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Moses, the Man of God

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1. Date of His Birth and Death . Moses was born in Egypt two thousand four hundred and thirty-three years after the creation of Adam:
   1. It was (130 + 105 + 90 + 70 + 65 + 162 + 65 + 187 + 182 = 1056) one thousand and fifty-six years from the creation of Adam to Noah (Genesis 5:3-29 ).
   2. It was (500 + 100 + 2 = 602) six hundred and two years from the birth of Noah to the birth of Arphaxad (Genesis 5:32; Genesis 7:6; Genesis 11:10 ).
   3. It was (35 + 30 + 34 + 30 + 32 + 30 + 29 = 220) two hundred and twenty years from the birth of Arphaxad to the birth of Terah (Genesis 11:12-24 ).
   4. It was (130) one hundred and thirty years from the birth of Terah to the birth of Abram (Genesis 11:32; Genesis 12:1-4; Acts 7:1-4 ).
   5. It was (100) one hundred years from the birth of Abram to the birth of Isaac (Genesis 21:5 ).
   6. It was (60) sixty years from the birth of Isaac to the birth of Jacob (Genesis 25:26 ).
   7. It was (91) ninety-one years from the birth of Jacob to the birth of Joseph (Genesis 41:46,53,54; Genesis 45:4-6; Genesis 47:9 ).
   8. It was (110) one hundred and ten years from the birth of Joseph to his death (Genesis 50:26 ).
   9. It was (64) sixty-four years from the death of Joseph to the birth of Moses (Genesis 12:1-4; Genesis 21:5; Genesis 25:26; Genesis 41:46,53,54; Genesis 45:6; Genesis 47:9; Genesis 50:26; Exodus 7:7; Exodus 12:40,41; Galatians 3:17 ). (1056 + 602 + 220 + 130 + 100 + 60 + 91 + 110 + 64 = 2433). Add to this the (120) one hundred and twenty years that Moses lived (Deuteronomy 34:7 ), and you will have the date of his death.
2. First Forty Years of His Life . The distinguishing incidents of this period of his life were,
   1. he was concealed by his mother (Exodus 2:1,2 );
   2. he was placed in an ark of bulrushes (Exodus 2:3 );
   3. he was discovered by Pharaoh's daughter and named Moses because he was drawn out of the water (Exodus 2:3-10 );
   4. he was adopted by Pharaoh's daughter and educated (Exodus 2:9,10; Acts 7:20-22 );
   5. he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter (Hebrews 11:24 );
   6. he visited his brethren (Acts 7:23 );
   7. he slew an Egyptian (Exodus 2:11,12; Acts 7:24,25 );
   8. his brethren failed to understand him (Exodus 2:14; Acts 7:22-28 );
   9. he fled to Midian (Acts ex; Exodus 2:15; Acts 7:29 ).
3. Second Forty Years of His Life . The distinguishing incidents of this period of his life were,
   1. he met the daughters of Jethro, the priest of Midian, at the well and watered their flocks (Exodus 2:16,17 );
   2. he was invited into Jethro's house (Exodus 2:17-20 );
   3. he married Zipporah (Exodus 2:21 );
   4. the birth of his son Gershom (Exodus 2:22 );
   5. the death of the king of Egypt (Exodus ex; Exodus 2:23-25 );
   6. and the appearance to him of the angel of God in the burning bush at Mount Horeb (Exodus 3:1-16; Acts 7:30 ).
4. Third Forty Years of His Life . The distinguishing incidents of this period of his life were,
   1. he was commissioned as the deliverer of his down-trodden brethren (Exodus 2:7-22; Exodus 3:1-6; Acts 7:31-35 );
   2. he departed for Egypt accompanied by his family, with the benediction of Jethro (Exodus 4:18-20 );
   3. the Lord appeared to him and emphasized his commission (Exodus 4:21-23 );
   4. he met and saluted his brother Aaron (Exodus 4:27 );
   5. they laid their commission before their brethren and received their recognition (Exodus 4:29-31 );
   6. Pharaoh refused to release the Hebrews (Exodus 5:1-4 );
   7. the magicians acknowledged the power of God (Exodus 8:16-19 );
   8. he became great in the estimation of the Egyptians (Exodus 11:3 );
   9. the passover was instituted (Exodus 12:1-29 );
