I just started into the story of Moses in Exodus, and I am intrigued by what kind of a person he was. What do we know about his background? He was saved by his mother sending him in a small raft or arc to Pharaoh’s daughter. He became the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, yet when he grew up, he saw his own people, the people of Israel, in bondage. Moses took action and killed an Egyptian in defense of two Hebrews being smitten. Because of this, Moses had to flee and he ended up in Midian. There he impressed Reuel by being a helpful person, and Reuel gave Moses a daughter to be his wife.

That is about all we have to go by for Moses’s background before he saw the Lord. Apparently Moses was brave enough to oppose injustice, and he was considerate enough to help out the people around him.

Then the Lord appeared to Moses and called him to be the deliverer of His people. Moses showed reluctance and doubt in his own abilities, but the Lord showed Moses that it was the Lord who would work through Moses. At one point the Lord almost seems annoyed at Moses for doubting, so He appoints Aaron to be a spokesman for Moses.

The more I think about this, the more I realize that there are nuances that are unknown. We don’t really know what Moses was like. We don’t totally know his feelings, fears, or strengths. Still, we can imagine being in his shoes.

In what way can I be more brave and stand up against injustice and evil? How can I be truly helpful to the people around me. Lastly, how can I make myself ready to receive the call from the Lord? Not everyone is a prophet, but I do believe we can all hear the voice of the Lord and find out what He wants from us.

Maybe some of Moses’s early actions were driven by the Lord’s inspiration. Maybe Moses felt guided to help the slaves and help the shepherds of Reuel. Maybe his willingness to act upon promptings was his proving ground before the Lord called him to greater things.

We do know that Moses was a type and shadow of Jesus Christ. He was a Savior, like Christ. Maybe his attitude reflected Christ’s willingness to follow “not my will, but Thine be done.”