Have You Ever Got Ahead of Yourself

Exodus 2:11-15

11 Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?”
14 Then he said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?”
So Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!” 15 When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.

Acts 7:20-29

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. 26 And the next day he appeared to two of them as they were fighting, and 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.

Hebrews 11:24-27

24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

Have you ever gotten ahead of yourself?

Like most people, I have. Whether in professional conquests or personal relationships (mostly personal relationships) I have edged my way over the ravine too quickly or pushed the envelope, overtly longing for what I think is over the hill.

Or, perhaps I have an inside track. Maybe I know, as some “spiritual people” would sort of say is in a cosmic, inexplicable way, or as most Christians would say, “God told me,” or “He revealed to me,” or “I had a vision,” or my personal favorite and what I find connection to the most is, “I just know that I know that I know.” Perhaps (like me) “it just seemed good…” (Acts 15:34).

Now, you don’t have to ascribe to my personal theology, and that is perfectly applicable to my recent endeavor and what makes the subject matter at hand great. I am becoming more and more convinced that God does not have a universal, bullet-proof, systematic way of conveying His messages uniformly to His children. And that’s okay. I don’t think we say that enough or with proper application. The point, however, is that God speaks to His children.

So, when you know that you know that you know, have you ever gotten ahead of yourself?

Moses did.

Exodus 2 tells the story of how Moses went out and saw an Egyptian abusing a Hebrew. Obviously, Moses didn’t take too kindly to the mistreatment and killed the Egyptian. But you have to ask the question, why intervene? If you’re a prince of Egypt, why would you care so much about slaves that provide your daily bread?

Then Moses finds the cat out of the bag and jig being up and escapes the wrath of Pharaoh. Why would Pharaoh being angry over the Prince of Egypt killing a commoner of Egypt? Moses wanders out to the desert to the land of Midian and spends the next 40 years learning who God truly is.

Therefore, we have to answer the question of, “Why did Moses attempt to be a “messiah” for the Hebrews?” We get a better glimpse in the book of Acts through Stephen’s Sermon in Chapter 7:25 For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand.

How did Moses know that he was the deliverer of Israel? When did he arrive at this conclusion? How did he arrive at this conclusion? We get an idea of Moses’ conclusions in Hebrews 11:25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

Now, while this passage doesn’t answer all questions, it gives us a glimpse into the life of Moses. Here you have the Playboy of Egypt. Late night parties and drugs and endless sex and every woman he could want and unlimited resources and the list of decadence could go on and on and…

…and one day Moses decides to forsake his playboy lifestyle. The reason for his forsakenness is…Christ? How did he see Christ? How was he even capable of arriving at the conclusion that the sufferings of Christ are ultimately better than his sex and drugs and alcohol…? How did he see the reward?

Maybe, he simply knew that he knew that he knew. Perhaps “it seemed good to him.”

So Moses arrives upon the revelation that he is the deliverer of Egypt. It seems that there is no doubt in his mind. Obviously there is no doubt because he is perplexed that the Children of Israel didn’t understand that he WAS the deliverer of them.

Picture it: Ex-playboy Moses is on the scene. He’s rolling through Memphis in his suped-up chariot he affectionately calls “Tina” (hey, don’t act like you didn’t name your first car) and what does he see? There in the distance, an Israelite being abused by an Egyptian. Moses thinks to himself, “It is evident that I am the deliverer of Egypt. I know it. My Hebrew brethren realize it. Let me act on my calling right now. Moses looks left, then right. The coast is clear. No eye-witnesses to finger him. He focuses, pulls his Egyptian Royal Palace issued dagger and…

SHANK!

One dead Egyptian.

The next day Moses is rollin’ in his supped-up chariot “Tina,” but today is a special day because Moses just got his new 40 inch dubs and he’s ballin’ now. What does he see, but two Hebrews fighting amongst themselves. Well, Moses is the “messiah” of the Hebrews in Egypt. Moses knows it. Obviously the Hebrews know that. So Moses brings “Tina” to a stop, shiny rims on his 40 inch dubs shining in the hot, Egyptian sun, and as he dismounts he puts a limp in his pimp walk. He shimmys his way over to the two tangled Hebrews and asks, “Why are two brothers fighting amongst themselves?”

