A Mission Failed and a Leader Saved
...otted some shepherds preventing a group of women from watering their flock. Once again, I was witness to people being victimized. And, being the impulsive man that I was, I could not just let that happen again. There was something within me that gave me the courage and ability to help others, and I thank God to this day for blessing me in that way. I was able to water the women’s flock and, as it turned out, they rewarded me with dinner, a place to stay, and a wife who bore me a son. Oh, how the Lord blessed me! I spent a good 40 years with my family and as a shepherd, until one day something very peculiar caught my attention – a burning bush. This bush was no ordinary bush. It was on fire, yet it did not burn up. I realized such a plant had to be placed there for a reason and, sure enough, it called out my name! Once again, the Lord was singling me out. I was chosen for a reason. I survived for a purpose. God had chosen me to lead the opposed Israelites out of Egypt. I realized then that the whole time I was a shepherd was preparation for me to lead a nation. Just as I had been watching over my flock, so would I have to do so with the Israelites. It all seemed so logical, yet it also seemed impossible. I realized it was God I was about to argue with, but I just could not see this to be a one-man job. However, the Lord assured me to go in His name, and that He would be with me. The Lord sent Aaron to be my aid. I told Aaron everything the Lord had told me to say and, together, Aaron and I brought together all the elders of the Israelites and informed them as well. Armed with my faith in the Lord and the staff of God in my hand, I went forth to free my people. Once Aaron and I reached Pharaoh and ordered him to let my people go in the name of the Lord God of Israel, Pharaoh denied the existence of our Lord and would not Israel go. I did not understand. I had been loyal to the Lord and the mission was not going as planned. In fact, after going to Pharaoh, conditions for the Israelites had only worsened. I was devastated but I had not lost hope. I turned to the Lord and again He promised me deliverance. Aaron and I returned to Pharaoh and performed a miracle by throwing a staff down and hoping that it turning into a snake would further demonstrate to Pharaoh that God had sent us. As a result, Pharaoh’s heart became hard, and the Lord rained down ten plagues on Egypt, and I was able to lead my people. Unfortunately, my story does not end there. After the plagues had ended, after we celebrated Passover, Pharaoh sent chariots of his men after us. When my people saw the Egyptians, they cried out to me. I was their leader – the leader of this million-man march. They may have doubted me, but I did not doubt the Lord. As their leader, I assured them to stand firm and they would see the deliverance the Lord had promised. Once we came to the Red Sea, I raised my staff and by the power of God I parted the sea so my people could pass through. Again, the Lord used me as a vessel to perform His miracles. I continued to glorify Him, and He continued to guide me. The Lord granted me the strength to lead and protect these people. I acknowledged God’s love and protection by continually praising and worshipping Him. It was my hope that by continually praising the Lord for the miracles He was providing for all the people and myself that the people would learn to go to God rather than me all the time. They were continually crying out to me about food and water shortages, but did they not realize they too could go to God? I began to get flustered with their constant bickering, and with my frustration and actions to follow, I would soon regret my impulsive ways. Around the third month we had been out of Egypt, we arrived at the desert of Sinai. The Lord spoke the Ten Commandments to some of the elders and myself, and then I, the leader, the chosen one, later passed on the laws to the Israelites. I made an alter and prepared a burnt offering to show my gratitude and obedience to the Lord. I felt a bit of relief when the Lord laid down some laws. I felt like things may turn around a bit and the Israelites might become a bit more optimistic. I was wrong. I had to spend some time with the Lord as part of my covenant with Him. Little did I know that being gone for a while would send my people into chaos. They turned to Aaron, who very wrongfully...