The three states in which Moses disobeyed – A lesson for us the children of God.

1.      Disobedience due to lack of Faith

God visited Moses in a burning bush in Exodus 3. Here Moses is in a state of mind of having resigned to his fate of tending to his Father-in-law’s sheep. A lowly state compared to the place of his growing up – The Pharoh’s palace. He is a broken man now. Not the fighter for the rights of his people we saw before he ran away from Egypt.

He seems to have low self-esteem. He seems to have also forgotten his Hebrew roots. This is clear from the fact that he did not circumcise his son on the 8^th day.  He seems to have agreed to the Midianite tradition of circumcising before puberty or just before marriage. Midianites are also descendants of Abraham through Keturah and should have known the God of Abraham. The bible calls Jethro, a Priest of Midian. He was not a pagan priest. Which only implies that he was a ritualistic follower of the God of Abraham and did not adhere to the commandment of circumcision as given to Abraham on the 8^th day.

So when God visits Moses – he is in a broken state. He has no faith left. Through the chapter, God converses with him showing miracles and telling him to lead His people. Moses is reluctant and downright dismissive. Finally, in Exodus 4:14, we see God’s anger being kindled against Moses. However, this disobedience is from a state of lack of faith. And the ever-gracious God persist with him. However, Aaron the elder brother of Moses gets an opportunity due to this.

In the life of Jacob and Esau, we saw how Esau lost his birth right to Jacob. Here it’s the other way around – the younger loosing an opportunity to the elder.

Aaron later becomes the chief priest, and his children inherit the place closest to God – Chief Priestship. We do not see much about the children of Moses in the bible text after moses.

2.      Disobedience in a state of having given up any hope

In Exodus 4:24-26, we find God being angry with Moses sought to kill him. He only left moses to recover after Zipporah circumcised their son. Although the Bible does not give details of why Moses did not insist on circumcising his male children on the 8^th day, the circumstances seem to give us a fair idea of whose word was dominant in the family. God can not work with the self-willed, strong mannered moses – he needs a broken vessel that submits abjectly to His will.

Moses seems to have lost any hope of a glorious life of Israel. This is visible from the conversations he has with God speaking to him from a burning bush. Circumcision of male children on the 8^th day was not any tradition but a reminder of the covenant with God. Moses failed to keep this covenant.

God had to almost kill moses for Zipporah to realize that she held onto her Midianite beliefs over the Hebrew covenant with God. This is a usual discussion between spouses about whose beliefs or ways their children should be brought up in. Moses – the broken vessel with no hope and faith seems to have relented to Zipporah. However, God corrected this before Moses could become the leader of His people.

3.      Disobedience in Anger

Moses is a transformed man now. He has led the people of Israel out of captivity in the wilderness with God in front. But the Israelites had been whining, complaining and sometimes very demanding on Moses. Moses had been broken and reformed to the state of being useful in the hands of God. He has seen miracles; he has seen God leading from the front. He has seen their enemies being killed before them by God himself. But the Israelites tested his patience again. In Numbers 20, the rebellion breaks again. God intervenes and asks Moses and Aaron to speak at the rock for it to yield water. However, moses strikes the rock with the words “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” in verse 10.

His words are in a rage. He does not say “God” but “we”. And God is angry that Moses disobeyed His command of “speaking to the rock”. And God tells Moses, he can not lead His people into Caanan.

One act in anger, he lost it all and had to bear the consequence. The bible says in Ephesians 4:26 “Be angry and do not sin.” Sin is absence of God. God was absent in the words of Moses in his anger.

Dear Child of God, if you are broken and God calls you – Just Obey. God seeks obedience. All else would be taken care by him. He is the God who called the earth and the heavens into existence. He does not need your strength, your eloquence, your wealth or your power. He just needs broken vessels that are willing to obey.

When you are angry make sure you do not leave God out and sin for it leads to disobedience.

Praise the Lord!

Glory to Jesus.