Who was Moses in the Bible?

from the old testament

• Part 1: Birth–40 years old (Exodus 1–2:15): After Joseph brought his family to Egypt to escape a famine, they thrived and lived peacefully. With time, the Hebrew population boomed. As memory of Joseph's contribution to Egypt faded, the Egyptians began to enslave the Hebrews to do labor; the Pharaoh feared that the Hebrews were becoming too many and too mighty and might join Egypt's enemies against them. "But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel" (Exodus 1:12). Pharaoh ordered the midwives to kill all male Hebrew babies. The midwives disobeyed the king's command, and God protected them. Pharaoh also ordered all male Hebrew babies to be cast into the Nile to die.
• Moses was born during this time. After three months, when his mother could no longer hide him, she placed him in a basket in the reeds by the riverbank, hoping he would find safety. Moses's sister, likely Miriam, stood at a distance and watched to see what would happen. Pharaoh's daughter came to the river to bathe, saw the basket, and discovered baby Moses. Pharaoh's daughter recognized that he was a Hebrew boy and "took pity on him" (Exodus 2:6). Miriam, still close by, asked Pharaoh's daughter if she would like one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby. Moses's mother was providentially chosen for the task. After Moses was weaned, his mother returned him to Pharaoh's daughter, "and he became her son" (Exodus 2:10). Moses grew up in the palace of Pharaoh. He enjoyed all the wealth and privileges of his position and learned the ways of the Egyptians.
• As Moses grew older, he became more and more empathetic with his people, the Hebrews. He recognized that the way the Egyptians were treating the Hebrews was wrong, but he didn't know how to respond. His anger grew, and he impulsively killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave. Moses let his sinful nature, namely his anger, fuel his actions, and he acted apart from God. Stuck between the two nations and wanted for murder, Moses fled.
• Part 2: 40–80 years old (Exodus 2:16–3:17): While fleeing Egypt, Moses entered the land of Midian and witnessed shepherds preventing some young women from watering their flocks. Moses stood up to the shepherds and watered the women's livestock. The women, seven sisters, brought Moses back to meet their father, Jethro (also called Reuel). Jethro took Moses under his wing and gave his daughter, Zipporah, to Moses as a wife. Under Jethro's mentorship, Moses embraced the life of a shepherd and family man. Completely opposite from his glorious life in the palace, he learned the hard work of tending flocks. Although Moses had not forgotten the Hebrews, he believed it was out of his hands and moved forward with his new life.
• God, however, had other plans. One day while Moses was tending his sheep, he stumbled upon a burning bush. God's voice began to speak to Moses from the bush, and he removed his sandals, acknowledging God's holiness. God told Moses, "And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt" (Exodus 3:9–10). Eighty-year-old Moses was very different from his younger self. He was reluctant and timid, lacking the confidence to go to Egypt as God was calling him. Yet despite his excuses, it was this Moses that God chose. God knew that it was not Moses's power, but God working within him, that would free the Hebrews from captivity.
• Part 3: 80–120 years old (Exodus 3:18–Deuteronomy 34:12): With God by his side, Moses returned to Egypt, taking with him Zipporah and their sons. God told Moses that his brother, Aaron, would go with him before the people. God told Aaron to meet Moses in the wilderness. When the brothers met, Moses told Aaron of God's desire and plan to free the Hebrews. Together, Moses and Aaron first went to the elders of the Israelites. The Israelites believed and worshiped God. Moses and Aaron then went before Pharaoh and asked him to let the Hebrew people leave, so they could go and worship God. Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he refused. Because of this, Moses began releasing each of God's ten plagues against Egypt. With each plague, the Pharaoh became even more determined to not give in.
• Before the final plague, based on God's command, Moses warned the Hebrews to kill a lamb and spread its blood over the door post. That night, the Angel of the Lord passed over Egypt and killed all the firstborn sons, but he did not enter any house with blood on the door post. That was the first Passover, which God commanded the Israelites to commemorate annually. The next day, there was great mourning in Egypt, and the Pharaoh himself lost a son. The Pharaoh finally surrendered to Moses's pleas and let the Hebrews go. The Hebrews left quickly, but when Pharaoh heard of it, he changed his mind and sent his army to pursue them. Moses asked the Lord what he should do. God told him to use his staff to part the Red Sea, so they could pass through it to safety as it drowned the Egyptian army behind them.
• Once safely across the Red Sea, the Hebrews began their journey to the Promised Land. While camping at the base of Mount Sinai, God made a covenant, often referred to as the Mosaic Covenant, with His people. Moses climbed the mountain, and God gave him the Law and instructions for how to build the tabernacle as a place where the people could worship God as His spirit dwelt within their camp. Moses's father-in-law, Jethro, continued to mentor him, teaching him to delegate responsibilities, so the fate of such a great number of people was not on his shoulders alone.
• Although God had just delivered them from Pharaoh and the Egyptians, the Israelites continually doubted His sovereignty and fell back into their sinful ways. They created false idols to worship and didn't believe God would subdue the nations in the Promised Land before them. Moses never ceased praying and interceding for his people. He knew that just as he needed time to mature in his relationship with God before returning to Egypt, the nation needed time to grow closer to God.
• Moses had the incredible blessing of talking to God face to face (Exodus 33:11).
• Moses oversaw the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests (Leviticus 8–9).
• In Numbers 12, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses, complaining of his leadership, but God defended Moses's leadership.
• Anger once again came out of Moses when he struck the rock at Meribah to bring forth water. While in the desert, the people were complaining that God had led them there. God had told Moses to bring forth water from a rock for them. In his anger, Moses did not glorify God for this miracle and did not follow His exact instructions. As a result, Moses lost the opportunity to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:1–13).
• Moses appointed Joshua as his successor (Numbers 27:12–23).
• Moses delivered his final speeches and blessings and then died on Mount Nebo (Deuteronomy 31–34).
• Moses was unique among men. Deuteronomy 34:10 says, "And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face."
• When Moses died at 120 years old, God Himself buried the prophet (Deuteronomy 34:6). His influence is described as such: "And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel" (Deuteronomy 34:10–12).

