03/13/21 PITIFUL EXCUSES and GOD’s PATIENCE and PROVISION #5

Exodus 4:6-9 (ESV) Again, the LORD said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. 7 Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. 8 “IF THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE YOU,” God said, “OR LISTEN TO THE FIRST SIGN, THEY MAY BELIEVE THE LATTER SIGN. 9 IF THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE EVEN THESE TWO SIGNS or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and THE WATER THAT YOU SHALL TAKE FROM THE NILE WILL BECOME BLOOD on the dry ground.”

God was well aware of Moses’ reluctance and sense of personal inadequacy. And He knew in advance that it would take SEVERAL miraculous tools and signs to convince Moses and the Hebrews that the Lord God was raising up Moses to deliver His people from their slavery and suffering. God our Father was patient with them as He still is with us. But, in the end, He expect ed confident, faithful obedience from them as He does from us today.