn the Israelites when they had settled in the promised land (Deut 31:22, 24), again on behalf of God (Deut 31: 19).
Moses as leader and organizer
Moses spent the first forty years of his life in Pharaoh’s court. He had been brought up in all the wisdom of the Egyptians (Acts 7:22), but his heart continued to go out to his own people. When he had killed an Egyptian who had struck an Israelite, he fled to Midian, where he lived among the desert dwellers for forty years. Ultimately, he received the call from God from a burning but not consuming bush to lead the people out of Egypt (Ex 3-4).
However, Moses saw himself as anything but a good leader. Even though he was dramatically and directly commissioned into leadership by God, he still had objections (Ex. 3:11, 4:13). A central point here was the fact that Moses felt that he could not express his words properly (Ex 4:13). This apparently did not prevent God from choosing Moses as leader, but He ultimately agreed to appoint Aaron as spokesman next to Moses (Ex 4:16).
The leadership of Moses was not primarily characterized by typical leadership characteristics, such as decisiveness , organizational talent, natural authority, etc. In Moses, other qualities come to the fore, such as: gentleness, patience, faithfulness, and above all: faith (See, for example, Heb 9:23). He made himself completely dependent on God for the success of his leadership. This was also necessary, because natural leadership qualities alone would completely fail against the violence of the Egyptian magicians and armies, against the problems of crossing the Red Sea and against the dangers in the desert.
After a period in which the greatest possible miracles occurred on behalf of Israel at the word of Moses, the people finally arrived in the desert (Ex 14). From that moment on, the people really had to be organized and led. This won’t have been easy. The Israelites had served as slaves in Egypt for 430 years (Ex 12:40-41) and were probably very little used to taking independent initiatives. To what extent Moses succeeded in organizing and leading the people efficiently during this difficult period is not entirely clear. Perhaps it can be argued that Moses did not excel as a manager, especially considering that his father-in-law had to be involved to make an obvious organizational change in the judicial system (Ex 18).
However, Moses’ qualities as a spiritual leader were undoubtedly sublime and practically inimitable. First, he was careful to ensure that God’s many precepts were carried out in every detail , even when it involved family members who were in mourning (Lev 10:1-7). Furthermore, Moses’ enormous love for the people comes to the fore. Twice God had decided to destroy the people and make Moses a blessed people, and both times Moses resisted this and succeeded in changing God’s mind (Numbers 14:12, Ex 32:10). Moses’ love for the people went so far that he was even willing to give his life as a mediator in place of the people (Ex 32:32). Furthermore, he identified himself completely with the people, even when they had fallen into deep sin (eg: Ex 34:8-9). A third phenomenal characteristic of Moses was that he did not want to defend his position. When his leadership was questioned, he left the defense to God (e.g. Num 12, Num 16). Furthermore, he cheerfully agreed to God distributing part of his gifts among seventy others (Nm 11:26-30). For Moses it was a joy when not only he could be in God’s presence, but especially when the people could encounter God. In this way he helped the people to prepare for an encounter with God and led the people to God (Ex 20:14-17).
The relationship between God and Moses
Among the people of Israel, there has been no one who has had as many revelations from God as Moses. There has never been a prophet like Moses, never one with whom the Lord dealt so intimately and with whom God performed such mighty signs and wonders (Deut 34:10-12). God spoke to Moses as to a friend (Ex 33:11). The striking thing here is not only that Moses unconditionally did what God asked of him, but that God also very often did what Moses asked of Him, even though God first had other plans (e.g.: Ex 8:13,31). God loved Moses in a very personal way. Even the messages for the high priest Aaron were often conveyed by God through Moses (e.g. Ex 8:16, Le 6:8,24, 17:1) and only Moses was allowed to approach God (e.g. Ex 24:1,2). God did not speak to Moses in riddles, but directly and clearly (Nm 12:6-8). When Moses’ leadership was questioned by fellow citizens, God personally defended his friend, who had stolen God’s heart because of his gentleness and modesty (e.g. Num 12). And when Moses finally died, God, as a true Friend, provided the burial (De 34:6). More than 1550 years later, Moses and Elijah were allowed to pay a majestic visit to the Lord Jesus (Mt 17:1-8, Mr 9:2-8, Lk 9:28-36).
With Moses, the first thing that stands out is his total dependence on and focus on God. He freely expressed his complaints to God when things did not seem to be going his way (e.g.: Ex 5:22-23, Num 11:10-15) and constantly consulted God about decisions to be made. Moses acted like a child who intuitively seeks refuge in his Father.
