257 - The Three Forty-Year Periods of Moses' Life#
257 - The Three Forty-Year Periods of Moses' Life
(JP Text Group - Organized by Yun Dan Feng Qing)
Philippians 4:12-13
12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, thank You and praise You. Thank You for using these words to give me strength. Through Moses, let us see the lessons we need to learn, adjusting our life state at all times, so that like Paul, we can find the secret in every situation, believing that You give me strength, and I can do all things. Through these words, let me understand the truth and gain strength. In the name of Lord Jesus, I pray, Amen!
Today's sharing topic: The Three Forty-Year Periods of Moses' Life
Moses lived for 120 years, but the days remembered by God were only forty years. Moses' life can be divided into three forty-year periods:
The first forty years were lived relying on himself, learning the knowledge of the world, and he wanted to do things for God. Thus, he acted more proactively than God, but did not understand God's intentions, resulting in failure.
The second forty years led him to another extreme in life: disheartened, weak, and hopeless, with no goals or hopes, feeling that everything was impossible and that he had nothing. At this time, God found him. Moses truly felt that he could do nothing, and in serving, he no longer relied on himself but prayed to God about everything.
The last forty years became the most meaningful period of his life. Although there were weaknesses during this time, his service was ultimately recognized by God.
Through the three stages of Moses' life, we can see which stage we are in, making adjustments at any time, redirecting our lives so that our existence is no longer meaningless but moves towards a goal, allowing our lives to be part of God's plan, no longer like in the past. There is nothing new under the sun; everything is vanity. We do not live in vanity; our eyes are set above.
First point: The first forty years: I can, I can do anything.
Before Moses turned forty, I summarized these forty years in one sentence: I can, I can do anything! According to the initial description in the book of Exodus, the Israelites were being persecuted, and Pharaoh had decreed that all boys should either be killed or thrown into the river to drown, as he did not want the Israelite population to grow.
Moses was born in such chaotic times. He was born beautiful, and his family could not bear to throw him away; however, they could not contend with the ruling powers of the time. When the time came, they could no longer hide him, so they placed Moses in a basket made of bulrushes and set it afloat on the Nile River. At this moment, Moses' life changed. If God had not been guiding his life, he might have ended up like other children, becoming food for crocodiles. Moses' life was changed from the water.
The basket with Moses drifted to Pharaoh's daughter, who was bathing. She saw a child floating by, and the Bible records that she liked the child very much and took him home, naming him Moses, which means: I drew you out of the water.
Before being adopted by Pharaoh's daughter, Moses was just an ordinary child from a Levite family, but this adoption changed his identity. He learned all the knowledge of the Egyptians and became skilled in speech and action. The most bizarre story in the world also happened to Moses. At that time, his sister Miriam could not bear to see the child die, so she kept watching Moses' fate as he floated down the river, wanting to see how it would end.
When Pharaoh's daughter picked up Moses, Miriam bravely said, "You like this child; can I find a nurse for you?" Pharaoh's daughter agreed, and so Moses' biological mother was brought in. The most legendary thing in the world happened: his biological mother nursed her own son, and someone even paid her a salary. Isn't that a wonderful thing?
His identity changed from an ordinary Levite child to an Egyptian prince. This is the change in our spiritual lives. We were once children of ordinary families, but the moment you come to know the Lord, your identity changes. Moses grew up in the palace, but his biological mother continued to teach him. We speculate that his mother must have told him about his origins; otherwise, he would not have gone to save his fellow countrymen. Although Moses was in the palace, under his mother's influence, he always wanted to rescue his fellow countrymen from slavery. This heart was given to him by God!
In terms of calling and service, when we are willing to do something for God, we think it is our own idea, but in reality, it is God placed within you; otherwise, people would not be willing to follow and serve God. This heart was given to Moses, so he was particularly eager to do it. However, how to do it is something everyone needs to pay attention to. Moses wanted to save the Israelites, and God also wanted to save the Israelites, but the problem was the method he chose, which was his own way.
Acts 7:18-25 gives a brief introduction to Moses:
18 Until another king arose who did not know Joseph. 19 This man dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies so that they might not live. 20 At this time, Moses was born, and was well-pleasing to God, and he was brought up in his father’s house for three months. 21 But when he was set out, Pharaoh's daughter took him away and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds.
23 Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian. 25 For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand.
