Thursday: Moses Intercedes for a Nation
Daily Lesson for Thursday 7th of May 2026
Read Exodus 32:31-32. What does this teach us about Moses and prayer?
Moses boldly interceded for God’s people time and time again. Moses turned to God when the people were thirsty (Exodus 15:25, Exodus 17:2-6), when the people were hungry (Numbers 11:21-22), and in sheer desperation (Numbers 11:11-15).
When the Israelites built the golden calf immediately after God had covenanted with them, Moses recalled, “ ‘For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure with which the Lord was angry with you, to destroy you. But the Lord listened to me at that time also’ ” (Deuteronomy 9:19, NKJV).
Image © Jim Howard at Goodsalt.com
When the spies returned from the Promised Land, Moses recalled, “ ‘Thus I prostrated myself before the Lord; forty days and forty nights I kept prostrating myself, because the Lord had said He would destroy you’ ” (Deuteronomy 9:25, NKJV).
When Levi was separated from the other tribes to serve in the sanctuary, Moses recalled, “ ‘As at the first time, I stayed in the mountain forty days and forty nights; the Lord also heard me at that time, and the Lord chose not to destroy you’ ” (Deuteronomy 10:10, NKJV). God heard Moses’ plea.
We can learn much from Moses’ life when it comes to prayer and holding fast to God:
• Moses had a deep love for God and a clear picture of His character. God described Himself to Moses in Exodus 34:6: “ ‘the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth’ ” (NKJV).
• Moses was both bold and faithful as he held on to God through the ups and downs of the weary journey to the Promised Land. Though struggling as we all do, Moses trusted God’s power, presence, and leading in his own life (Exodus 33:13).
• Moses reminded God of His covenant (Exodus 32:13), claimed God’s promises on behalf of His people (Deuteronomy 7:8), and remembered God’s leading in the past (Deuteronomy 8:2).
• Moses accepted God’s answers to his prayers, whether they were a yes or a no. Being in a close relationship with God doesn’t automatically mean we’ll always get what we want (Deuteronomy 3:23-29), but we should pray with persistence anyway (Luke 18:1-8).
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Who needs your intercessory prayers right now? What is stopping you from praying right now? |
I will cut to the quick on this one. When we pray for others, our family, our community, our church, our nation, what do we expect to happen? Do you think that gives God licence to send his Holy Spirit to change our family, community, church, nation into our vision of what they should be?
Or, are we humble enough (meek to use the Moses word!) to accept that God may want to change us so that the Holy Spirit can work through us for and with others?
Sometimes we need to look in the mirror!
Moses offers an example of the most fascinating, courageous, and instructive prayers in the Bible as he offers intercessory prayers for the children of Israel at Kadesh-Barnea and elsewhere in their journey to Canaan (Num 14:17–20). Moses’ mind was clear with two requests to the Lord, both based on the Lord’s declaration that Moses had found favor in His sight. These requests were not selfish or even self-centered. The first request was to know God more intimately (Exod 33:13), and the second was for the Lord’s presence among the Israelites as they moved toward Canaan (Exod 33:15). Moses’ intercessory prayers were not only noble but present Moses as a striking type of Christ, a mediator between God and man (1 Tim 2:5).
The prospect of interceding for not annoying but also stiff naked people who on regular basis could provoke Moses and God to a fever pitch was not easy, but the Lord’s presence in this experience was a necessity in leading the people. Moses shows integrity as he had no interest in using the people’s failure to promote his own success, so he rejects an offer given by God, instead asking the Lord to forgive His people and give them another chance (Num 14:19). While the offer given by God was tempting, Moses had learnt that the Lord God is merciful and compassionate (Exod 34:6).
No wonder, as he found the job of leading Israelites to be extremely difficult and unbearable without the Lord’s presence. Moses resorts to regular intercessory prayers, which appealed to God’s glory and His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Gen 12:2–3), which went a long way in preventing the total destruction of the nation of Israel. Moses demonstrated tremendous leadership skills in intercessory prayers as he remained selfless and loved unloveable people just like Christ did (Rom 5:8); he grew deeper in humility and reverence for the Lord in his experience of leadership.
One day, God wanted to make a great nation out of Moses. But Moses declined.
“Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation.” (Exodus 32:10, NLT).
It is astonishing to note how Moses “sweettalked” God out of His anger to destroy the nation of Israel. “But Moses tried to pacify the Lord his God. “O Lord!” he said. “Why are you so angry with your own people whom you brought from the land of Egypt with such great power and such a strong hand?” (Exodus 32:11, NLT). Moses cared more about God’s people and God’s glory than about himself. When Moses had an opportunity to be made a great nation, he chose to stand with his people. He was willing to suffer with them rather than rise without them. Our spiritual growth demands sacrifice of personal rights and privileges. Moses’ story is a great lesson for anyone who desires to inherit the Kingdom of God.