Moses’ deepest desire was to be as close to God as possible and to enjoy His presence. After the sin with the golden calf, God decided to send His angel with the people, but not to go any further. But Moses rebelled against this and chose life in the desert with God over life in the land of milk and honey without God (Ex 33:15). Moses’ desire for God was fulfilled by God, and Moses was allowed to see God’s personal appearance from behind (Ex 33:22-23). Ultimately, so much of God’s majesty shone on Moses that his face shone and the Israelites did not dare approach him (Ex 35:29-35, 2Cor 3:7-18).
But Moses was not perfect either. This is evident, for example, from the fact that God does not let him enter the promised land because of personal sin at the rock of Meribah (Nm 20:2-13). Moses seems never to have fully accepted this and repeatedly says in Deuteronomy that because of the guilt of the people (for your sake) he was not allowed to enter Canaan (Deut 3:26, 4:21).
Moses as lawgiver
The Mosaic Law is closely tied to God’s dealings with His people. One could speak of a unity of law and covenant. For example, the Lord first appears to the people (Ex 19) and then gives the ten commandments (Ex 20). Exodus 21-23 could be called the book of the covenant with the civil and cultic regulations, on which God then concludes His covenant with the people (Ex 24). The further commandments from Exodus to Deuteronomy can be traced back to this speaking of the Lord on Sinai. The people of Israel are commanded to keep the law of Moses in order to preserve the blessed life they have under the protecting and redeeming presence of God (Lev 18:5, Deut 30:15-16). From God’s point of view, the purpose is to present Israel as a priestly nation pure before Himself, as it appears within a broad plan of redemption that includes all nations (Ex 19:5-6).
The Ten Commandments (decalogue) occupy a special place within the Mosaic legislation. They occur twice (with some variations; Ex 20, Deut 5). They are communicated directly by God from Sinai (Ex 20). The commandments had to be kept in the ark (Ex 25:16, Deut 10:5) and were formulated in a summary and at the same time unconditional manner.
Just as the nation of Israel was part of a larger community (Semitic peoples), the Mosaic law was anchored in the legal systems of the surrounding peoples and has many similarities with them. However, this does not mean that the Mosaic law was merely an elaboration of these legal systems. The law of Moses is too unique in that regard: especially when it comes to the clarity/concreteness, justice and humanity of the legislation.
Usually the laws are introduced with a speech or a command from God: as the Lord commanded Moses (Ex 39:1,7,21,26,29,32, etc.), the Lord spoke to Moses, the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron (Lev 1:1, 4:1, 5:14ff, 1:1, 13:1, Num 1:1, 2:1, etc).
The law of Moses was deeply respected by Moses’ successor Joshua. He engraved a copy of this law on the stones of an altar (Jos 8:32). Even later, the law remained of decisive importance. David commands his son Solomon to scrupulously keep all the law of Moses. This guarantees success and the blessing of God (1 Kings 2:1-14). This is the tenor throughout the Old Testament: to fear God is to heartily keep the law of Moses. The devout King Josiah of Judah served God and excelled in his zeal for the law of Moses (2 Kings 23:25). When the people eventually go into exile, Daniel sees this as a direct result of disrespecting the law of Moses, which brought into effect the curse of this law (Dan 9:11, 13). After the exile, Ezra restores the law of Moses. He is said to have been proficient in the law of Moses and to have done everything in his power to restore worship according to its ordinances (Eze 3:2, 7:6, etc.). Ultimately, after the period of exile, the entire nation rediscovered the law of Moses and made a formal declaration to adhere to this law (Neh 8, 10:29ff). Later, a large part of the people again largely ignored the law of Moses. However, there always remained a certain circle of pious Jews who were committed to scrupulously following the law of Moses, even on pain of torture. Christ further explained and ultimately fulfilled the law of Moses (Matt 5:17-18, Heb 10:1-18). At the coming of the kingdom of heaven, the law of Moses is reinterpreted. Paul is positive about the law of Moses (Rom 7:12,14) but with him the righteousness of faith replaces the righteousness of the law (Rom 3:21-22; 4:1-8, Gal 3:10 -12, etc). The law of Moses remains in force when its meaning from love is evident, such as the commandments against idolatry and commandments 5-10 of the Decalogue (see e.g. Eph 6:2; Rom 2:12, 7:17; 13 :9). Many other commandments are considered no longer relevant: Sabbath (Col 2:17), clean/unclean animals (Mk 7:15-19), sacrificial service (Heb 10 etc.). Paul’s prayer is that the church will independently recognize the will of God and grow in discernment (Phil 1:9-10, Col 1:9-10).