MOSES--LEARN FROM HIS EXAMPLE

What comes to mind when you hear the name Moses? Do you think of . . .

·         the baby whose mother hid him in a basket in the Nile River?

·         the boy who was raised in luxury in Egypt by the daughter of Pharaoh—yet never forgot that he was an Israelite?

·         the man who lived as a shepherd in Midian for 40 years?

·         the man who had a conversation with Jehovah * in front of a burning bush?

·         the man who stood up to the king of Egypt, boldly asking for the Israelites to be freed from slavery?

·         the man who, at God’s direction, announced the Ten Plagues upon Egypt when its king defied the true God?

·         the man who led the Israelites in a grand exodus from Egypt?

·         the man who was used in the parting of the Red Sea?

·         the man who gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments from God?

MOSES had all those experiences and more. No wonder this faithful man is highly respected by Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike!

Without question, Moses was a prophet who showed “great awesomeness.” (Deuteronomy 34:10-12) He allowed God to use him in a mighty way. Yet, Moses was an ordinary human. Just like the prophet Elijah, who appeared beside Moses in a vision during Jesus’ earthly ministry, Moses was a man “with feelings like ours.” (James 5:17; Matthew 17:1-9) Moses faced many of the same problems that we encounter, and he overcame them successfully.

Would you like to know how he did so? Consider three of the good qualities that Moses displayed and what we can learn from his example

Moses—A Man of Faith

WHAT IS FAITH?

As used in the Bible, “faith” involves firm belief based on solid evidence. Someone who has faith in God is confident that He will fulfill all of His promises.

HOW DID MOSES DISPLAY FAITH?

Moses centered his life on God’s promises. (Genesis 22:15-18) He had the opportunity to live a comfortable life amid the luxuries of Egypt, but he gave up that opportunity, “choosing to be ill-treated with the people of God rather than to have the temporary enjoyment of sin.” (Hebrews 11:25) Was that an impulsive decision, one that he would later regret? No, for the Bible says that Moses “continued steadfast as seeing the One who is invisible.” (Hebrews 11:27) Moses never regretted the choices he made in faith.

Moses sought to strengthen the faith of others. Consider, for example, what happened when the Israelites seemed trapped between Pharaoh’s army and the Red Sea. Terrified by what appeared to be imminent calamity, the Israelites cried out to Jehovah and to Moses. How would Moses respond?

Moses may have had little idea that God was about to part the Red Sea, thereby opening up an escape route for the Israelites. However, Moses was confident that God would do something to protect His people. And Moses wanted his fellow Israelites to have that same conviction. We read: “Moses said to the people: ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he will perform for you today.’” (Exodus 14:13) Did Moses succeed in fortifying the faith of his fellow Israelites? Indeed, for the Bible says regarding not just Moses but all the Israelites: “By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land.” (Hebrews 11:29) Moses’ faith benefited not only himself but everyone who learned from it.

WHAT ARE THE LESSONS FOR US?

We can imitate Moses by centering our life on God’s promises. For example, God promises to care for our material needs if we give his worship the top priority in our life. (Matthew 6:33) True, we may find it a challenge to resist the emphasis on material things that is so prevalent today. But we can be sure that when we do our best to keep our life simple and focused on our worship, Jehovah will provide all that we need. He guarantees: “I will by no means leave you nor by any means forsake you.”—Hebrews 13:5. 

We also strive to help others to grow in faith. For instance, wise parents recognize the tremendous opportunity they have to build faith in their children. As they grow, children need the vital knowledge that God exists and that he has given us standards of right and wrong. In addition, they need to be convinced that following his standards really is the best way of life. (Isaiah 48:17, 18) Parents give their children a precious gift when they help them to have faith that God “is real and that he rewards those who sincerely try to find him.”—Hebrews 11:6, Holy Bible—Easy-to-Read Version

Moses—A Man of Humility

 WHAT IS HUMILITY?

Humility involves freedom from arrogance or pride. A humble person does not view others as inferior to himself. Any imperfect human who is humble should also be modest, that is, aware of his limitations.

HOW DID MOSES DISPLAY HUMILITY?

Moses did not let authority go to his head. Often, when a man receives a little authority, his humility—or lack thereof—quickly becomes evident. Nineteenth-century author Robert G. Ingersoll put it this way: “Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power.” In that sense, Moses set a sterling example of humility. How so?

Moses received great authority, for Jehovah commissioned him to lead Israel. Yet, that power never made Moses proud. Consider, for example, the modest way he handled a difficult question about inheritance rights. (Numbers 27:1-11) The question was a weighty one, as the decision would set a legal precedent for generations to come.