To Maurices question my answer is the latter. “Are we humble enough (meek to use the Moses word!) to accept that God may want to change us so that the Holy Spirit can work through us for and with others?” Plus pray for others without ceasing and let them know, if possible, you are, or have prayed for them. Your point is well taken. Which I believe is praying for others, does not excuse us from being a Holy Spirit filled sharer of the love of God. How do we do that? Spend time with the Lord in prayer, devotion reading His word, meditating on His Word, and putting into practice the love of God. Which may sometimes be a silent testimony, avoiding passing judgement on others.
It appears a trend is being set of men of God- Enoch and Moses, who walked with God in prayer leaving this earth to heaven early. (This is just an aside). Moses realized the enormity as well as the challenges of the work of leading the children of Israel to the promised land. God was his only source of hope and strength. In the same vein we must realize that our lives as followers of God are full of blessings and struggles that we need to intercede for others and ourselves.
One of the things that struck me in today’s lesson is the “high” expectations God has for his people. I confess that I pondered at the description of God being “longsuffering” as I read of his dealings with the Isaraelites in the desert. As I placed myself in “their shoes” – for example, when Moses went up on the mountain and spent an unexpectedly long time with God – I wondered if I might not have been part of that murmuring posse.
Could it be that our expectations and those of God do not always co-incide? Could it be that what we consider slightly trivial or even a matter-of-fact are diametrically opposed to God’s point of view?
I have been informed in human relationships “expectations” are a huge deal. In fact couples who are planning to get married are advised to articulate their expectations to each other. Could it be as children of God ; that we pause and take a candid, honest look at the expectaions that this Being has concerning us and seriously seek by His grace to meet them?
As I pondered upon what I wrote awhile ago ; keeping in mind that our topic of discussion is intercessory prayer; and seeking to stretch our horizons in this matter of intercessory prayer ; that it is we are not only praying for the situation that exists but also about the circumstances that prompted its existence.
I am suggesting that God’s anger was not only provoked by their immediate actions but also their actions or inactions that triggered their provocation against Him.
At least some of these are (1) They failed to appreciate what He did for them in the past. In Psalms 78, David records how they forgot how He divided the sea, so that they could escape from Pharoah and his army. The cloud He placed to protect from the heat in the day and the light He gave them at night. How He split the rock and gave them water to drink; and I can go on and on and on. (2) They failed to appreciate what He was presently doing for them. How could one entertain the thought that God who wrought such a deliverance for you and continued to sustain you, would bring you and abandon you in the desert to die ? (3) How could you intelligently doubt His promise to bring you into a land flowing with milk and honey in the face of what He is doing and has done.
These questions are significant to us today. As I type them to you I am humbled and thoughtful; this intriguing Being that orchestrated my fingers not simply to type to you; but myself.
Peter, when asking Jesus ‘how many times should I forgive my brother who sins against me’, hears Jesus’ reply: ”I tell you not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!” Matt.18:21-23.
As believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we live in the ‘Kingdom of Heaven’, a spiritual kingdom which is governed by different rules than the earth. God governs through/by His Love – His Justice mingled with Mercy and Grace. He does not lash out in anger or holds grudges. His divine Love envelopes us fully – causing us to experience His infinite Justice, Wisdom and Compassion. Because it is God’s Spirit which is at work in forgiveness, we ought to be quick to forgive to allow Him to start the healing process. Eph.4:26-27.
We are admonished to forgive at all times as we ask God to forgive us our trespasses. I offer to consider a believer’s life to be in a state of perpetual forgiveness – seeing intercessory prayer as part of living in this state. God wants us to give Him opportunity to heal and restore broken relationships; just as He forgave us to be ‘healed’ by Him – Matt.6:14-15.
Formal prayers are part of our ongoing communion with God. We are in His Presence at all times and do not leave His ‘House’ after we prayed. Loving God with all our heart keeps us safely tucked under our Savior’s Wings at all times. As we are still, He protects us and sets things right in His Own Way. We can trust His Love to be just and merciful when it becomes evident in our life – Isaiah 55:9; Psalms 37:7.
It is one thing to love people when they are faithful and grateful. It is another thing to plead for them when they are rebellious and undeserving. That kind of spirit can only come from a heart transformed by communion with God.
In many ways, this challenges believers today. It is easy to condemn, cancel, or emotionally write people off after serious failures. It is much harder to pray for them, seek their repentance, and desire their salvation. But that is closer to the spirit of Jesus Christ, who prayed even for those crucifying Him: “Father, forgive them.”
We all need to pray for each other! Sometimes we do have friends with special needs who need prayer. But I guess the most important people we must pray for without ceasing are our immediate family: spouse, sons/daughters, father/mother, and so on. Intercessory prayer is an act of love!