Moses objected, “They won’t trust me. They won’t listen to a word I say. They’re going to say, ‘God? Appear to him? Hardly!’” So God said, “What’s that in your hand?” “A staff.”
 “Throw it on the ground.” He threw it. It became a snake; Moses jumped back—fast!
 God said to Moses, “Reach out and grab it by the tail.” He reached out and grabbed it—and he was holding his staff again. “That’s so they will trust that God appeared to you, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”
 God then said, “Put your hand inside your shirt.” He slipped his hand under his shirt, then took it out. His hand had turned leprous, like snow.
 He said, “Put your hand back under your shirt.” He did it, then took it back out—as healthy as before.
 “So if they don’t trust you and aren’t convinced by the first sign, the second sign should do it. But if it doesn’t, if even after these two signs they don’t trust you and listen to your message, take some water out of the Nile and pour it out on the dry land; the Nile water that you pour out will turn to blood when it hits the ground.”
 Moses raised another objection to God: “Master, please, I don’t talk well. I’ve never been good with words, neither before nor after you spoke to me. I stutter and stammer.”
 God said, “And who do you think made the human mouth? And who makes some mute, some deaf, some sighted, some blind? Isn’t it I, God? So, get going. I’ll be right there with you—with your mouth! I’ll be right there to teach you what to say.”
 He said, “Oh, Master, please! Send somebody else!”
 God got angry with Moses: “Don’t you have a brother, Aaron the Levite? He’s good with words, I know he is. He speaks very well. In fact, at this very moment he’s on his way to meet you. When he sees you he’s going to be glad. You’ll speak to him and tell him what to say. I’ll be right there with you as you speak and with him as he speaks, teaching you step by step. He will speak to the people for you. He’ll act as your mouth, but you’ll decide what comes out of it. Now take this staff in your hand; you’ll use it to do the signs.”
o master send someone else!!!!!!!!! how many of us have been there done it and got the t-shirt!
Yes! It’s great to know that we’re in good company with lack of courage or self esteem. We don’t all have to be bold, fearless, “super-spiritual” Christians – the Lord can and will use us ALL. That’s what I always take from this passage anyway. Not fussed about God saying he makes some people deaf or blind though! I’ve always believed, rightly or wrongly, that illness, disease, etc. is the product of a fallen world – not because God simply decides to give you an affliction – or is that the God of the old Testament ? God is Love and handing out afflications isn’t what I thought love looked like. Mmmmn…. yes, struggling a bit with that one. Would be interested to hear anyone else’s point of view that might be helpful.
This reading makes me think about what would our culture need as a sign to show somebody was from God, before they listened to them? There was that TV programme with those magicians faking turning water in to wine, and walking on water, like Jesus did. Do you think our era is still suceptible to physical acts like this?
I love the excuses Moses makes. Its what makes the whole event so real for me. That could easily be me there making my excuses as to why I can\’t do what I suspect God is leading me to.
But I also love the patient way God deals with it all. No tantrums or suchlike..instead a calm reasoned, loving response. It all comes to ahead with the paragraph starting…. And who do you think made the Human mouth? In other words..no matter what your excuses are I am God and through you I can do anything………all I have to do now is really believe and trust in that!
“I love the excuses Moses makes.”
Couldn’t agree more. What I love here is the comedic element there is to be found even in the earliest books of the New Testament. There is a Two Ronnies Type comedy sketch just waiting to be written (it it hasn’t been done already) based on this passage.
I just have this picture of God holding his head in his hands and almost screaming “what have I got to do to convince you”.
And even in his anger God is gracious and provides Aaron as Moses’ mouthpiece. I wonder whether Moses was left cursing the fact that he had an eloquent brother which meant that he couldn’t wriggle out of what God wanted him to do.
And as for “and Moses raised another objection to God…as Linda says. w I think we have all been there more than a few times before.
In response to Pam\’s comments on God giving us afflictions…it\’s tough one but we suspect it means that we should change our views on disabilities. God has a purpose for these people so who are we to judge them. Maybe people with disabilities are here to bring completeness to our world.
It is difficult sometimes to see the purpose. Ps139v 13-16 tell us God was there when we were made so He must have been there when deformities came about as well. The psalm also tells us that All the days ordained for me are written in your book…..God has a plan for every single person no matter how short their life or the trials they have to go through.
It is still really difficult though to see how to reconcile a God of love with a God who allows people to be born with afflictions…but we aren\’t God (Fortunately) so who are we to judge Him?
What are “disabilities”? Who are “these” people? what are “deformities”? —
Who am I with my physical & mental functions within a culturally defined norm? Luckily I am not dependent on whomever who would or would not like to support me – but I am also equipped with very special needs and challenged with lots of space for improvement towards completeness …
a different peace of cake is suffering, pain, injustice, torture, abuse, war etc – and that makes it very hard and nearly impossible for me to see the loving Godhead behind.
The bit that really hit me about God letting Moses use Aaron to speak for him is that he hasn\’t actually allowed Moses off the hook of carrying the repsonsibility. He is gracious in his understanding of Moses objections but unbending as to who decides what is said when and upon whom he has given the authority.