Text: Exodus 4:1-17Text: Exodus 4:1-17

= Implication of the Staff in = Implication of the Staff in Moses’ Hand? Moses’ Hand?

Exodus 4:2 - Then the LORD Exodus 4:2 - Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in said to him, “What is that in your hand?” your hand?” “A staff,”“A staff,” he he replied. replied.

Topic: What is that in Topic: What is that in Your Hand?Your Hand?

= Instruction of God about the = Instruction of God about the StaffStaff

Exodus 4:17 - But take this Exodus 4:17 - But take this staff in your hand so you can staff in your hand so you can perform perform miraculous signsmiraculous signs with it.”with it.”

How Can God Use How Can God Use Christians for His Plan in Christians for His Plan in

the Year 2011?the Year 2011?

1. 1. God’s God’s ResourcefulnessResourcefulness

Vs. 1 - Moses answered, Vs. 1 - Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?”LORD did not appear to you’?”

= How does God Show His = How does God Show His Creativity to Moses?Creativity to Moses?

Vs 2 - Then the LORD said Vs 2 - Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. hand?” “A staff,” he replied. 

(1) With the Staff(1) With the Staff Vs. 3-4 - The Lord said, “Throw Vs. 3-4 - The Lord said, “Throw

it on the ground.” Moses threw it it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and on the ground and it became a it became a snakesnake,, and he ran from it. Then and he ran from it. Then the LORD said to him, “Reach the LORD said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and took hold of the snake and it it turned back into a turned back into a staffstaff in his in his hand.hand.

(2) With the Hand: (2) With the Hand: Vs. 6-7 - Then the LORD said, Vs. 6-7 - Then the LORD said,

“Put your hand inside your “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took into his cloak, and when he took it out, it out, it was it was leprousleprous, like snow. , like snow. “Now put it back into your cloak,” “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he back into his cloak, and when he took it out, took it out, it was it was restoredrestored,, like like the rest of his flesh. the rest of his flesh.

= How Does God Help Build = How Does God Help Build up Moses’ Confidence in up Moses’ Confidence in the Matter of Eloquence?the Matter of Eloquence?

Exodus 4:10 - Moses said to Exodus 4:10 - Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, the LORD, “O Lord, I have I have never been eloquent,never been eloquent, neither neither in the past nor since you have in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. spoken to your servant. I am I am slow of speech and tongue.”slow of speech and tongue.”

Acts 7:21-22 - When he was Acts 7:21-22 - When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and daughter took him and brought him up as her own brought him up as her own son. Moses was educated in son. Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the all the wisdom of the Egyptians and Egyptians and was powerful was powerful in in speechspeech and action. and action.

Exodus 4:11-12 - The LORD Exodus 4:11-12 - The LORD said to him, “Who gave man said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? sight or makes him blind? Is it Is it not I,not I, the LORD? the LORD? Now go; I Now go; I will help you speak and will will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”teach you what to say.”

= How Does God Handle = How Does God Handle Moses’ Last Excuse about Moses’ Last Excuse about God’s Plan?God’s Plan?

Exodus 4:13-14 - But Moses Exodus 4:13-14 - But Moses said, said, “O Lord, please send “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.”someone else to do it.” Then Then the LORD’s anger burned the LORD’s anger burned against Moses and he said, against Moses and he said,

““What about What about your brother, your brother, AaronAaron the Levite? I know he the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he his heart will be glad when he sees you.sees you.

2. 2. God’s God’s MiraclesMiracles

Exodus 3:9-10 - I have seen Exodus 3:9-10 - I have seen the way the Egyptians are the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”out of Egypt.”

= How does God Lead = How does God Lead Moses into the Next Phase Moses into the Next Phase of Moses’ Life? of Moses’ Life?

Vs. 10 - So now, go. I am Vs. 10 - So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to sending you to Pharaoh to bring my peoplebring my people the Israelites the Israelites out of Egypt.”out of Egypt.”

Vs 17 - But take this staff in Vs 17 - But take this staff in your hand so you can your hand so you can perform perform miraculous signsmiraculous signs with it.” with it.”