How would Moses respond? Would he reason that as leader of Israel, he was qualified to make a decision in the matter? Would he lean on his natural ability, his years of experience, or his intimate knowledge of Jehovah’s thinking?

Perhaps a proud man would have done so. But not Moses. The Bible record tells us: “Moses presented [the] case before Jehovah.” (Numbers 27:5) Just think! Even after some 40 years of leading the nation of Israel, Moses relied, not on himself, but on Jehovah. Here we see Moses’ humility at its best.

Moses did not jealously guard his authority. He rejoiced when Jehovah allowed other Israelites to act as prophets alongside him. (Numbers 11:24-29) When his father-in-law suggested that he delegate some of his workload, Moses humbly applied the suggestion. (Exodus 18:13-24) And toward the end of his life, although still physically strong, Moses asked Jehovah to appoint a successor for him. When Jehovah selected Joshua, Moses wholeheartedly supported the younger man, urging the people to follow Joshua’s lead into the Promised Land. (Numbers 27:15-18; Deuteronomy 31:3-6; 34:7) To be sure, Moses counted it a privilege to lead the Israelites in worship. But he did not put his authority ahead of the welfare of others.

WHAT ARE THE LESSONS FOR US?

We never want to let power, authority, or natural ability go to our head. Remember: In order to be useful to Jehovah, our humility should always exceed our ability. (1 Samuel 15:17) When we are truly humble, we will strive to apply the Bible’s wise advice: “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding.”—Proverbs 3:5, 6.

Moses’ example also teaches us not to place too much importance on our status or authority.

Do we benefit from imitating Moses’ example of humility? Without question! When we cultivate genuine humility, we make life easier for the people around us, endearing ourselves to them. More important, we endear ourselves to Jehovah God, who himself displays this beautiful quality. (Psalm 18:35) “God opposes the haughty ones, but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones.” (1 Peter 5:5) What a compelling reason to imitate the humility of Moses! 

                                         MOSES A MAN OF LOVE

WHAT IS LOVE?

Love involves deep affection for others. A loving person shows by his words and actions how he feels about those dear to him, even when doing so requires personal sacrifice.

HOW DID MOSES DISPLAY LOVE?

Moses showed love for God. In what way? Well, recall the words recorded at 1 John 5:3: “This is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments.” Moses lived by that principle. In all that God asked him to do—from an assignment as daunting as confronting mighty Pharaoh to a task as seemingly simple as stretching out his rod over the Red Sea—Moses obeyed. Whether the command was easy to fulfill or difficult, Moses complied. “He did just so.”—Exodus 40:16.

Moses showed love for his fellow Israelites. They recognized that Jehovah was using Moses to guide his people, so they approached Moses with their various problems. We read: “The people kept standing before Moses from the morning till the evening.” (Exodus 18:13-16) Imagine how draining it must have been for Moses to listen—hour after hour—as the Israelites unburdened themselves of their concerns! Yet, Moses was happy to help the people he loved.

Besides listening to them, Moses also prayed for his loved ones. He even prayed for those who had wronged him! For example, when Moses’ sister, Miriam, murmured against Moses, Jehovah struck her with leprosy. Rather than rejoicing over her punishment, Moses immediately interceded for her, praying: “O God, please! Heal her, please!” (Numbers 12:13) What else but love would have caused Moses to offer such a selfless prayer?

WHAT ARE THE LESSONS FOR US?

We can imitate Moses by cultivating deep love for God. Such love moves us to obey his commands “from the heart.” (Romans 6:17) When we obey Jehovah from our heart, we bring joy to his heart. (Proverbs 27:11) We also benefit ourselves. After all, when we serve God out of genuine love, not only will we do the right things but we will enjoy doing them!—Psalm 100:2.

Another way we can imitate Moses is to cultivate self-sacrificing love for others. When friends or family members approach us with their concerns, love moves us to (1) give them our heartfelt attention; (2) empathize with them, or feel what they feel; and (3) let them know that we care.

Like Moses, we can pray for our loved ones. Sometimes we may feel helpless when they share their problems with us. We might even lament, “I’m sorry that all I can do is pray for you.” But remember: “When a righteous person prays, that prayer carries great power.” (James 5:16, The Kingdom New Testament) Our prayers may actually move Jehovah to do something for the person that He might not otherwise have done. Really, then, what better thing could we do for our loved ones than to pray for them? *

Would you not agree that we can learn much from Moses? Although an ordinary person, he set an extraordinary example of faith, humility, and love. The more closely we imitate his example, the more we benefit both ourselves and others.—Romans 15:4.

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