   10. Pharaoh gave his consent to the departure of the people (Exodus 12:31-36 );
   11. the miracle at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:9-22 );
   12. the destruction of the Egyptians (Exodus 14:23-31 );
   13. the song of triumph (Exodus 15:1-19 );
   14. the miracle at Marah (Exodus 15:23-26 );
   15. the falling of the manna (Exodus 16:1-15 );
   16. the keeping of a Sabbath (Exodus 16:16-35 );
   17. the miracle at Rephidim (Exodus 17:1-7 );
   18. the war with Amalek (Exodus 17:8-16 );
   19. the visit of Jethro and the return of his family (Exodus 18:1-6 );
   20. he accepted Jethro's counsel and organized a judiciary (Exodus 18:13-26 );
   21. the arrival at Sinai (Exodus 19:1 );
   22. the Lord's covenant with the people (Exodus 19:3-8 );
   23. the proclamation of the ten commandments (Exodus 20:1-17 );
   24. the ascent into the mount where he spent forty days and nights (Exodus 24:1-18 );
   25. he received the pattern for the tabernacle (Exodus 25:1-40 );
   26. he destroyed the idolatrous worship inaugurated by Aaron (Exodus 32:1-33 );
   27. he set up his tabernacle or tent apart from the people (Exodus 33:1-11 );
   28. he beheld the passing glory of the Lord (Exodus 33:12-23 );
   29. the second visit into the mount and the renewal of the tables of stone (Exodus 34:1-28 );
   30. the shining of his face (Exodus 34:29-35 );
   31. the request for material to build the tabernacle (Exodus 35:1-35 );
   32. the setting up of the tabernacle (Exodus 40:1-38 );
   33. he acted as priest at the consecration of Aaron and his sons (Leviticus 8:1-36 );
   34. he numbered the people (Numbers 1:1-46 );
   35. the consecration of the Levites (Numbers 8:1-26 );
   36. the second passover (Numbers 9:1-15 );
   37. the departure from Sinai (Numbers 10:11-13 );
   38. seventy elders were appointed to assist him (Numbers 11:16-30 );
   39. he was antagonized by Miriam and Aaron (Numbers 12:1-13 );
   40. he sent twelve spies into Canaan (Numbers 13:1-16 );
   41. the rebellion in the camp, and the sentence of death passed by the Lord (Numbers 14:1-35 );
   42. the rebellion of Korah (Numbers 16:1-40 );
   43. the plague in the camp of Israel (Numbers 16:41-50 );
   44. the budding of Aaron's rod (Numbers 17:1-13 );
   45. he sinned at Meribah (Numbers 20:1-13 );
   46. the death of Aaron (Numbers 20:22-20 );
   47. his brethren were bitten by fiery serpents (Numbers 21:1-9 );
   48. the conquest of the Amorites (Numbers 21:21-35 );
   49. he was antagonized by Balak and Balaam (Numbers 22:1-41; Numbers 23:1-30; Numbers 24:1-25 );
   50. whoredom and idolatry in the camp of Israel (Numbers 25:1-15 );
   51. the second enumeration (Numbers 26:1-65 );
   52. the appointment of the successor (Numbers 27:15-23 );
   53. war with the Midianites (Numbers 31:1-54 );
   54. he gave the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh the privilege of taking up their abode on the east side of the Jordan (Numbers 32:1-42 );
   55. he wrote the journeyings of the children of Israel (Numbers 33:1-49 );
   56. he described the borders of the land of promise (Numbers 34:1-29 );
   57. he rehearsed the law in the plains of Moab (Deuteronomy 1:1-5 );
   58. he emphasized the law in reference to vows (Deuteronomy 23:21-23 );
   59. he begged the Lord to allow him to enter into the land of promise, but his request was refused (Deuteronomy 3:21-28 );
   60. he finished recording the law and deposited the book in the ark of the covenant (Deuteronomy 31:24-26 );
   61. he composed his last song (Deuteronomy 32:1-44 );
   62. he gave his parting benediction to the tribes (Deuteronomy 33:1-29 );
   63. he ascended to the summit of Pisgah, and beheld the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Deuteronomy 34:1-4 ).

5. Leader . He stood at the head of the Hebrew nation as its leader for forty years (Exodus 7:7; Deuteronomy 29:1-5; Deuteronomy 34:1-7; Acts 7:30-36 ).

6. Priest . He acted as priest during the temporary worship at Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:1-8 ), and at the consecration of Aaron and his sons (Leviticus 8:1-30 ).

7. Poet . He composed,
   1. the song of triumph when they crossed the sea (Exodus 15:1-19 ),
   2. a song of gratitude in the wilderness (Nehemiah 21:15-18 ),
   3. his farewell song (Deuteronomy 32:1-44 ).

8. His Character . Moses' character was many-sided. There are incidents in his life that exhibit every trait of the high, the pure, the noble:
   1. His refusal to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter and his choice to suffer affliction with the people of God establishes the fact that he greatly loved his brethren (Exodus 2:11,12; Hebrews 11:23-27 );
   2. his attempt to be excused from the leadership of his people proves that he was a man of humbleness of mind (Exodus 3:7-22; Exodus 4:1-13 );
   3. his address to the people at the Red Sea, while the Egyptians were sweeping down upon them, establishes the fact that he was a man of extraordinary faith (Exodus 14:13-18 );
   4. his sitting to hear all the complaints of Israel and passing judgment upon them from morning until night proves that he possessed great perseverance (Exodus 18:13 );
   5. his acceptance of the advice of his father-in-law in reference to the government of the people establishes the fact that he was progressive (Exodus 18:17-27 );
   6. his conduct at Mount Sinai in the destruction of the golden calf and its worshippers proves that he was aggressive (Exodus 32:19-28 );
   7. his fervent petition to the Lord to spare Israel even when God promised, on their destruction, to make of him a great nation proves his utter unselfishness (Exodus 32:9-13 );
   8. his refusal to rebuke Eldad and Medad for prophesying proves that he was free from envy (Numbers 11:27-29 );
   9. his prayer to the Lord to forgive his sister Miriam when she had grievously sinned against him proves that he was meek and forgiving in an eminent degree (Numbers 12:1-13 );
   10. his conduct in suppressing the insurrection inaugurated by Korah establishes the fact that he was a man of extraordinary courage (Numbers 16:1-40 ).

9. His Great Opportunities . Moses enjoyed immense advantages,
   1. he was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians (Acts 7:22 );
   2. he received a commission directly from Jehovah (Exodus 3:7-12 );
   3. he enjoyed the privilege of talking with the Lord from face to face (Numbers 12:6-8 ) during his sojourn for eighty days and nights in Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:12-18; Exodus 31:18; Exodus 34:1-28 );
   4. he had a glimpse of the personality of Jehovah (Exodus 33:12-23 );
   5. he had no successor as a prophet (Deuteronomy 34:10 );
   6. he is compared to the Messiah only (Deuteronomy 18:15,18; Acts 3:22 ).

10. Messianic Prophecies . There are ten passages in the writings of Moses that refer to Jesus Christ (Genesis 3:14,15; Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 18:18,19; Genesis 22:15-18 Genesis 26:1-5; Genesis 28:10-15; Genesis 49:8-10; Numbers 24:17; Deuteronomy 18:15,18 ).

11. His Disobedience . Moses was honored above all his contemporaries, and in many respects stands above every generation, and yet God shut him out of the land of promise on the account of one sin (Numbers 20:1-13 ).

