If God was going to deliver Israel out of Egypt by the hand of Moses, sending him off to the land of Midian for 40 years seems like a bit of a detour! Moses clearly had a heart for his people, and wanted to help them. So, why did they not accept his help, and why did his efforts fail so miserably? Was it really necessary for Moses to spend the next 40 years of his life in Midian? While God is not mentioned in these verses, we know that He is Sovereign and is in control of the affairs and circumstances of men. It is no accident that Moses ends up living so long in a remote wilderness. In short, Moses had to get out of Egypt so that God could get Egypt out of Moses!
Moses may have identified himself with the Israelites (his people/brothers), but everyone saw him as an Egyptian. He had been adopted and raised with the best of Egypt, and it was impossible for Egypt not imprint itself upon him. He could not help but be a product of Egyptian thought and culture. This would prove to be true of Israel as well, even though they lived more removed from Egypt.
At the same time, Moses knew where he came from and he cared about his people. When he saw how they were being treated, it ignited a passion in him to set things right. But, he acted in the wisdom and passions of the flesh, not by the leading and empowering of the living God! God had to do a work of stripping away the self-reliant Moses who thought he knew how to rescue Israel, so that God could use him as a deliverer who would operate in the wisdom and power of God. What Moses could not learn growing up in Egypt, God would teach him as a stranger in a foreign land.
In much the same way, we are deeply imprinted with the thinking, culture, and worldview of our own age. We cannot escape its influence because our nature, and our flesh are drawn to the ways of the world, not to the ways of God. It is comfortable and natural to go along with the world. But, like Moses, we cannot fulfill God’s purpose and calling on our life until we learn to walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. We must not be conformed to the ways of this world, but must be transformed by the renewing of our minds! And, like Moses, having the right mission, does not mean we have the right method, or the right power. It is possible, and easy to do “ministry” in the weakness of our flesh, in our own wisdom, and by our own strength. As with Moses, this is sure to fail. It is only as we learn to lean on Him, understand His plan, and walk in His power that we will be successful in the mission He has called us to!
Discussion/Reflection Questions
In what ways can you see the mindset, values, and thinking of the world influencing how people understand what is important and direct how you live your life? How do you see these influences affecting your family and friends? How does it impact you?
In the past week how have experienced living in the flesh, and are their specific times when you know you were living by the Spirit? How do these two experiences compare? What makes them distinctly different?
Are you spending sufficient time in the foreign soil of God’s Word? How is your time in the word transformational, that is how is your mind and thinking being changed by your interaction with the Bible? What is your specific plan to be in the Word - at what time, or times? How long? How do you make this time most life impacting?
Read and reflect on Romans 8:3-4, 13-14. What does it mean to you to put to death the deeds of the flesh? How does the death of Jesus make this possible? When you find yourself living by the flesh, how can you switch gears and get back to walking in the Spirit?