This passage gives us a good insight. Many times, we go through a stage like Moses, relying on ourselves. We are willing to do something for God, but we use our own methods. God is indeed willing to save the Israelites, but He did not want Moses to save them in this way. Could killing the Egyptian save the Israelites? No! At that time, Moses had this simple idea: to save the Israelites, which was his one-sided way.
Many times, we fail not because God is unwilling for us to do this, but because our method is wrong, relying on our own ways.
In this passage, there is a very important statement in verse 25: He supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand. Moses was in the right position, knowing that it was God using him to save the Israelites from Egypt, but the way, time, and place of salvation were all incorrect. Sometimes I emphasize to everyone: You must do the right thing at the right time and in the right place.
Someone asked me, "There is a saying in Proverbs that blessing a friend loudly in the morning is considered a curse; why is that considered a curse?" Because the time and place are incorrect. Although the blessing is correct, if the person has not yet gotten up, and you run to their house and shout, "God bless you..." it looks like a curse to them (but it is not a curse). Otherwise, let’s see who would like you to do that? If someone is still asleep, and you shout loudly in their ear, no matter what blessing it is, they will not like it.
Moses did something like this, thinking, "All the people should support me; with a wave of my hand, all the Israelites should follow me because I am an Egyptian prince! I have the right and status to save my fellow countrymen!" All he had was his own. This idea was "he thought."
In life, there are many misunderstandings between people. When interacting with others, we think that others will understand what we are doing. In service, this problem also arises: thinking that I am doing this for the good of the church, I have done so much, and you should understand, but they do not understand. This is where the time and place issue arises. Moses thought the Israelites would surely know that it was God using him to save them, but the Bible says they did not understand.
People in this life stage often rely on their past experiences, status, and knowledge in service. Even if they believe in the Lord, they still live according to their past ways. There are many such people today. When they fail, they feel very wronged: I have given so much, why is this the outcome? Have you thought about how Moses felt at that moment? He indeed had a passionate desire to help the Israelites, but the Israelites did not appreciate him.
Many times, during this process, they become disheartened. People do not recognize him, and even after such things happen, they no longer serve. People in the first stage of life often feel that they are always right. At this time, Moses would feel that this group of people did not appreciate him. He had good intentions to save them, but they did not understand what Moses was doing. If such things continue to develop, after failing a few times, this person will automatically enter the second stage, starting to passionately do something for God. I believe many of you have gone through this stage, especially those who have received grace. I have told many people, do not be in such a hurry; first settle down, receive God's words, and wait until you understand the truth before sharing with others. But he says, "No, this grace is too good; I must share it with others..."
I have a friend like this. He had many diseases in the past and took medicine for many years. After receiving the grace of Jesus Christ, he and his family no longer got sick, and he was very happy, saying, "When I go home for the New Year, I must share the gospel with my relatives and friends; the gospel is truly wonderful."
I said, "Take your time; slowly come to understand. You just received grace; first settle yourself down, do not rush."
He said, "No, I must share. Many of my relatives are in the same situation as I was, suffering from illnesses for years. Now that I am well, it is a testimony; they will surely believe."
At that time, I said, "Okay, you go ahead."
After the New Year, he came back looking like a wilted eggplant and said, "Why did they treat me like that? I told them how good it is to believe in Jesus. I used to burn incense and worship idols, suffer from illnesses for years, and my family was not doing well, but after believing in Jesus, I am now well, and my health has improved; they can see that." As a result, they said, "Go away; I do not believe in that." He was discouraged. Brothers and sisters, we may have all gone through this stage. After being hit time and again, we enter the second stage.
Let’s share the second point: Moses' second forty years: I cannot, I can do nothing.
Let’s look at why Moses came to this conclusion. Acts 7:26-29:
26 And the next day, when he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, he tried to reconcile them, saying, "Men, you are brethren; why do you wrong one another?" 27 But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, "Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you did the Egyptian yesterday?" 29 Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons.
Did the things Moses did earlier align with God's will? He killed an Egyptian, and later when he saw two fellow countrymen fighting, he tried to reconcile them, saying, "You are brothers; why do you wrong one another?" An unknowing person, someone who does not recognize you, will not listen to your advice.
