Moses' Early Life
Moses was born during an unjust period in which the King attempted to eradicate Israel-born sons by using midwives or decreeing that they be thrown into the Nile.
Moses was the son of a Levi man and a Levite woman.
He was veiled for three months then brought onto the Nile in a papyrus basket lined with tar as his sister watched. When Pharaoh's daughter and her attendants noticed the basket as she went to bathe, Moses' sister promised to call a Hebrew mother, Moses' maternal mother, to nurse the child. Moses' mother nursed him when he grew and returned him to Pharaoh's daughter when he was older. He was named Moses because she drew him from the water (New International Version, Exod. 2. 10)
Moses' Exodus and Exile
At one moment while watching his own people laboring, he observed an Egyptian beat one of his people.
While protecting his people he beat the Egyptian master to death
Pharaoh's knowledge of Moses' acts resulted in his attempt to kill him for the death of the Egyptian
Moses plans to run into exile following his unpopular choice with both Egyptians and Israelites
Moses flees to Midian in fear of his crime being known,
While at Median by the well Moses assisted Jethro's daughters in watering their flock after being sent off by some shepherds
He lives with a priest, Jethro, who later became his father-in-law after Moses wedded Zipporah
Moses sires a son, Gershom (his son)
The king dies while Moses is in exile the king died (New International Version, Exod. 2. 13-23)
Moses as God's Messenger
God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and directed him towards freeing the Israelites from misery in Egypt
God gives Moses the power to transform his staff to a snake to affirm that he is a messenger of God
God further instructs Moses to put his hand in his cloak and on taking it out it became leprous
God tells Moses to use these miracles in identifying himself to the people as God's messenger
Moses eventually met Aaron and together they converged the elders of the Israelites to tell them everything said by God besides performing the signs
Hesitant Moses returned to Egypt conveying the message by God on the freedom of the Israelites, and in the negotiations a series of wonders and plagues (New International Version, Exod. 3. 1-21)
Leadership and Miracles
Moses served as God to Aaron while Aaron acted as his prophet
The stubbornness of Pharaoh resulted in God subjecting his people to plagues which the magicians also did using their secret arts
The Lord ensured that He hardened Pharaoh's heart so that he would not let the Israelites go out of the country despite enduring a series of plagues in the hands of Moses and Aaron
Pharaoh eventually let the Israelites go and worship God
Moses carried Joseph's bones with him because of the oath he made assuring the Israelites that God would come to their aid
Moses stretches his staff at the Sea of Reeds and using a strong east wind the Lord turns the sea into dry land
God commands Moses to stretch out his hand across the sea to prevent Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen
God uses his angel to cause confusion in the Egyptian army sent after the Israelites
Moses spends his adult life wandering the desert with the Israelites, often performing wonders as directed by God
Moses turns bitter water drinkable by placing a stick in it
At Rephidim, Moses struck a stone to provide water to the Israelites (Wildavsky 39)
Manna from the sky is offered as food through instructions to Moses providing food for the Israelites
Moses became the pillar of Israelites, enacting the will of God even as he aged
Moses becomes a medium by which Israel's problems are communicated to God, and a solution provided via the same route
Israelites live their life under the direction of Moses, as he assumes the position of a leader and a Divine one
Israelites win battles if Moses holds up his staff, to the point where Aaron and Hur hold up his hands when he tires
In the journey towards Canaan, Moses ascends Mount Sinai and gets the Ten Commandments
Moses' Role in the Israelite Society
While at the mountain, the people became impatient and asked Aaron to make them gods to which he yielded that eventually angered God
Moses acts like a high priest, taking orders directly from God and conveying them to the Israelites
He also is a judge of character and actions often enforcing the laws and punishing the offenders
Moses is instrumental in the development of the worship format and program, as enforced in the covenant's confirmation
Moses provides directions as the Ark of the Covenant is constructed (New International Version, Exod. 23. 1-15)
Moses' Death
Moses ascertains his position as a leader in the Israelite society
However, Moses lost favor from God when he failed to honor Him in the sight of the Israelites thus God promised that he would not bring the Israelites to the promised land
His death remains a mystery, as no evidence of Moses' body was found, up the mountain where he is thought to have died
Works Cited
The Bible. New International Version. Bibilica Inc., 2011. Internet Resource.
Wildavsky, Aaron. Moses as Political Leader. Jerusalem: Shalem Press, 2005. Internet Resource.
