Moses is undoubtedly an iconic figure in the Scriptures, who’s actions under the guidance of God essentially led to the establishment of the Judaic faith which had long-lasting impacts on humanity and Christianity down the line. Best known for leading the Jews out of slavery and oppression in Egypt and receiving the coveted Ten Commandments, Moses played a critical role in the larger theme of the Scriptures. This paper will explore the background and importance of Moses in the context of Exodus and the Scriptures and the larger impact of the prophet’s story.
Larger Themes
The story of Moses strongly reflects on the overarching themes of the Scriptures. The connection to the theme of creation is through the 10 Commandments given to Moses by God and other sets of rules. Humans were created with the gift of reason and intellect, and there is a necessity of a basic set of governing laws which allow humans to live peacefully and under the law of the Lord. The 10 Commandments are one of the earliest sets of rules which are meant to govern the faithful and led to the beginnings of the creation of the Judaic civilization. Furthermore, God essentially guided and instructed for Moses to write the Torah which encompasses the story of Creation and the first books of the old testament. The intent of Moses was to “proclaim knowledge of the true God as he manifested himself in his creative works” (Bartholomew & Goheen, 2014, p. 13). Therefore, Moses played a role in providing the knowledge of what came before him in the Pentateuch, further highlighting his importance.
The theme of the fall which commonly refers to the sinful nature of humans is very well reflected in the context leading up to and following the primary story of Moses and the Exodus. First, the Jews ended up enslaved in Egypt because Abraham did not listen to God and traveled there despite being commanded to remain in Canaan despite the famine. After the Exodus, the Jews first refuse to take the land based on the false reports by the 12 spies that were sent out as well as violated God’s commandments after worshiping a golden calf. These are the low points for the Jewish people in the context of Exodus and Deuteronomy and reflects their fall from God’s grace for which they were punished (Spolsky, 1993).
However, the biggest theme in the story of Moses is redemption. Exodus is the origin of the name Yahweh for the Lord when He calls upon Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. This title is meant to be defined as the divine redeemer, a God who rescues his people from slavery (Bartholomew & Goheen, 2014). The narrative of the exodus of the Israelites is viewed as a story of redemption, where the Hebrews are finally being led to the Promised land by the Lord after decades of suffering as a people. The Lord took personal interest and investment, bringing the Hebrews not by angel or seraph, but Himself through the “hand of a messenger” which is Moses who was the vital human link and role in the process of redemption (Arnow, 2004). The redemption comes in the from of freeing the Israelites and providing them freedom and leading towards the promised land. However, in return for the redemption, God sought obedience to Him. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of [a]bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exod 20:2-3 NKJV). Redemption for the Israelites was achieved through the Lord and it is highlighted that the only manner of achieving redemption in this life or the next was through obedience and faith in the one and only God.
Background on the Person
Moses was chosen by the Lord as the messenger and leader of the Israelites to experience salvation and freedom. However, Moses’ background is fascinating, having placed him in a unique position to be that leader. Moses was born as a Hebrew when his parents and tribe lived in Egypt as slaves. At the time, the Pharaoh ordered all infant males to be killed, so Moses’ mother hid the baby on the banks of the Nile river where he was found by the Pharaoh’s daughter, which adopted him and also not knowingly hired Moses’ biological mother to nurse him. Moses was raised in the royal family, which made him well-educated and well-spoken. After seeing an Egyptian beating a Hebrew one day, Moses intervened and murdered the Egyptian, which led to his exile into the desert as the Pharaoh was attempting to kill him. It is at this point; the Lord came to Moses in the form of a burning bush (Jeon 2013).
There is much debate on why Moses was chosen by the Lord. Some cite his leadership quality, rhetorical skills, and even military prowess that was acquired living in the royal household, making Moses the only one who could have effectively united the Hebrews at the time of oppression and negotiate with the Pharaoh. There are also those that argue that Moses was compassionate and a pursuer of justice. Moses was modest and obedient to the values that held true, which made him an ideal messenger of the Lord (Golinkin, 2018). One important aspect to examine is the relationship between God and Moses. Although Moses was obedient and followed God’s instruction, he did make sure that these decisions were warranted. Later on in Exodus, the relationship grew to be deep and almost intimate as their dialogues continued even after receiving the final instructions on Mr. Sinai. “So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Exod 33:11). Moses was a unique human being that was shown such that has never been shown to any human in history, which is the reason why he is viewed as such an iconic prophet in religious theology (Suomala).