For example, if two people are arguing on the street, and you say, "Why are you doing this? You should be at peace and love one another..." they will say, "Who are you? What right do you have to tell us?" The two of them will attack you together. This is what Proverbs says: when encountering disputes that do not concern you, do not get involved; if you do, it is like twisting a dog's ear. At that time, Moses was full of passion, wanting to do something for God. Many people are in this stage now, wanting to do something no matter what, but after hitting a wall, they suddenly enter another extreme: I can do nothing.
The one who wronged his neighbor pushed Moses away, saying, "Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?" At this moment, Moses may not have thought about being a leader; he just wanted to advise them not to act this way, as they are all family. They should unite! That person could not accept Moses' way of handling it: "If we do not listen to you, will you kill us too?"
They could not understand Moses' actions, and Moses' way was also incorrect. In this situation, Moses was thoroughly discouraged. He had good intentions to help his fellow countrymen, but they did not understand him and even spread the matter to Pharaoh. Pharaoh learned that Moses was an Israelite, and because Moses killed the Egyptian for the Israelites, Pharaoh suspected he had ulterior motives, saying, "He is not of my people." Reading Exodus, we will know that Pharaoh wanted to kill Moses because of this, and Moses had to flee.
Now we need to discuss why Moses ultimately concluded: I cannot, I can do nothing? The Egyptian prince, who once had such glory, is now a dweller in a foreign land, with nothing. If he were to return to save the Israelites now, he would definitely not go back because he had no capital or ability to do this.
After experiencing such things, we are in a similar situation as Moses. I want to tell you: if you are passionate about doing something and after a few similar failures, do not become disheartened and unable to stand up again. This is a wrong decision. When you make a mistake, repentance is very simple. Come back to the Lord and say, "Lord, is my way wrong? Please guide and help me." Instead of saying, "I made a mistake, so I will not do it anymore."
In the past, when I served under the law, I was like this. When others did not understand, I would say, "Lord, I will not do it anymore; do as You please..." Relying on myself will definitely lead to this outcome.
Moses' current situation is very different. He was once an Egyptian prince, but now he is a dweller among others. At that time, being a dweller was different from now. After arriving in Midian, Moses married a woman named Zipporah. According to the customs of the time, Moses was considered a son-in-law. What does it matter that he was an Egyptian prince? Here, he must be obedient and listen. His father-in-law did not regard him highly just because he was once an Egyptian prince.
Moses had to tend sheep for forty years, mostly keeping company with sheep. His father-in-law did not say, "You were once of such a noble status; I will treat you like a god in my house..." No, here, he had to work honestly. You are now a dweller, regardless of your past.
Did Moses not have any fluctuations in his heart at this time? He would recall the past and feel foolish, thinking, "How could I have been so arrogant and wanted to save the Israelites? Who am I? I was too self-important!" This self-condemnation may have lingered in Moses' heart. When God came to find Moses, self-condemnation and deep self-blame had filled his heart. During these forty years, he had let everything go and was no longer willing to do anything. Today's son-in-law still has some inheritance, but at that time, he had nothing.
Exodus 3:1 states that Moses was tending the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. One day, he led the flock to the back of the desert and came to the mountain of God, Horeb.
This passage states that the flock he was tending belonged to his father-in-law. He married Zipporah and had children, but they were all his father-in-law's. He named his first child, in today's terms, "I have been a stranger in a foreign land." Even though he had started a family and had children, he still felt very lost in his heart. His life had hit rock bottom, and he did not know what would happen next. Perhaps his life would just pass by aimlessly.
"I once worked hard for God, but God did not pay attention to me or help me." Perhaps Moses thought, "Why did I fail like this, now living in someone else's land?" If you are experiencing a situation like Moses in the wilderness of Midian, please turn to God quickly and pray to Him. When you encounter God, everything will be different.
Many people like Moses, tending sheep in the wilderness, have passed their whole lives like this. If they do not encounter God, Moses' life would have been like this too. How many people in the Bible had their lives changed because they encountered Jesus?
Peter, James, and John had their lives turned upside down because they met Jesus. If they had not encountered Jesus, their lives would have been like that, and they would not have accomplished anything significant. A hundred years later, people would not remember who they were. Moses was the same.
No matter how glorious the past was, will anyone remember you? The law of the world is like this: you may have been wealthy and held a high status, but once you fall, no one will remember you. After experiencing all this, Moses understood that he could do nothing.
