Ex. 4:13-17, Burning Anger at the Burning Bush

Before we return to the question of what God would do with His stubborn and reluctant servant Moses, let’s note that God does not require that His prophets and preachers be poor speakers.  In the NT Apollos was an excellent orator and was used mightily by God (Ac. 18:24-28).  The point is that God does not require that His servant be learned speakers.  The key is that they are yielded to Him so that He can speak through them regardless of their human skills.

Having said that, in the NT there are things that a “preacher” can do to be better servants of the Lord.  These are things they “can” do, but I’m sure we would agree these are essentials.

·       They can preach the gospel (i.e. not getting sidetracked; 1 Cor. 2:4-5; 1:18-25).

·       They can pray for clarity (Col. 4:4).

·       They can relate words to life (Col. 4:5; Deut. 6:7: children taught in the context of all life experiences). 

·       They can be gracious (Col. 4:6: speech seasoned with grace; 1 Pt. 3:15: speaking with gentleness and respect).

·       They can be Spirit-filled (Ac. 4:31).

Moses was out of excuses.  Yet God had met him with every one of them, and promised to meet every need for Moses.  So, Moses simply refused!  O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.  God’s response was as strong as it gets: the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses.  Moses was not guilty of being too humble, nor did he have “poor self-esteem.”  He was filled with unbelief.  In order for us to understand God’s anger, and how important this issue was with God, consider that our God is a consuming fire (Deut. 4:24; Heb. 12:29).  Here are times when God’s anger was kindled.

·       Numbers 25:3: wilderness, worshiping Baal of Peor.

·       Numbers 32:13: wilderness, Israel's refusal to enter Canaan.

·       Deuteronomy 4:20: Moses barred from entering the Promised Land "because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites."

·       Deuteronomy 29:26-27: worshiping other gods.

·       Joshua 7:1: Achan, "acted unfaithfully" ("give glory to God").

·       2 Samuel 6:7: Uzzah's "irreverent act", touching the Ark of the Covenant.

·       1 Kings 11:9: Solomon, " turned away from LORD who appeared to him twice."

·       2 Kings 13:3: Israel continuing in Jeroboam's sins (idols).

·       2 Kings 17:18: Israel’s deportation, "removed fr. his presence", for idolatry.

·       Zechariah 7:12: Israel: "They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So, the Lord Almighty was very angry."

·       Rev. 20:14: hell is a “lake of fire,” the fire of God's jealousy!