03/19/21 PITIFUL EXCUSES and GOD’s PATIENCE and PROVISION #7

Exodus 4:13-17 (ESV) But he said, “OH, MY LORD, PLEASE SEND SOMEONE ELSE.” 14 Then THE ANGER OF THE LORD WAS KINDLED AGAINST MOSES and he said, “Is there not AARON, YOUR BROTHER, THE LEVITE? I KNOW THAT HE CAN SPEAK WELL. Behold, HE IS COMING OUT TO MEET YOU, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 YOU SHALL SPEAK TO HIM AND PUT THE WORDS IN HIS MOUTH, AND I WILL BE WITH YOUR MOUTH AND WITH HIS MOUTH AND WILL TEACH YOU BOTH WHAT TO DO. 16 He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and YOU SHALL BE AS GOD TO HIM. 17 And TAKE IN YOUR HAND THIS STAFF, WITH WHICH YOU SHALL DO THE SIGNS.”

“OH, MY LORD, PLEASE”: Moses' fifth and final statement, notwithstanding the opening supplication, was a polite way of bluntly saying, "Choose someone else, not me!" The anger of God toward this overt expression of reluctance was appropriate, yet the Lord still provided another way for His plan to move forward unhindered. Providentially (v. 27), Aaron would meet his brother Moses, and positively respond to being the spokesman.

“AND I… WILL TEACH YOU BOTH”: The plural pronoun "you" means that God had promised to assist both of them in their newly appointed duties.

“YOU SHALL BE AS GOD TO HIM”: Aaron would speak to the people for Moses, even as Moses would speak to Aaron for the Lord.

“THIS STAFF, WITH WHICH YOU SHALL DO THE SIGNS”: Moses, despite God's anger at his unwillingness, retained superiority in that he had the instrument by which miracles would be done so that it was identified as "the staff of God" (v. 20). (adapted from The MacArthur Study Bible)