At that time, tending sheep was different from now. Many places in Israel are deserts; they carried a lot of dry food, and it would take a month or even half a year to return. So, during these forty years, Moses spent a long time tending sheep in the Sinai wilderness. During these forty years, if you asked Moses where there was water under which stone, he would know because after Noah, the flood was contained in these rocks. In the Sinai wilderness, when the sheep were thirsty, in that special geographical location, Moses learned to strike the rock with his staff, and when the rock split, water would come out, and the sheep would have water to drink.
In that hot wilderness, there was water present. This is why they brought dry food when they went out and took a long time to return. During these forty years in the Sinai wilderness, Moses was doing this. If he did not encounter God, he would have spent his life doing this, and when he died, he would conclude: I can do nothing...
(Reflecting), we speculate that Moses often spent time alone. As time passed and he grew older, he no longer held any hope for life. At this time, if Moses were to have any ambitions, ideals, or goals, he would no longer have them because they seemed meaningless: "I have struggled for so many years and have nothing."
This was the situation of that generation. Being a son-in-law truly meant having nothing. It was not just Moses; Jacob's later life was also like this. After Jacob left his home and went to his uncle's, his uncle said, "Everything you have, including your flock and your children, belongs to me because you are a son-in-law."
Although his uncle said this nicely, he had no inheritance. One day, his uncle, pretending to be kind, said, "Although we are relatives, we cannot let you work for nothing. What do you want for wages?" At that time, Jacob did not dare to say much, saying, "If there are any spotted sheep among the flock, they will be mine." Could this situation happen? It could not.
His uncle said, "Let it be according to your word." As a result, a bunch of spotted sheep were born, and his uncle wanted to claim them, saying, "These are not yours; you got them through trickery..." His uncle took back the children and the flock, which was within reasonable bounds. His uncle said, "If God had not stopped me, I might have killed you long ago."
Jacob said, "If it were not for my God reminding you, you would have lost your life and could not have chased me so fast..." At that time, being a son-in-law meant working hard for a lifetime and ending up with nothing.
Moses' life fell from the highest point to the lowest point. But one day, he encountered God. One day, while leading the flock into the wilderness, he came to the mountain of God, Horeb. You should be familiar with this passage, right? Moses saw a bush that was burning but not consumed. Let me emphasize again: In the Sinai wilderness, the daytime temperature is over 46 degrees Celsius, and it is normal for bushes to catch fire. Moses had been tending sheep for many years and was used to seeing grass burning by itself.
But this time was different. Why did it catch Moses' attention? As mentioned earlier, Moses was tending sheep in the Sinai wilderness. Perhaps he passed by there today and saw the bush burning; it was nothing; it was hot. He walked around and came back, finding it still burning. Perhaps this bush was not sturdy? He walked away again. The third time he saw it, he was puzzled: why was it still burning? We do not know how many times he passed by, but it finally caught Moses' attention: "Why has the bush burned for so long and not been consumed? I will go over and see."
When Moses approached, God spoke to him. From a human perspective, did we find God? "Ah, I have encountered God!" In reality, the time had come; God had been waiting for him. Brothers and sisters, do not ever say: I found Jesus by myself, I believe in Jesus by myself. There is no one like that.
After encountering God, God told Moses: "I will use you." His life changed from that moment. When God said to Moses, "I am sending you to Pharaoh; you are to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt," it stirred up Moses' youthful dreams. This was the most struggling time. If he had not encountered God, his life would have been like this.
But God told him to go see Pharaoh, "You are to bring my people out." If God told you this, what would be your first thought? "I have already saved them; I did it when I was young and strong."
Moses saw that he was now an eighty-year-old man with nothing. What could he use to save them? "What do I have? Do I have status? Do I have ability? No! All I have now is a shepherd's staff. Are you asking me to use this staff to save them?" This is why God turned his staff into a snake.
Later, when Moses led the Israelites and performed miracles, he used that staff. Hallelujah! Isn't that wonderful? He was very familiar with his staff. When he encountered danger in the wilderness, he used that staff. When saving the sheep, he also used that staff, knowing that it represented authority, and the sheep listened to him because of that staff.