(1) (1) NatureNature of his Work of his Work Exodus 3:1 - Now Moses was Exodus 3:1 - Now Moses was

tending the tending the flockflock of Jethro of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain came to Horeb, the mountain of God.of God.

Exodus 4:10 - So now, go. I Exodus 4:10 - So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh am sending you to Pharaoh to to bring my bring my peoplepeople the the Israelites out of Egypt.”Israelites out of Egypt.”

(2) (2) ExpectationExpectation of his Work. of his Work. Exodus 4:17 - But take this Exodus 4:17 - But take this

staff in your hand so you can staff in your hand so you can perform perform miraculous signsmiraculous signs with it.”with it.”

= How does God Lead = How does God Lead Moses to Maintain a Sense Moses to Maintain a Sense of Expectation of God in of Expectation of God in his Future Life? his Future Life?

Vs. 9 - But Vs. 9 - But if they do not if they do not believebelieve these two signs or these two signs or listen to you, take some water listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood from the river will become blood on the ground.”on the ground.”

Exodus 6:9 - Moses reported Exodus 6:9 - Moses reported this to the Israelites, but this to the Israelites, but they they did not listen to himdid not listen to him because because of their of their discouragement and discouragement and cruel bondage.cruel bondage.

= What does God Hint to = What does God Hint to Moses to Expect of God in Moses to Expect of God in the deliverance of the the deliverance of the People of God?People of God?

Exodus 3:19-20 - But I know Exodus 3:19-20 - But I know that the king of Egypt will not that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So I willhand compels him. So I will

stretch out my hand and stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with strike the Egyptians with all the all the wonderswonders that I will that I will perform among them. After perform among them. After that, he will let you go.that, he will let you go.

Ten Plagues (Exodus 7-11)Ten Plagues (Exodus 7-11)(1) of Blood(1) of Blood (2) of Frogs(2) of Frogs(3) of Gnats(3) of Gnats (4) of Flies(4) of Flies(5) on Livestock(5) on Livestock (6) of Boils(6) of Boils(7) of Hail(7) of Hail (8) of (8) of

LocustsLocusts(9) of Darkness(9) of Darkness(10) on the First-born. (10) on the First-born.

3. 3. God’s God’s StaffStaff

Vs. 20 -  So Moses took his wife Vs. 20 -  So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And and started back to Egypt. And he took he took the staff of Godthe staff of God in his in his hand.hand.

= How Can the Staff of = How Can the Staff of Moses Become the Staff Moses Become the Staff of God?of God?

Vs. 20 - So Moses took his Vs. 20 - So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back a donkey and started back to Egypt. And to Egypt. And he took the he took the staff of God in his hand.staff of God in his hand.

Exodus 4:16 - He will speak Exodus 4:16 - He will speak to the people for you, and it to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your will be as if he were your mouth and mouth and as if you were as if you were GodGod to him. to him.

Exodus 7:1-2 - Then the Lord Exodus 7:1-2 - Then the Lord said to Moses, said to Moses, “See, I have “See, I have made you like made you like GodGod to to Pharaoh,Pharaoh, and your brother and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. Aaron will be your prophet. You are to say everything I You are to say everything I command you, and your command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his to let the Israelites go out of his country.country.

= How Long did Moses = How Long did Moses Carry the Staff of God? Carry the Staff of God?

(1) In Egypt(1) In Egypt 23-25 days before the 23-25 days before the

Israelites left Egypt. Israelites left Egypt.

(2) In the Desert - 40 years(2) In the Desert - 40 years Numbers 20:7-8 - The LORD Numbers 20:7-8 - The LORD

said to Moses, said to Moses, “Take the staff,“Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together.gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can they and their livestock can drink.”drink.”

= What is in Your Hand = What is in Your Hand that Represents God that Represents God Himself?Himself?

How Can God Use You How Can God Use You for His Plan in the Year for His Plan in the Year

2011?2011?

By God’s By God’s ResourcefulnessResourcefulness By God’s By God’s MiraclesMiracles By God’s By God’s StaffStaff