I have a soft spot for reading the Bible from cover to cover. Once I hit Revelations, I automatically bounce back to Genesis.
Just stepped into Exodus. For too long, I had a simplistic Sunday School view of the book: Moses is the hero, Pharaoh is the bad guy and Israel is the difficult teenager Moses tries to rescue.
Exodus is so much more than a villain against a good guy. Exodus is the Perestroika of the Soviets, or the Fall of the Nazi’s in WW2. Most books of the Bible will refer back to this pivotal moment in Hebrew history as God saves the Israelites from Egypt’s slavery (foreshadowing Christ’s saving all nations from slavery to sin).
In Hebrew, the book is named by its first two words [we’elleh shemoth], meaning “And These Are The Names Of”. A book filled with names that had an “inescapable influence” in their community.
I crave to be a hero like Moses. A man with impact. Our Jewish friend told me once that Moses is ‘Moshe’ in Hebrew, meaning EXIT. That EXIT word our eyes search while pulling and pushing weary luggage through the long corridors of an airport, the exit sign we spot in a dark movie theatre, or the one flight attendants point us to in case of an unlikely event. In Exodus too, Moshe is at every corner literally EXITING the Israelites from bondage, starvation, dehydration, or idolisation.
But, there are so many more heroes in this book. Not all heroes wear a cape, nor do they hold a staff that turns into a snake. “These are the names of” some of my heroes in this book. Puah, Shiphrah, Hur, the nameless Levites, Oholiab, Bezalel…
How many songs, books or movie scripts have been written about these…?
The midwives who risked their lives to obey God’s law, instead of Pharaoh’s law.
“Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah: “When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver. If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.” But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too.” Exodus 1:15-21 NLT
The skilled workers who were entrusted to build the tent with utmost excellence.
(They surely lived by the principle “Preparation meets opportunity.”) “Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel … I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft. ‘And I have personally appointed Oholiab…, to be his assistant…” Exodus 31:2-6 NIV
The support team who with creativity and determination held Moses’ arms.
“Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. ” Exodus 17:12 NLT
The nameless Levites stepping up their faith
“Moses saw that Aaron had let the people get completely out of control, much to the amusement of their enemies. So he stood at the entrance to the camp and shouted, ‘All of you who are on the Lord’s side, come here and join me.’ And all the Levites gathered around him. … The Levites obeyed Moses’ command, and about 3,000 people died that day. Then Moses told the Levites, “Today you have ordained yourselves for the service of the Lord, for you obeyed him even though it meant killing your own sons and brothers. Today you have earned a blessing.” Exodus 32:25-29 NLT
I read an article recently calling pastors “to lead with guts”, to step up their faith in a confusing world chocked by fear and regulations. I may not be a hero. But I strongly desire to live a life of impact, to have an inescapable influence in my home, and the community God entrusted me to.
I may not be a Moses with a miraculous staff, but will we be…
…a Moshe, an EXIT sign from slavery to sin, to freedom in Christ?
…a Puah, a risk-taker to obey God’s law even if it goes against Caesar’s?
…an Oholiab, preparing ahead for future opportunities?
…a Hur, supporting a leader, a pastor’s wife, a doctor, your family?
Just as the song What If (Matthew West) says,
I’m gonna dream a little bigger
Burn a little brighter
Stand a little taller, closer to Your fire
Dig a little deeper
Reach a little further
Love a little harder
What if, I’ve been snoozing for too long my opportunities to live a life of impact?!