As Moses’ story continues, we see that Moses had to learn some of the same lessons from God a second time. And that’s what happens to us too. God has to teach us the same thing over and over again so we really learn it.
So, let’s catch up on Moses’ story.
Last time we saw Moses he finally agreed to follow God’s call and lead the Israelites. He and his brother Aaron went before the Israelite leaders and explained everything that God had said, and showed them the miraculous signs. The people believed Moses and Aaron and thought that God was finally going to free them from slavery.
Moses and Aaron then went before Pharaoh and asked to have the people released to worship God. But Pharaoh refused their request.
Now, it’s very impressive that Moses and Aaron believed enough in God to go before the most powerful man in the world and demand their people’s release from slavery. But Pharaoh told them “no”, and this led to a crisis for Moses.
The Israelites Turn on Moses…Again
After Moses, request, Pharaoh made the slavery of the people harder. As a result the Israelites grew bitter toward Moses. Just like the Israelites turned on Moses after he killed the Egyptian, they turn on him again. This reminds us of the unpopularity that sometimes comes with following God. But Moses wasn’t prepared for this:
Moses Turns on God…Again
In the last lesson, we saw how Moses thought that God was wrong because he wanted Moses to lead the people. This time Moses turned on God because he didn’t expect these setbacks with Pharaoh and the Israelites.
Exodus 5:22 Then Moses went back to the Lord and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me?”
But something interesting happens here. Moses was honest with God about his frustrations and disappointment, and God lets Moses vent his frustrations. When we are struggling with life, it’s ok to be honest with God about how we feel. This doesn’t mean that we should ever disrespect God, but we can let him know our feelings. Moses was wrong in how he understood the situation, but God wasn’t done with Moses.
God Teaches Moses to Trust Him…Again
After listening to Moses, it was God’s turn to speak. He reminded Moses about why he should trust God. In his words to Moses, God teaches us to trust in his character and his ability to fight for us.
Exodus 6:1 Then the Lord told Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. When he feels the force of my strong hand, he will let the people go. In fact, he will force them to leave his land!”
God wanted Moses to understand that he had everything under control. He was going to come through for Israel just like he promised. And God is going to do the same thing with us. If you turn to God when life stinks, He will prove that He is trustworthy and wants to act in your life.
Discussion Questions:
- Watch the video together or invite someone to summarize the topic.
- What is your initial reaction to this video? Do you disagree with any of it? What jumped out at you?
- Have you ever been mad at God over something that happened in your life? Explained what happened.
- How can following God make you unpopular?
- Read Exodus 5:22. Why was Moses so upset with God? What advice would you give to Moses if you had been there with him?
- Read Exodus 6:1. How can understanding God’s power and character help us when we are frustrated or scared?
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