The reply? “You murder. You gonna kill us like you killed that Egyptian yesterday?” The jig was up! Moses high-tailed it out of Dodge into the land of Midian, and for forty years, God has to teach Moses how to listen and be obedient and to work in the proper timing.

Was Moses the deliverer of Hebrews? Absolutely. Did Moses attempt to deliver the Hebrews at the wrong time and in the wrong manner? Absolutely.

So the issue is: Moses got ahead of himself. Moses knew and understood the magnitude of the calling on his life, but attempted to fulfill that calling at the wrong time and in the wrong manner. Even Moses’ parents knew his calling. Scriptures state that he was a “proper” child or a “beautiful” child. All that really means is that they saw the “anointing” and “calling” on Moses life.

This anointing and calling became so real to Moses that he forsook his playboy lifestyle of Egypt and wanted to fulfill the call of God on his life. But, again, he tried it at the wrong time and in the wrong manner.

What one must be mindful of is that Moses was walking out the “Joseph Principle.” Joseph knew exactly where he was going, that he would one day tower over known humanity. God had revealed to him in a series of dreams that he would rule over his brethren, but in order for God to get Joseph from Point A to Point Z, Joseph had to endure all the other letters of the alphabet.

Joseph had to be betrayed by his brothers; sold into slavery; then sold as a slave to Potiphar; it is there that he demonstrated that he had integrity and administrative ability; but then he’s framed and exiled to Egyptian prison where he befriends a baker and servant; we see prophetic giftings resurface; Joseph’s gift eventually brings him before Pharaoh (your gift makes room for you and brings you before kings); he interprets Pharaoh’s dreams and becomes the second most powerful man in Egypt; then his brother’s return; Joseph jerks them around a little; and, then, Joseph makes this statement, “But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life (Genesis 45:5).”

Why didn’t God simply let Joseph grow up and then one day God make him the second highest ruler in Egypt? Joseph could see the end result, but maybe he didn’t see the process. To simply Joseph’s life, let me feebly explicate through this means. I am standing at 71^st Street and Lewis Avenue next to Walgreens or for our purposes, Point A. Now, God wants to get me across the street to Schlotzsky’s or for our purposes, Point Z. Therefore, the easiest root is the direct root. I simply cross the street and go to Schlotzsky’s. I should take a direct root from Point A to Point Z.

But God doesn’t operate that way. God doesn’t let you just walk across the street, He takes you through Point B, C, D, E, F, G… The next thing you know you’re walking across the opposite street to Mazzio’s and you’re wondering, “Why am I going to Mazzio’s? I need to get to Schlotzsky’s.” So you get to Mazzio’s and you think, “Well, I’ll just cross the street to Schlotzsky’s now. I would have been jay walking if I had simply crossed directly, so I can kind of see what God was doing.” But then God takes you to the shopping center next to Mazzio’s, and you realize that this is taking you further away from Schlotzsky’s and now you’re becoming disturbed by this once simple trek and wondering why God is taking you off course. Then you cross the street to the “Talking Drum” restaurant. You think to yourself, “Great! Now I’ll just sully on up to Schlotzsky’s!”

But wait, you forgot to get something back over at the shopping center next to Mazzio’s, so then you have to go back. And as God drags you all over creation, you begin to learn and see character flaws. You start working on those flaws. And you grow. In the beginning, you thought the direct route was the best way, but in this “journey” God has taken you on through all the Points, you see God’s hand.

In truth, you weren’t ready to go straight to Schlotzsky’s. Maybe you didn’t have all the money you needed, so you’ve been picking up loose change on you’re journey that you would have otherwise missed if you had gone directly to Schlotzsky’s. Maybe when you held that door open for that lady at the outlet, that slowed you down long enough to avoid a car from hitting you when you crossed the street to the “Talking Drum?” Maybe when God sent you back to the outlet, you picked up that quarter you had previously missed?

And maybe Moses, knowing that he was the deliverer of Israel, killed an Egyptian prematurely and God had to lead him out into the desert for 40 years to teach Moses God’s ways? Moses calling was so real and evident that he thought everyone could see it. Maybe everyone did see it, but didn’t accept it. Maybe that’s why Pharaoh got angry when Moses killed the Egyptian, because it was evident to Pharaoh that Moses would deliver the Hebrews. Maybe nobody knew…

…and maybe we get ahead of ourselves sometimes?

(C) Aaron Brown, 2008