So far, all Moses could do was shepherd. At this time, Moses was struggling: "How can I go?" This is also the experience of many people after countless setbacks. We tell them: "You are a beloved child of God; you have the authority of Jesus Christ to command your sickness to disappear." This person says, "I have been sick for many years... I have seen many doctors and suffered a lot..." This is the person in the second stage. Even when grace comes, he is still disheartened because he has too much self-condemnation and too many failures. Even if you tell him he has a staff, he does not believe that "God says: 'I will be with you.'"
Exodus 3:9-12:
9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." 11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?" 12 So He said, "I will certainly be with you. And this shall be the sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain."
Did this happen? Not yet. Moses' mind was already under great shock. Although God spoke clearly: I will be with you! At this moment, Moses truly felt down. To restore his confidence, God showed him miracles: three miracles. First, God asked Moses, "What is that in your hand?" Moses said, "A staff." "Throw it on the ground," and it turned into a snake. God said, "Pick it up by the tail." This was a difficult task that required faith. When Moses picked it up, it turned back into a staff.
The second miracle was, "Put your hand in your bosom and take it out." When Moses looked, it had leprosy. God said, "Put your hand back in," and when he took it out again, it was restored to normal. One was authority, and the other was healing.
The third miracle was, "If they do not believe the first two, then pour out the water from the river on the dry ground, and it will turn to blood." This miracle was certainly great enough to restore their faith, right? It could not! This is why we never place miracles first in our church!
Miracles may temporarily make you feel powerful, but in an instant, you will lose faith. Moses, after forty years of failure, had already defined himself. Even if he saw miracles, he would say, "I know it is quite amazing, but what does it have to do with me? Do not ask me to save the Israelites; I cannot save them. Even if you can perform miracles, I cannot save them with this staff." This was Moses' self-condemnation; he could not rise again and had not walked out of failure. At this moment, he did not believe anyone, and God was continually encouraging him. Moses said, "I cannot speak..."
Exodus 4:10-13:
10 Then Moses said to the Lord, "O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." 11 So the Lord said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say." 13 But he said, "O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send."
At first, we talked about Moses having all the knowledge of the Egyptians, being skilled in speech and action, able to speak on any topic, and capable of accomplishing anything. He was an Egyptian prince. But now Moses says, "I am not eloquent." Is this statement correct? It is very correct because, due to tending sheep in the wilderness, he had not spoken a word for many days. Now asking him to speak to Pharaoh is a joke.
Moreover, Moses said to God, "Even after You have spoken to me, I am still slow of speech and slow of tongue." When a person does not speak often, their language function deteriorates. God said to him, "Who made man's mouth? Who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Is it not I, the Lord?" These powers and abilities come from the Lord. To correctly understand this passage, God does not make you blind or mute; rather, He makes you see and speak, turning the weak into the strong and enabling the lame to run. This is what God does.
God wanted to tell Moses: "Do not always talk about your failures; that is the past." Brothers and sisters, if you want your life to undergo a complete transformation, do not always emphasize your past failures or keep recalling them. Look at who is helping you now, who is with you. "Now go, and I will give you the words to say." God has said this; you should say, "Lord, I will go!" But Moses said:
In verse 13: "O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send!"
He was utterly disheartened. Although Moses knew this was his unfulfilled dream from the past, "But my current age and status cannot contend with Pharaoh. Now I can do nothing." Even if you say it is God now, it does not work; he could not even speak. If God had not insisted, our lives might have ended here. Do you know how many times God has waited for us?
At first, when someone preached the gospel to you, you said, "I do not believe; stay away from me..." Just like Moses now. But God did not give up on us, calling us time and again, giving us opportunities until one day we were willing to believe. Moses said, "O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send!" God became angry.
Exodus 4:14-17:
14 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and He said, "Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. 16 He shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. 17 And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs."
This passage is very interesting. I have read it many times but did not seem to understand what God was truly expressing. Now, looking at it again, I suddenly understand one thing: In Moses' second stage of life, he felt he could do nothing, even daring not to try. Why did God want to use him? There was someone more capable than him, Aaron. Why did God not directly find Aaron? Surely Aaron would be willing to do this.
Some say it was God's decree. Through our topic today, we know that if God told Aaron, he would be in the first stage, "I can, I can do anything." A person in the first stage, even if they hear God's words, will still do things their own way. We must understand that in the church, people in the first stage are not suitable for service. God wanted Moses to serve the people, but the first-stage Moses was not suitable for service; he could do anything...
