English Service by Rev, DR. Willy Mutiso

MOSES-SHOW ME YOUR WAYS

SERIES: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD

TEXT: EXODUS 33:12-23

 

The life of Moses could be divided into three (3) parts.

  1. The first 40.
  2. The second 40.
  3. The third 40.

In these phases, we see our own lives and how God works with us and through us.

This man Moses is the man who told pharaoh-“Let my people go.”

This is the man who divided the Red Sea. This is the man who received the Ten commands from God. The man whose face shone with the glory of God. There is no doubt that Moses is one of the top three to have the closest encounters with God any mortal human has had.

God, Himself said this about Moses in Numbers 12:6-8, that with all other prophets, God said that He would show a vision or a dream but not so with Moses.

God said, “I will talk to him plainly and directly.” Despite the fact that he had close encounters with God, he had his failures, his moments, times that he acted too fast, times that he sinned against God.

The life of Moses encourages us in that:-

  1. No matter who you are.
  2. No matter where you have been.
  3. No matter what mistakes you have made.
  4. You and I have can have close encounters with God. Now with this introduction let us read again Exodus 33:12-23.
  5. Moses was many things.
  6. He was deliverer, lawgiver, prophet, prince of Egypt, founder of a new generation, song writer, author.
  7. But if we could encapsulate the entire life of Moses into one verse that would best describe the man Moses it would be Exodus 33:15-“And He said unto him, if thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.”
  8. Moses was saying to God, “I can’t live without your presence.”
  9. The secret of having close encounters with God is not living a perfect life, having money in the bank, being a church member in a mega church, your position in the social class, it is not fame, wealth, great looks etc.
  10. The secret of having close encounters with God is desire!!
  11. Moses wanted to know God. He wanted to see the face of God. The Apostle Paul expressed this same desire in Philippians 3:10 “That I may know Him.”
  12. Like Moses may you and I say “I can’t live without you,” “I can’t live without your presence.”
  13. Every parent, every grandparent, every teenager, every church worker, every elder/deacon/choir member, every preacher-We all need close encounters with God.
  14. D. L. Moody the great evangelist said about Moses:-“Moses spent his first forty years thinking he was somebody, he spent his second forty years learning he was a nobody, he spent his final forty years discovering what God can do with a nobody.”
  15. Let us learn about the three phases of Moses’ life-

THE FIRST 40.

  1. Before Moses delivered a nation, before Moses could say, “Let my people go.”
  2. Before Moses parted the Red Sea, He had very faithful parents.

The faith of Moses’ parents-Heb. 11:23.

“By faith Moses, when he was born was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandments.”

  • All that Moses did, did not start at courts of pharaoh or at the burning bush but it all started at the cradle.
  • The king had issued a decree. All male children born of the Hebrew must be killed at birth.
  • But Moses’ parents by faith hid Moses, three months and then put him on a float and sent it down the River Nile.
  • Pharaoh’s daughter sighted the float, the rest is history.
  • Parents have a lot to do with their children’s destiny.
  • As parents, let us pray for our children, read the Bible to them and live a godly lifestyle.
  • Moses’ parents were faithful. Faith does not fear even at king’s decrees.
  • Moses’ mother pushed Moses off into the water and pharaoh’s daughter pulled Moses out and he became a prince of Egypt.
  • The small float propelled Moses to his destiny.
  • Sometimes what is meant to be death float will be used of God to propel you to greatness, divorce, joblessness, bankrupt.
  • Moses received great education, skills as a soldier, leader and governance.
  • One day when Moses was 40 years, Moses started feeling a call for him to free his brothers from Egyptian slavery-Acts 7:23.
  • Moses ended up killing an Egyptian man and buried him in the desert sand.
  • Moses learned 2 things:-

You can’t cover your sins in the sand!

  • “What can wash away my sin?”
  • Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

You can get ahead of God!!

  • No matter what God has called you to do, there is a timing issue!!

THE SECOND 40.

  • This mighty man Moses, a man mighty in words and deeds finds himself in the backside of the desert. It seems:-

He is a complete failure.

  • He has failed morally, financially, politically.
  • He goes from being a prince, a commander of the army to shepherding his father-in-law’s sheep.
  • This was a real lesson of humanity.

A real lesson on humanity when keeping his father-in-laws sheep.

  • Moses did not sit at his father-in-law and say, “Man you know who I am?”
  • Moses seems to have had very good relationship with Jethro his father-in-law.
  • And all that Moses ever hoped of doing died in the desert of humility (visions, dream, die-they also resurrect!)

When God calls you to something, it has to die!

  • Because only when it dies, can you then trust God to resurrect it and do it, for his own glory.
  • Then came the day Moses saw the burning bush.
  • Moses gave five excuses.
  1. I am a nobody (who am I that I should go?)
  2. I don’t really know who you are (who will I tell them sent me?)
  3. What if they don’t believe?
  4. I can’t talk, I have physical problems, I don’t know what to say.
  5. Send someone else (There is nobody else, there is nobody else like you).
  • President Ronald Reagan asked:-“If not you, who? If not now, when? If not here, where?”
  • God answered every excuse Moses posed.

THE LAST 40 YEARS.

  • This is where it really gets good and gets going because it is in Moses last 40 years that:-
  1. He sees God face to face.
  2. He births a nation.
  3. He does his greatest work.

Don’t let anyone tell you that it is too late to serve God.

  • Moses went to pharaoh, he spelled out 10 plaques on Egypt leading to the Passover night.
  • He parts the Red Sea-stretch out your rod.

What is our rod today? The sword of the spirit.

  • God has given us the written word-Logos and the RHEMA (REMEAH) word. The spoken word to part the obstacles.
  • Moses led the children of Israel to the mountain of God-The Ten commandments were given.
  • The people below sinned, they built a golden calf.
  • God was ready to wipe them away and out.

Moses interceded for them.

  • You know that you are ministering in Christ when your prayers are not just about you and your family.
  • Moses went up the mountain (Sinai) a second time when he came down his face was full of the glory of God.
  • It was a close encounter with God.
  • Despite the close encounter with God, Moses made a great blunder. It does not matter how much God has used you, you can still mess up!!
  • Moses out of anger struck the rock instead of speaking to the rock and God said to Moses “You cannot go to the promised land, I will show it to you.”
  • The Bible says that Moses walked to his own death and funeral on Mt. Pisgah.
  • That is how we should walk with God like Enock into glory.
  • Moses had real great encounters with God.

CONCLUSION

  • Later Moses made it to the promised land literally and physically!!
  • With Jesus Christ on the Mt. of Transfiguration, the promises of God are yes and Amen.
  • Remember the prayer of Moses, “Show me your ways.” Psalm 103:7. It was answered let God show you His ways.
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Rev, DR. Willy Mutiso

Rev, Dr. Willy Mutiso is the Senior Pastor at First Baptist Athiriver. He is widely known for his practical and dynamic teaching style which helps people apply the timeless truths of Scripture to their everyday lives.

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