Moses Taught Valuable Lessons

I concluded a message series on December 3 called “Lessons from the Life of Moses.”  I thought it would be helpful to list all nine lessons we learned in the last four weeks.  Buckle up, it’s quite a ride…   

Lesson #1: All people, including those who serve God, are not exempt from natural laws.

Our first lesson dealt with delegation. God never asked any human to “burn the candle from both ends.” Effective leaders champion their strengths and delegate their weaknesses. God’s word makes it clear. Pride often keeps us from admitting our weaknesses. 

Lesson #2: It’s a sobering reality, but someday someone is going to replace you. 

Do you own a business? Do you teach? Pass on your knowledge and experience to someone else. You have to keep this in mind. No one does what they do forever, not even Moses.

Lesson #3: Effectiveness increases as we let go. 

Author Charles Swindoll said, “Doing more does not guarantee effectiveness.” Many people think they are good at multi-tasking. The truth is better results happen when we give one task our full attention. 

Lesson #4: Forgiveness is real, but the consequences of uncontrolled anger can be severe. 

You can be forgiven and go to prison. You can be forgiven and end up divorced. You can be forgiven and lose custody of your children. Life is best described as a ”series of choices.”  Sometimes our choices are good and other times our choices have longstanding consequences but God still forgives when we seek him.

We should take Moses’ lessons to heart, but when it comes to living like someone – make that person the one and only Son of the living God.  His name is Jesus and Jesus is “true and better.”

Lesson #5: Uncontrolled anger prevented Moses from entering the Promised Land but not heaven.

Moses had a track record of angry outbursts. It wasn’t just his anger that prevented him from the seeing the land God promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses made himself equal with God. That’s a no-no, but Moses was forgiven. I’m sure the Promised land was a land of “milk & honey.” A place to thrive, but heaven is described as having “streets of gold.” That’s better by far. The best word to describe heaven is “new.”  Everything will be new.  Heaven is never a consolation prize.   

Lesson #6: Nothing catches God by surprise. 

Moses leaving his leadership position was not a shock to God. Anyone losing their job or hearing the worse news ever is not catching God off guard. God never wrings his hands or sighs, “I just didn’t see that coming.” Remember, he’s almighty, all-knowing and forever present. 

Lesson #7: For every Moses there is a Joshua waiting in the wings. 

Moses will die in Deuteronomy 34.  God will bury him.  Life will go on.  That’s how it’s been since Eve bit the fruit and Adam passively watched.  What do all these Bible people have in common?  Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Issac, Rebekah, Jacob, Rachel, Joseph, Moses and Joshua.  They all died.  And life went on.  Someone else filled their shoes or more accurately, their sandals.

Lesson #8: Live by faith.  Faith does nothing unless it’s accompanied by action.

More than 800 scriptures are used to introduce and describe Moses. Most are found in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Some are found in the New Testament. But go check out Acts 7. Stephen had much to say about Moses. So did the Hebrew writer in Hebrews 11. 

Hebrews 11:24-28 (NIV2011) 24  By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25  He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26  He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27  By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28  By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

Three times in five verses you read the phrase “by faith.” This is how Moses lived his life. This is how we should live our lives. Led by our faith in God and in his son Jesus Christ.

Lesson #9: Jesus is better. Learn from Moses, but imitate Jesus. 

Dr. Tim Keller passed away on May 19, 2023. He died from the complications of pancreatic cancer. Back in 2007, Tim used the Scriptures to emphasize that Jesus is “true and better” than anyone who ever lived. Tim was right. If you would like to hear and see what he said click here. I love reading about Bible people like Moses. Moses was a servant of the Lord.  But he had flaws and sins just like you and me. We should take Moses’ lessons to heart, but when it comes to living like someone – make that person the one and only Son of the living God.  His name is Jesus and Jesus is “true and better.”