In the past, I encountered several such people and had many painful experiences. When I first started pastoring, I did not understand. Someone said, "I can not only lead worship but also preach and teach Bible studies, and build the church." So I entrusted everything to him, but he was in the first stage at that time, and the result was a complete mess. People in the first stage are not suitable for service; those in the second stage are suitable for service but need encouragement.
Why did God not give up on Moses? Because at this point, Moses had let go of all his ideas and goals and was suitable for service. What he lacked was faith and courage. He did not lack ability; the staff had already been given to him. Without faith to stand up, God did not let Moses do things alone but arranged a co-worker for him. This is what the Bible says: He will give more grace to us, to whom?
James 4:6, But He gives more grace. Therefore, He says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
You may not agree with my earlier point about Aaron, but I will explain why God did not directly find Aaron. The problem arose. When a person experiences such a fall, they will no longer boast about themselves. Moses went through this process and truly recognized himself: he could do nothing. This point is very important! When you truly realize that you can do nothing, you will be willing to look up to God in everything and live according to God's way. Everything you did in the past failed, and you no longer want to do things your own way.
Psalm 8:3-4
3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, 4 What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?
Through today's text, what is Moses? Why did God not give up on him? Currently, he is just an old shepherd. Conversely, think about it: God does not give up on you either. Do not be disheartened, saying, "I have nothing now, no fame, no fortune, I am old, and I have nothing."
God has not given up on you. If you realize you can do nothing, congratulations! Live according to God's way, and you will be more capable than before! But it is not the prideful kind of capability; it is humble. When a person truly feels they cannot do anything and yet does not want to remain in the status quo, we can guess that Moses did not want to die like this; he wanted to do something but lacked the courage and faith.
When a person is uninterested in everything and unwilling to do anything, they cannot be saved. But if they only say they have failed many times and are willing to turn back to God, God's way will cause you to prosper in all things! Do not break the pot and throw it away. When you realize you are a broken pot, if God's treasure is placed inside, it will no longer be a broken pot. You must try to believe in God! You will automatically enter the third stage. Can you guess what the topic of Moses' third forty years is?
The third forty years: God can; He can do anything.
If you often say such things, you are living in God's words. In Exodus 4, although Moses encountered God and experienced miracles, when asked to serve, he felt he could not. Sometimes we see a sister singing well and invite her to lead worship, and she says, "No, I can do nothing..."
Over time, she feels she can do nothing. It would be better to take this as an opportunity to try. We are all family; what if we make a mistake? It is nothing. When we are willing to do something for the Lord, we will find that a new chapter in life has begun. When Moses felt he could not do anything, God chose a co-worker for him, his brother Aaron, allowing them to serve together, but there is a difference in order.
Exodus 4:15-16:
15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. 16 He shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God.
Since God gave Moses and Aaron the same eloquence, why did He want Moses to convey the words to Aaron? It is precisely because Aaron was still in the first stage. The leadership still belonged to Moses. Although Aaron had better eloquence, ability, and wisdom than Moses, the leadership remained with Moses. Perhaps in the church, the pastor's eloquence and wisdom are not very good, but when God places him there, He uses him.
If you think his method does not work and he cannot manage the church, when God establishes him, he will not fall. Moses was like this. Aaron was better than Moses in every aspect, but he was Moses' mouth and could not speak carelessly. The meaning of co-workers is that there is a leader! Co-workers convey the meaning of leadership, and everyone should have a unified voice; they cannot speak randomly. Aaron appeared as the mouth.
Aaron was to regard Moses as God. From an overall perspective, why did God give Moses such a high position at this time? It is simple: Moses had no self left. If there was still self within him, giving him this position would cause him to surpass God. This is the order of service. If the order is disrupted, their service will have problems. The three stages of Moses' life taught him that if God does not give him strength, he can do nothing. However, Aaron had not reached the third stage, so there were times when problems arose in their service.
Numbers 12:1-3:
1 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2 So they said, "Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?" And the Lord heard it. 3 Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.
Now we understand why God did not directly use Aaron, right? The reason is that he had not reached the third stage; he had not regarded God as the highest and did not feel he could do anything. Moses may have had problems at this time. We do not know the specifics, but the Bible records that Moses married an Ethiopian woman, which indeed does not comply with the law. We do not know why Moses married this dark-skinned woman. Even if your pastor makes a mistake, you should not stand in God's position to speak against him, right? In the church, as a family, we should love one another. Why did they have this problem? Because the order was disrupted; they were still in the first stage: I can, I can do anything!
