Day 33, Chronological Bible Study Timeline. Map. Go to today's Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): Exodus 1:1–4:17
Leadership, Born of Necessity
Why doesn’t someone do something about this? Most of us have asked this question at one time or another. What are we saying? We are expressing frustration that a problem needs to be addressed, and we need a leader to take care of it.
Some leaders are born of necessity. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born to free African-Americans from oppression (Jim-Crow laws). The Biblical patriarch, Moses, was born to free Israelites from slavery. Has God called us to do something? Then, how should we answer it?
Today, we begin the book of Exodus. Chronologically, the events start where the book of Genesis ends. In Genesis, we left Joseph, his brothers, and their families in Egypt in the region of Goshen.
After their father Jacob dies, Joseph lives until he is 110, seeing his great-great-great-grandchildren. Just before Joseph passes, he utters a prophecy about Israel’s children (descendants of his father Jacob), which demonstrates his faith—God will come to their aid. When they are delivered, they are to take his bones with them back to the land of Canaan, the land promised to them by God (Genesis 50:24-25).What was going to happen to them that God would need to come to their aid? Four hundred years of oppression and slavery!
Doesn’t God see us?
In today’s Bible reading, Israel’s descendants become slaves to the Egyptians when a new king of Egypt reigns who does not know Joseph and what he has done for them. He sees the population of the Israelites rising significantly and becomes afraid. Seeing the threat of their numbers, the Egyptians make them slaves so they won't join their enemies and conquer them.
The Israelites suffer great hardships—they are harshly treated and worked ruthlessly. They must have asked the question many times over the 400 years of their oppression, “doesn’t God see us?” And now, to make things much worse, the Egyptians throw the Israelite male babies into the river to decrease the surplus population.
Today, many babies are being killed through abortion. In anguish, we might cry out as they did, “Doesn’t God see? Help us, LORD! Have mercy on our children and us!” Of course, God cares about our hardships and about babies. Someday, he will bring justice.
God is already working
Moses is born to lead. Even as a baby, he is considered an exceptional child (Hebrews 11:23). His mother hides him, but she must trust in the LORD to protect him when it becomes difficult to keep her secret. She places him in a weatherproof basket and floats him along the Nile’s reeds to be found by someone who will take care of him. His sister Miriam watches him until he is discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter. Seeing this, Moses’ sister asks the princess if she wants her to find a Hebrew woman to nurse him. Of course, Miriam suggests her own mother (although the princess may not have been aware of it). Her mother has the privilege of nursing her son, Moses, legally, and she is paid for it. God protects and provides!Moses is raised to be an Egyptian prince; however, he doesn’t embrace it.
By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward (Hebrews 11:24-26, NIV).
God chooses a deliverer
Moses recognizes the LORD’s hand on him for leadership. However, when he exercises it in his own power, he stumbles at the first sign of opposition, becomes fearful, flees Egypt, and goes into hiding. When Moses tries to rush the plan of God, he loses both his courage and ability to lead his people out of bondage.
Has anything like that happened to us? Sometimes, leadership is born of necessity, and we may feel we are the leader to meet that need, but timing is everything. We must be sensitive to God’s choice and his leading.
Forty years later, after Moses learns a humble shepherd’s occupation, God appears to him from a burning bush and commissions him to deliver his people from slavery. The LORD works in us, humbling us, and preparing us to do his will. In the meantime, we have to wait for his perfect timing.
Leaders need to obey
Sometimes, even when leaders are chosen and empowered, they are hesitant to take the lead. Moses now has heavenly power and a commission from God Almighty but resists the leadership the LORD now gives him. Perhaps it is because he is older or because he had previously failed. Maybe this assignment from God seems too great of a challenge. It is easier for him to remain a shepherd and raise his family. He uses the excuse that he can’t speak well. The LORD is angry and chooses his brother Aaron to be his spokesman.
What excuses do we use for not obeying God? Do we want God to use us? We mustn’t look to our own resources but trust him to meet the needs. We need to be obedient to his calling.
insight from Pastor Nathan Sabin, content editor.
Discussion
What is leadership which is born of necessity?
When we are oppressed and think God doesn’t see us, what is comforting to know?
God chooses a leader, but to succeed in doing God’s will, what must the leader do?
Focus Verse
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
You can watch a video of today's lesson here. It does use artistic license but seeks to capture the spirit of the story. Start at 2:15 and end at 10:00
Write a private prayer response to today’s Bible study:
Please send your comments to mtbiblestudies@gmail.com
Looking Ahead: Just because God calls us to do something, does not mean there will be no challenges. We may, like Moses, face Early Leadership Struggles. Discover what we can do to overcome them in our Next Lesson.
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