Wednesday: Four Excuses
Daily Lesson for Wednesday 9th of July 2025
Read Exodus 4:1-17. What set of signs did God give to Moses to perform in order to strengthen his position as God’s messenger?
Moses again tried to excuse himself from the task God asked of him (see Exodus 3:11).
Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com
He did not want to go to Egypt and confront Pharaoh. After all, he had already failed when he previously tried, on his own, to help the Hebrews. Also, his own people didn’t believe in or accept him as their leader. That’s why he formulated a third objection: “ ‘What if they do not believe me or listen to me?’ ” (Exodus 4:1, NIV). This was not a question to learn something new; it was an attempt to say no to the responsibility that God asked him to undertake.
Two miraculous signs are given to Moses to perform before the elders of Israel and, later, before Pharaoh: (1) his staff turning into a snake and then back into a staff, and (2) his hand becoming leprous but then instantly healed. Both miracles should convince the elders that God is at work for them. But if not, the third miracle, that of turning water into blood, was added (Exodus 4:8-9).
Although God gave Moses these mighty wonders, he still expresses another excuse, the fourth: he is not a good speaker.
Read Exodus 4:10-18. How does the Lord respond to Moses, and what lessons can we take from that for ourselves, in whatever situation we believe God calls us to?
This set of four excuses shows Moses’ reluctance to follow God’s call. With “reasonable” objections, he masks his unwillingness to go. The first three excuses are in the form of questions: (1) Who am I? (2) Who are You? and (3) What if they do not believe me? And the fourth objection is (4) the statement: “I am not eloquent.” God reacted to all of them and brought a powerful solution. To these excuses God presents many uplifting promises.
Then Moses delivers his fifth and final plea and directly asks: “ ‘O my Lord, please send someone else’ ” (Exodus 4:13, NRSV). In response, God tells him that He is already sending his brother, Aaron, to meet him for support. Finally, Moses silently concedes and asks Jethro for his blessing before departing for Egypt.
(13)
The story of Moses began in crisis as he was born under threat, hidden in a basket, and drawn out of the water by God’s providence. Even in chaos, God’s hand is at work. "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good…” (Genesis 50:20).
Interestingly as Moses grows his story keeps changing and becomes one wonderful one with numerous lessons as seen in the words of D.L. Moody who says “Moses spent his first forty years thinking he was somebody, his second forty years finding out he was nobody, and his final forty years discovering what God can do with a nobody.”
Fast foward the Israelites were groaning under Pharaoh, and all we ask is where was God is their/our pain. We cry out when disease steals life, when relationships crumble, marriages end and when evil seems to going unchecked. “Where are You, God, when it hurts this much?” But just as God heard Israel’s cries, He hears ours too. “I have surely seen the affliction of my people... and have heard their cry” (Exodus 3:7). God’s silence doesn't mean He is absence.
God always keeps His promises. He raised up Moses to deliver Israel. In the fullness of time, He sent Jesus to save the world. And in His perfect timing, He will send Christ again to restore all things. Until then, we wait in hope—knowing the God who rescued a baby from a river can still rescue us today.
I think that if I was in Moses' position, I would be making excuses too. I am about as old now as Moses was when the call came to him, and the thought of getting involved in a really big scheme would scare me spitless. Given the choice of sitting quietly in the bush or rabble-rousing a nation into activity, I know what I would choose. And God would hear a string of excuses from me, too. (And I would have to consult Carmel!)
I am probably jumping ahead a bit, when I say that despite the signs of the burning bush, the rod and snake, and so on, one of the greatest encouragements for Moses was the news that his brother Aaron was going to be beside him. Moses was not going to be alone. He had a brother, and together they would have a common purpose. That makes a big difference.
It is useful to remind ourselves that few are called to lead but all of us are called to support and help. And perhaps our excuses against doing that are potentially a bit self-centred. You can even be called to help when you are old and decrepit.
What about Jonah? Any similarities about the fear involved in evangelism?
There is some wonderful "take homes" in this section
1) God's sees through us in very special ways: The experience of Moses in Egypt and the hit on his head, contributed a lot to the very fear that Moses had. As much as Moses had understood his calling and in his own way, even tried to execute his calling by coming to the defence of the Hebrew slave killing the Egyptian. His cover was exposed and he had gone to exile to stay away. Remember, it was the slave (maybe) who would later expose his action that made Moses flee. He then opted to stay lowly and hidden in the Medianite desert under Jethro. Very similar to how we try in our own way to gain success, and when we fail, we lose hope. However, God sees through us, and comes to us to redirect us to His perfect purpose; just like Moses, we struggle with fear and doubt then excuses follow. God continues to reveal Himself in us/to us despite our excuses.
2) God reveals our talents: At the time of his choosing, God reveals our ability as we struggle with both our identity and our ability. God showed Moses his ability and His purpose for Moses using local things Moses had -his staff; his hand - and in the same way God is revealing to us within ourselves what special strengths and miracles we have.
3) God will always avail an assistant: An "Aaron" is coming your way to help where you are afraid to revisit, but God will still give you charge. So he shall be your spokesman to the people. Exod 4:16 - And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God.
4) God seasons us in life's journey: Jethro was in God's plan all along; and so was the house of Pharaoh. Moses school of life had a palace as well as well as a desert in the mix. Same to us, pitfalls and successes forge us - then we become ready for God's service. Jethro's immediate release for Moses shows how God had planned it all along.
Brother Montanya Dan you responded on why God sometimes keep quiet even if we are in STORMS of life. May I further ASK? I want to believe there are some people who died in Egypt under the heavy hand of the Pharaohs, Who died without seeing the leading of the Lord as He led Israelites out of Egypt. My question is how can we help each other on strengthening one another that God is God even in the storms. And some storms can even cost lives. And this leaves people despaired and hopeless.
Sam,
We have Sabbath School and Church request for prayer. We talk before and after. We talk at fellowship dinner after church. We have phones, texting, e-mails. We have prayer meetings. We certainly have opportunity to encourage each other. Most of us know promises of the Lord to share. We mentally take the ssnet.org blog as encouragement rather than reproof. Make it a point to have to be one of 6 members who make friends with a new member. And hopefully Christ is their 7th friend.
I hope this helps.
As I studied the lesson today, the question that I am asking myself is, what has God called me to do? God took 80 years to train Moses for his assigned task. Moses' task was of God's choosing.
Prov 3:5,6 says that in all our ways acknowledge him and he will direct our path. As I read today's lesson, the question I am asking myself is, "is my life intune with God's will?" My answer requires honesty with myself. If I am hungering and thirsting after righteousness, then my daily prayer should be, "Holy Spirit, teach me how to live each day in a manner that makes my daily activities to be in conformity with your will."
For the experience of Moses to not only be a good bible story, it should drive me to ask myself the question, "is my life focused to God's will?" Since I don't have the power to conform my life and to make it compatible with God's will, my prayers should be focused on begging the Holy Spirit for this outcome (Ephesians 6:18). Thus, my daily activities will become acts of true worship.
With the connection to the Fountain of Wisdom, anything is possible. God wishes we worked in union with Him consciously; that's the best option for the most efficiency and lasting outcomes.
When Moses lived in Pharaoh’s palace, he confidently believed he could deliver his people. At forty years old, instead of sparking a revolution, he faced rejection and fear. His people didn’t rally behind him, and Pharaoh sought to kill him. Moses fled into the wilderness, his dreams shattered.
Forty years later, God met Moses in the wilderness through a burning bush. But this time, Moses was different. Gone was the confident prince; now, a humble shepherd stood before God. The man who once rushed ahead now hesitated, resisting the very calling he had once embraced.
What happened?
Moses had been through God’s refining school. The first forty years made Moses believe he was somebody, but the next forty taught him he was nobody. Only now, after the stripping away of self-reliance, could God use him to show what He can do through someone who depends completely on Him.
In Pharaoh’s palace, Moses was prideful, powerful, self-confident, rich, and exercised worldly leadership. In the wilderness, he lost all of these to humility, patience, gentleness, meekness, and servant leadership. He was now in a place where God could truly use him.
God doesn’t call us because we’re strong. He calls us when we’re surrendered—when our confidence is no longer in our abilities, titles, or background, but in His power alone.
Sometimes, God must strip us of our self-reliance to prepare us for His divine purpose. Like Moses, we may face seasons where our gifts feel useless and our calling seems impossible. But it is in those very moments that God whispers, “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12).
The mistake that Moses made was to look at his abilities instead of God’s. Satan, no doubt, was placing all these excuses in Moses's mind. He was also bringing up the remembrance of his past failures while in Egypt, all to the point of Moses saying, "Why me? Can't you send someone else?"
The greatest weapon that Satan uses against people is fear. Fear of failure, fear of their past. Some tactics never change because they are so effective.
It reminds me of when I sensed the call to ministry. I couldn't shake it, and was terrified by it. I was the quiet, shy, and introverted kid in school. I was bullied until I got the courage to stand up to and confront the bullies in my life. Why in the world would God want to use me? For the same reason that God wanted to use Moses. For God’s glory. 1 Corinthians 1:27 - 2:5. It is in our weakness that we discover God’s strength.
I have discovered time and again in my Christian walk that God doesn't always call the qualified, but that He always qualifies those he calls. This way He gets the glory, yet he shares with us the joy. You think that God can't use you? Think again! There is no limit to what God can do through us. The only limit is our availability rather than our abilities. If God can speak through a donkey, he can certainly speak through me, and you. "Little in the hands of God, is much!"
Consider this, then enlist in the Lord's Army.
The March of the Unqualified
What are your four excuses? The Bible says Moses was terrified to go back to Egypt. It appeared he was happy with his life. Though I get the impression he also had a burning desire to help his people realizing he couldn’t do it of His own, his humility came in the form of I can’t do it God will have to get someone else, once the ‘excuses’ were settled he obeyed. Yesterday we learned that he obeyed before God told him that his enemies were dead. Reminds us of the baby Jesus parents hustling Jesus off to Egypt to avoid Jesus being killed before His time. Come to think of it Moses fled being killed twice before our story begins this week.
Hey Tim. I like your blog above. It is a mirror of my life. My beef right now is that some people misinterpret James 3:1-3 to their own liking. They give us the excuses that they never would be able to meet requirement of always perfect in teaching as James implies. If we are waiting to be a perfect truth teacher, we would have no teachers of the gospel. I look past being the perfect, and prepare as much as I can. So what if we have lesson outlines ready made for us from It Is Written and other sources, as long as they are accurate, use them. I purchased 10 recently from It Is Written, for our men’s monthly gathering. If we can each put one in the hands of one that seems to be able to use them in the next 365 days, Gods plan advances.
Again God Bless You In Your Ministry.
Thank you John! You are so right! If everyone waits until they are perfect enough, no one will go. We are all called to share what we know. A living "show and tell," if you will. That's the beautiful thing about Grace, it's not about us, but about Him. We don't have to have all the answers, but know the One, that does. The Holy Spirit still works through these "jars of clay."
Even when we make mistakes God still uses us. It is the greatest blessing to be used by God to bring others to salvation. We are either a Missionary or a mission field. Where would we be if someone refused to share with us? I know that I would still be lost out in the world.
Moses excuses make sense in a humans world. I would probably respond the same way, considering his past and the circumstances he went through. I appreciate that the Bible says everything was written if I’m correct in Romans 15:4 for us, so we don’t repeat the same mistakes as the patriarchs made in their journeys with God. Moses acted just like human being would, he was afraid. Fear, is one of the worst feelings we experience, even when we trust God. That’s why we need to keep our eyes focused on God.