They said, "Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?" This statement is correct, but in service, they are the mouth and should listen to Moses. If Moses makes a mistake, God will discipline him, but they cannot speak against Moses. Why is Moses suitable to be a leader? Why can those who have entered the third stage lead the team well? The reason is that when facing attacks from his own family, Moses did not argue or let them hear his side. The slanderous words were certainly unpleasant, but Moses did not defend himself; he may have prayed before God. God said, "Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth." When a person truly feels they can do nothing, and God can do everything, they will not say anything. Even when Moses was wronged, he could still maintain his silence. God, however, defended him. Thank the Lord; this is a sign of maturity in life.
In immaturity, when others criticize us, we will react strongly, which shows that you still have something! Therefore, God will not act. God says, "You are so capable; you do it." If you feel you cannot do anything, God will act personally. Moses did not defend himself. When the glory of the Lord suddenly appeared, He said, "Why do you speak against My servant Moses? Why are you not afraid?" Miriam became leprous. Let us see how God handled this matter. Do not say God is unfair; this is actually a principle in service.
Numbers 12:7-8:
7 My servant Moses is not so; he is faithful in all My house. 8 I speak with him face to face, even plainly, and not in dark sayings; and he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?
Why were they not afraid? Because people in the first stage are too capable in the church. "You come down; I can also preach; I can do this and that..." They do not realize this is God's arrangement. Recently, we have been sharing from 1 Corinthians. The Corinthian church was like this, with everyone in the first stage, each one more capable than the last. Paul also went through this stage. After fourteen years of settling down, Paul entered the third stage. When those people attacked Paul, he did not say anything. This is a sign of maturity in life. After understanding this, you can compare yourself to see which stage you are in and adjust accordingly to avoid continuing down the wrong path.
I do not dare to say I am in the third stage, but I truly feel I can do nothing. Everything I do, I know is because God helps me. If God does not help me, I can do nothing.
Once, I was in the first stage, much like Moses, incredibly arrogant. When others preached the gospel to me, I said, "Do not preach the gospel to me; only those without ideals, old men and women, and spiritually empty people believe in Jesus. I am a young person with ideals and ambitions; I have my own dreams."
They asked, "What is your dream?" I said, "If I told you, it would scare you; give me a fulcrum, and I can lift the earth..." As a result, after failing time and again, I realized I could do nothing, just like Moses during his forty years in the wilderness. I experienced three years where I dared not do anything and was unwilling to do anything because every time I did, I failed. At that time, I said to God, "You are amazing; you handle it. You have made me like this." In the end, I surrendered, saying, "Lord, I was wrong; please show me the way. I know You can help me; You are the only one who can help me. Without You, I truly can do nothing."
Suddenly, I realized it was God helping me and giving me strength. As I walk today, I still believe these things are done by God. Someone once said, "You are so eloquent..." I said, "Do not say that; I am truly a slow speaker." In the past, I was very eloquent, but after continuous failures, I no longer wanted to boast about my eloquence.
I believe Moses experienced this stage. I truly know that relying on ourselves means we can do nothing. I encourage those who are willing to adjust themselves in this stage. If you are in the second stage, turn back quickly and let God help you; He will open a way for you. When He helps you, your life will turn around. If you are in the first stage, there is still a long way to go. Let’s look at a passage and see which stage Jesus was in. Can you guess which stage Jesus was in? Jesus was in the third stage. Indeed, He can do everything, but He did not boast about Himself; He always did the will of the Father.
Matthew 12:15-19:
15 But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew from there. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them all. 16 Yet He warned them not to make Him known, 17 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: 18 "Behold My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare justice to the Gentiles. 19 He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets."
Is this not a manifestation of God's ability? If it were the first stage, He would want everyone to know Him. But because He glorified the Father, He did not quarrel. This means that if you think you are right, then you are right. I will tell you the truth, and one day you will understand what is truly right. This is the example of Jesus. Thank the Lord; we understand why Jesus had such great power. He believed that everything He did was directed by the Father. Brothers and sisters, if what you do is directed by God and aligns with God, your results will be similar to Jesus'. When a person enters the third stage, they will continually recognize God's power and believe that God can do everything. Moses grew in this way.