from the new testament

• Moses appeared with Elijah during the transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1–3). Because of this, while Moses did not make it to the Promised Land during his life on earth, we know that he entered into God's promise of eternity through faith.
• John 1:17 tells us that the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
• In Acts 7:20–44, Stephen recounted the history of Israel, highlighting Moses's role.
• Romans 10:5 contrasts two types of righteousness: the righteousness that is based on the law given to Moses (Mosaic Law) and the righteousness that comes by faith (Christian faith in Jesus Christ).
• Moses is compared to Jesus, with Jesus being greater than Moses (Hebrews 3:1–6).
• Moses is commended in the "Hall of Faith" (Hebrews 11:23–29). His faith, choices, and actions set an example of trusting and obeying God, even in the face of great challenges and personal sacrifice. His life exemplifies living by faith and prioritizing spiritual and eternal rewards over temporary earthly gains.
• Jude 1:9 reveals that Michael the archangel contended with the devil over the body of Moses.
• In Revelation 15:3, the song of Moses and the Lamb is sung by those who have triumphed over the beast.

implications for today

A crucial lesson from Moses's life is the importance of trusting in God's faithfulness and sovereignty, even in the midst of doubts and personal failures. Throughout his journey, Moses faced moments of doubt, insecurity, and even disobedience. From his initial reluctance to heed God's call at the burning bush to his anger-driven actions leading to the striking of the rock, Moses experienced moments of faltering faith and human weakness.

Yet, despite his shortcomings, Moses consistently turned back to God, seeking His guidance, forgiveness, and strength. He learned to trust in God's promises and sovereignty, recognizing that God's plans far surpassed his own understanding and abilities. Despite his doubts and failures, Moses remained steadfast in his reliance on God, knowing that God's faithfulness never wavered, even when his own faith did.

Our journey of faith is often characterized by moments of uncertainty and personal failure. Like Moses, we can find assurance and strength by placing our trust in God's unwavering faithfulness and sovereignty, even when we falter. Instead of allowing doubts and failures to deter us, we can use them as opportunities to deepen our dependence on God, to grow in our relationship with Him, and to point people to Him. Moses' life reminds us that God is ever-faithful, even when we are not, and He can work through our weaknesses and shortcomings for His glory.