Significance within Exodus/Deuteronomy
Moses is the central figure within the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy, notably being present in one way or another in every chapter. The major significance is that he was the religious leader and God’s messenger which saved the Israelites from Egyptian oppression. It was a gruesome process as the Pharaoh did not wish to surrender the control over God’s people. In Exodus, Moses is the one leading and making decisions with God’s guidance, ultimately being a protagonist in the narrative. He takes on the role of the savior through God’s will of redemption for the Israelites, and fulfills his mission of leading them out of oppression and across the sea towards the Promised Land. “The Lord said to Moses, ‘Depart, go up… to the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob… I will send an angel before you and I will drive out the Canaanites… go up to a land of milk and honey.’” (Exod 33:1-3).
In Deuteronomy, the focus shifts, being told majorly from the perspective of Moses. In this book he is an orator, and he is now meant to govern. The major significance is that in Deuteronomy, he receives the 10 Commandments from God. It is his responsibility now to create a society with the Hebrews that respects and follows these laws. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deut. 6:5). The Hebrews were largely not that grateful for their freedom and even more angry having to wander the desert for 40 years as a punishment. Oftentimes, the people wanted to rebel against the commandments. It was up to Moses and his closest confidants to establish a God-centric society and lead the Hebrews to the promised land so that God’s will and promise would be fulfilled.
Meaning for Modern Context
The Exodus led by Moses was a transformative and defining event, not just for the Jewish people, but humanity as a whole. The narrative highlights certain themes that are relevant in modern context. One of the most powerful images is the story of redemption for Moses and the Jews, who were oppressed and living in horrific conditions similar to millions of people around the world today. However, both the religious message of Exodus as well as the secular message of human freedom highlight that one must not accept disadvantage or suffering as the decided fate. With the will of God and human efforts, the world can be transformed. The oppressed can rise up and make the world better and achieve a dignified life, which was the final triumph of the Exodus/Deuteronomy narrative, that the Jews made it to the Promised Land. This principle applies to many oppressed and disenfranchised people in modern day, those that are persecuted for their beliefs and religion. Through God, they can potentially find a similar path to redemption and raising themselves up like Moses did with Jews.
In modern society, the story of Moses and Exodus of the Jews is believed in by the Jews, Christians, Anglicans, and Muslims among others. It is one of the few aspects of ancient religious history which unites major faiths. The principles which the exodus story demonstrates are ones of hope, justice, resilience, and the faith and love of God. It was truly a transformative moment that is recognized almost universally. These themes are relevant to modern society, starting with hope and resilience discussed earlier. There is the concept of justice which guides the meanings of right and wrong in the complexities of modern-day society. Finally, there is the love of God and obedience to His Commandments which is challenging for the faithful in a modern world and easy to forget but remains critical. “The blessing if you take to heart the commandments of the Lord your God that I am giving you today” (Deut. 11:27) Moses was an example of an extraordinary religious leader who demonstrated patience, wisdom, will, and faith in challenging times. It highlights the importance of such leaders in the modern context, particularly in the unprecedented times that humanity is facing right now in the midst of the pandemic, conflict, and division.
References
Arnow, D. (2006). The Passover Haggadah: Moses and the human role in redemption. Judaism, 55(3/4), 4-28.
Bartholomew, C. G. & Goheen, M. W. (2014). The drama of scripture: Finding our place in the Biblical story (2nd ed.). Baker Academic.
Golinkin, D. (2018). Parashat Shemot why was Moses chosen to lead the people of Israel? Web.
Jeon, J. (2013). The call of Moses and the Exodus story: A redactional-critical study in Exodus 3-4 and 5-13. Mohr Siebeck.
Spolsky, E. (1993). Summoning: Ideas of the covenant and interpretive theory. SUNY Press.
Suomala, K. R. (2004). Moses and God in dialogue: Exodus 32-34 in postbiblical literature. Peter Lang.