12. Important Observation on His Disobedience . Beware!

13. Historian . He not only gave the law, but he gave the history of his people and the history of the world, in brief, from the beginning. That he received the revelations that are attributed to him, there can be no doubt.
    1. Over and over again it is asserted that "the Lord spake unto Moses";
    2. the book of Joshua endorses him (Joshua 1:7 );
    3. his book was in existence in the days of Josiah (Deuteronomy 31:24-26; 2 Kings 22:1-11 );
    4. he was recognized in the days of Malachi (Malachi 4:4 );
    5. and John the apostle asserts that the law came by Moses (John 1:17 ).

14. Sources of His Information . Apart from the fact that Moses had direct communication with the Lord, it is easy to see that he could have received the history of the early ages through only a few persons:
    1. Adam was (130 + 105 + 90 + 70 + 65 + 162 + 65 = 687) six hundred and eighty-seven years old at the birth of Methuselah (Genesis 5:3-21 ).
    2. Adam lived (930) nine hundred and thirty years (Genesis 5:5 ), or (930 - 687 = 248) two hundred and forty-three years after the birth of Methuselah.
    3. Methuselah lived (960) nine hundred and sixty-nine years (Genesis 5:27 ), or (969 - 243 = 726) seven hundred and twenty-six years after the death of Adam.
    4. Adam and Methuselah were contemporary (969 - 726 = 243) two hundred and forty-three years.
    5. Again, Methuselah was (187 + 182 + 500 = 869) eight hundred and sixty-nine years old at the birth of Shem (Genesis 5:25-32 ).
    6. Methuselah lived (969) nine hundred and sixty-nine years (Genesis 5:27 ), or (969 - 869 = 100) one hundred years after the birth of Shem.
    7. Shem lived (602) six hundred and two years (Genesis 11:10,11 ), or (602 - 100 = 502) five hundred and two years after the death of Methuselah and Shem were contemporary one hundred years.
    8. Again, Shem was (102 + 35 + 30 + 34 + 30 + 32 + 30 + 29 + 205 + 25 = 552) five hundred and fifty-two years old at the birth of Isaac (Genesis 11:10-32; Genesis 12:1-14:24; Genesis 21:5 ).
    9. Shem lived (602) six hundred and two years (Genesis 11:10,11 ), or (602 - 552 = 50) fifty years after the birth of Isaac.
    10. Isaac lived (180) one hundred and eighty years (Genesis 35:28 ), or (180 - 50 = 130) one hundred and thirty years after the death of Shem.
    11. Shem and Isaac were contemporary (180 - 130 = 50) fifty years.
    12. Again, Isaac was (60 + 91 = 151) one hundred and fifty-one years old at the birth of Joseph (Genesis 25:26; Genesis 41:46-54; Genesis 45:6-11; Genesis 47:9 ). (m) Isaac lived (180) one hundred and eighty years (Genesis 35:28 ), or (180 - 151 = 29) twenty-nine years after the birth of Joseph.
    13. Joseph lived (110) one hundred and teen years (Genesis 50:26 ), or (110 - 29 = 81) eighty-one years after the death of Isaac.
    14. Isaac and Joseph were contemporary (110 - 91 = 29) twenty-nine years.
    15. It was only sixty-four years from the death of Joseph to the birth of Moses, and probably many of those who knew Joseph were alive in the days of Moses (Genesis 12:14; Genesis 21:5; Genesis 25:26; Genesis 41:46,53,54; Genesis 45:4-6; Genesis 47:9; Genesis 50:26; Exodus 7:7; Exodus 12:40,41; Galatians 3:17 ).

        Here is the chain:

        1. Methuselah was contemporary with Adam two hundred and forty-three years;
        2. Shem was contemporary with Methuselah one hundred years;
        3. Isaac was contemporary with Shem fifty years;
        4. Joseph was contemporary with Isaac twenty-nine years.

15. His Death . He died on Mount Pisgah, and was buried by theLord in a valley in the land of Moab, and his grave was forever hidden from human sight (Deuteronomy 34:1-7 ).

16. Entrance into the Promised Land . Prohibited from entering the promised land with his brethren on the account of sin, he at last stood upon the mountain in the beloved country in company with Elijah, Peter, James, John and the Lord Jesus (Matthew 17:1-13 ).