July 20, 2010 – Exodus 4

Moses fled from a serpent.  What do we think of this.  Moses was out shepherding.  While shepherding, a person must be brave and willing to save the sheep from wild animals and other dangers.  You won’t think a simple snake would cause Moses to flee.  So, I can see two explanations.  One, Moses was startled because the serpent had just been a rod and the change added to his attitude.  Or second, the serpent is not a snake that we think of normally but a larger much more disturbing monster type.  This idea of a serpent was brought up one time when we were discussing the Garden of Eden.  It is a serpent there as well, but it is hard to believe that Adam or Eve would have been convinced by a snake.  It is much more believable that they were either convinced by something more vicious or ferocious.  I find it easier to think that the serpent is not just a normal snake, so it is a little easier to see Moses flee from something more ferocious than a normal snake.  Then again, it makes sense that a rod would turn into a snake since that have similar shapes.  Moses not wanting to do it helps us relate to when we feel God calling us to do something.  We don’t always want to do what God may be wanting us to do, but God doesn’t always ask us to do things we want or things that are easy.  Keep Moses in mind when we are looking at what God may be asking of us.