Exodus 14:13-14:
13 And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace."
You will find that when a person starts with great eloquence, it is all earthly. When all eloquence is lost, what they now possess is all from God. How great is this ability? In the past, it was he thought, the first stage of Moses wanting to save the Israelites, thinking they should understand. But those people did not understand. However, one thing he knew was that God understood.
If what you do aligns with God's will, God understands, and it will surely bear fruit. Is the current situation worse than when he met Pharaoh? When he met Pharaoh, there were still miracles, and Pharaoh sometimes hesitated to repent. But now, nothing repents; he wants to destroy them all. There is no way forward; there is the Red Sea, and the enemy is about to catch up. In this situation, the people entered the second stage: We cannot; we are going to die... The people in the second stage said, "Moses, why did you bring us out into the wilderness? We are going to die here..."
If you could do it, would you say such things? If you said, "Wait, I will build a boat to carry the people across..." that would be the stage of being able to do something. The people in the second stage are disheartened and hopeless. But there is still God. Moses was not in the second stage. If Moses were in the second stage, he would say, "People, jump into the water; there is no hope. God is playing tricks on us; let’s jump into the sea together..." Moses was now in the third stage; he believed God can; God can do anything! "Even if I see the Red Sea, so what? Even if the enemy is strong behind us, God can do everything."
So he said to the people the following words: "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today." Moreover, Moses also believed: God will surely save the people; the enemies you see today, you will see no more. God acted! The Lord will fight for you! The words Moses used were not many, but the power was great. He had no doubt inside; he did not say, "Send whoever you want." The power within him was filled by God. At this moment, he looked up to the Lord: He can do everything; what am I afraid of? When you believe that God can do everything and are not influenced by the past, this environment is nothing; just look up to the Lord.
Yesterday, I was chatting with a sister. She said, "In the past, I overcame many situations. When so many people slandered me, I simply looked to God, and I overcame. Why can’t I overcome now?" Because she is in the second stage. Re-recognizing the Lord's power and simply looking to Him, this environment is nothing.
If you look at the environment, you will be like the Israelites, disheartened, hopeless, and complaining. There is no other way; it is just waiting to die. How can you fight against the Egyptians? You have no weapons; you can only be slaughtered. But God can; God will fight for them.
Paul experienced this stage. The text we read today was written by Paul: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. To be abased is to have gone through struggles and failures, experiencing fullness, hunger, abundance, and lack. He has gone through all these and moved past them. In the third stage, he discovered that these do not matter; the key is: "My Lord gives me strength, and I can do all things."
I hope the people in our church quickly enter the third stage. Then the church will be very harmonious, peaceful, and united, without disputes, because everyone feels they cannot do anything, but God can. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. At this time, it is the same as Moses in the third stage; Paul also went through these three stages.
The first stage was actively seeking the high priest, "Let me go catch these Christians; I know where they are hiding." He was so capable. When he was about to expand his achievements, a great light appeared, and he spent three days contemplating himself, feeling he could not do anything. This process was a fall from a high place. Then he began to learn. He spent three years in the wilderness and fourteen years serving quietly in the church. Why did he not say to the Lord, "Let me be the leader; I am well-versed in the law; I am a Pharisee among Pharisees..."
Why did he not say this at that time? Because he knew he could do nothing. After more than a decade of settling down, Paul understood God's grace. That is why he said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." The emphasis here is not on what he can do but on the fact that God can do everything.
Experiencing God's victory in life is very simple: you cannot do anything, but God can do everything, and that is enough.
John 15:4-5:
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
Jesus' encouragement to us is that He hopes we enter the third stage of Moses' life, realizing: if you leave Him, you can do nothing. When a person has this experience, they can truly bear much fruit.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You. Through the three forty-year periods of Moses' life, I also reflect on myself, needing to adjust my life direction, ultimately bringing me back to You. I believe that through Him who strengthens me, I can do all things, emphasizing: Lord, You can do all things! If it were not for You choosing us, our lives would be nothing. But today, my life is different; I am in Your hands. Please help me renew myself, continually support me with Your words, and enable me to stand up again.
Lead me to repentance with Your grace. In life, may my eyes always turn to You. When encountering situations, I know: I cannot, but You can. I am willing to live according to Your words. Please help me, and all glory be to You! In the name of Lord Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen!