03/15/21 PITIFUL EXCUSES and GOD’s PATIENCE and PROVISION #6

Exodus 4:10-12 (ESV) But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I AM NOT ELOQUENT, EITHER IN THE PAST OR SINCE YOU HAVE SPOKEN to your servant, but I AM SLOW OF SPEECH AND OF TONGUE.” 11 Then the LORD said to him, “WHO HAS MADE MAN’S MOUTH? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? IS IT NOT I, THE LORD? 12 NOW THEREFORE GO, AND I WILL BE WITH YOUR MOUTH AND TEACH YOU what you shall speak.”

“I AM NOT ELOQUENT”: With his fourth argument, Moses focused on his speech disability, describing himself lit. as not being "a man of words," as being "heavy in mouth and heavy in tongue," i.e., unable to articulate his thoughts in fluent, flowing speech. An ancient document, The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant, suggests that eloquence was important in Egyptian culture, something which Moses would have well known from his time in the court.

“EITHER IN THE PAST OR SINCE YOU HAVE SPOKEN”: This is a pointed and inappropriate, if not impolite, criticism that somehow in all the discussion God had overlooked Moses' speech disability. Unless this disability changed, Moses believed that he could not undertake the assigned task (cf. 6:12).

“WHO HAS MADE MAN'S MOUTH?”: Three rhetorical questions from God shut the door on any complaints or criticisms about being clumsy of speech. The follow-up command, "NOW THEREFORE GO!", including its promise of divine help in speech, forbade all such objections. (adapted from The MacArthur Study Bible)