Moses the Prophet: God’s Chosen Leader

Who Was Moses in the Bible?

Moses, central to the Exodus narrative, was both an Egyptian prince and an Israelite deliverer, uniquely positioned to liberate God’s people from bondage.

According to Exodus 2:1-10, Moses was born to Israelite parents during Pharaoh’s decree to drown Hebrew male infants. His mother hid him for three months before placing him in a papyrus basket on the Nile, where Pharaoh’s daughter discovered and adopted him, unaware of his heritage. Raised in the Egyptian royal court, Moses received an education and privilege, yet his heart remained tied to his oppressed kin. This dual identity - both insider and outsider - shaped his role as a mediator between God and Israel.

Moses fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave, an act that revealed his allegiance to his people (Exodus 2:11-15). His departure marked a turning point, leading him to Midian, where he would later encounter God at the burning bush.

This formative exile prepared Moses for his divine mission: to return, confront Pharaoh, and lead Israel to freedom. His early life underscores themes of divine providence and cultural tension that define his leadership in the wilderness.

The Burning Bush and God’s Call

Moses’ divine calling crystallized in Exodus 3:1-4 when God revealed Himself through the enigmatic burning bush.

The passage reads: 'Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian; and he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. He looked, and the bush was burning with fire yet was not consumed. Then Moses said,

Moses’ Leadership and Legacy

Moses’ leadership of the Israelites through the wilderness and his role in receiving the Law at Sinai (Exodus 19-20) established the covenantal foundation of Israel’s identity.

Guiding the Israelites for four decades, Moses mediated between God and the people, most notably at Mount Sinai where God inscribed the Ten Commandments on stone tablets (Exodus 20:1-17). His unwavering commitment to intercession, even when the people crafted the golden calf (Exodus 32), underscored his role as a bridge between divine holiness and human frailty. Yet the Israelites’ persistent rebellion, exemplified in their complaints over water and manna, tested his patience and leadership.

Moses’ faithfulness was ultimately contrasted with the people’s disobedience in the incident at Meribah (Numbers 20:7-13), where his striking the rock instead of speaking to it as commanded barred him from entering the Promised Land. This moment showed the serious importance of obeying God and the high cost of human mistakes in leadership.

What We Can Learn From Moses

Moses’ life teaches clear lessons about obedience, humility, and trusting God’s timing, illustrated by his reluctant acceptance of his calling and his persistent prayers for Israel.

In Exodus 3:11-12, Moses’ initial hesitation - 'Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?' - models the tension between human inadequacy and divine enablement, reminding us that God equips those He calls. His question, 'What if they do not believe me?' (Exodus 4:1), further underscores the challenge of leading without assurance of success.

Yet Moses’ intercession after the golden calf incident (Exodus 32:9-14) reveals leadership rooted in mercy and advocacy, as he pleaded, 'Pardon their sin... or blot me out of Your book.' This teaches that effective leadership balances accountability with compassion, while trusting God’s redemptive purposes even when outcomes are delayed. His story invites modern readers to embrace reluctant callings with faith in God’s timing, and to lead with humility, recognizing that divine strength often works through human frailty.