By Russ Ramsey
A wise friend of mine once told me, “Beware the man who makes himself the hero of his own story.”
Throughout this study on the life of Moses, we are going read about a man who bears all the marks of a hero. He leads an entire nation of people out from under the grip of one of the most powerful rulers in the world. He stands before the mighty Pharaoh and warns the king of Egypt that if he doesn’t let the Israelites go, he’ll reap a world of hurt. And those words prove not to be empty.
Frogs fall from the sky and the Nile River turns to blood. Locusts consume Egypt’s crops and a plague kills her livestock. Moses raises his hands and the Red Sea parts, giving an otherwise trapped nation of refugees a path to freedom. He strikes a rock in the desert and enough water to quench the entire nation’s thirst comes rushing out. He ascends a mountain and meets with the God of all creation. Then he comes down from that meeting bearing two tablets of stone written in God’s own hand—a Holy Law to govern them all.
As all this happens, we may be inclined to cheer for Moses, our brave-hearted gladiator whose weapon is the power of God and whose shield is the Lord’s divine protection. But if we make Moses our hero, we have misplaced our hope. As admirable, inspirational, and fascinating as Moses is (and he certainly is all these things and more), he is not the hero of his own story. God is.
We only need to look at Moses’ failures—his anger at God (Exodus 5:22-23), his occasional disdain for his own people (Exodus 17:1-7), his murderous heart (Exodus 2:11-12), and his reluctance to lead (Exodus 4:10-17)—to see that he is, at best, a deeply flawed hero.
But it isn’t even Moses’ character flaws that show us he isn’t the hero of the story. It is the providential way Moses came to find himself in this position in the first place. The Lord, making good on a promise He made to Abraham 400 years earlier (Genesis 15:13), spared Moses’ life from Egypt’s brutal campaign to exterminate all male Hebrew children under two (Exodus 1:22). Moses’ mother floated him down the currents of the Nile but the Lord guided the baby in the basket straight into the heart of Pharaoh’s own daughter, who raised the slave as her prince.
God is the architect of this story, which means He is the true hero. This is good news for us. It reminds us that God is in the business of using flawed, fearful people as agents of redemption in this world—limits, imperfections, and all. As we dig into the fascinating life of Moses, look for the providence and power of God on display throughout, and remember that this same wisdom and strength is at work in our lives today.
You do not have to be the hero of your own story. You have a Hero. This study tells His story.
written by Russ Ramsey
81 thoughts on "God Raises Up a Deliverer"
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Shelby Beckworth says:
He provides more than we ask – Moses mother, through the extermination of the Hebrew boys, pushed Moses out in a basket. Not only did Moses survive but was placed in the hands of royalty.
If that wasn’t enough, his mother ended up getting to raise him in the palace – and getting paid to do it! What in the world! Talk about a good father!
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We are entirely dependent on God. We are not enough on our own, but more than enough with the Lord.
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I will come in reverence and awe, asking that he remind me that it’s his power that saves and to use me in great ways such as moses!
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God wants to set us free!
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I will recognize that the Lord is my Savior, he is the hero of my story and I can’t hope to be great without him.
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Daniel says:
God empowers us to be heroic, yet He is the true Hero.
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I will become heroic, and go to those God has called me to, as I allow Him to sustain and heal myself and others as our true Hero.
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We are flawed heroes; heroes that are powerless without God in our midst and as our Savior.
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In our flaws and brokenness, we are empowered and skilled; God uses our flaws, our pasts, our pain, to raise us up to bring His healing and deliverance to very specific people and situations that we are able to impact and influence.
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Mark McNeff says:
God works together our stories in such a way that we can’t even comprehend all the things he’s doing at one time. This shows that his plan is sovereign over humans imperfections and futility. When we make God out to be the hero of our story instead of ourselves we realize just how many things He worked together outside of our control. This shows that God wants to use imperfect people and imperfect situations in order to accomplish His perfect will and plan.
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Josh says:
Our imperfections are not a secret to God. We are not the heroes of our own stories. When we try to be, we find disaster.
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I do not have to be the hero of your own story. I have a Hero. My life can tell His story.
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He is the hero of my story.
“God is in the business of using flawed, fearful people as agents of redemption in this world—limits, imperfections, and all.”
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I will look to God to be my hero–and I will trust in Him.
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Lord,
Thank You that I do not have to look the part of the hero. You are the hero–be the hero of my story, and bring glory to Yourself through my story, I pray.
Amen. -
Ryan Miller says:
I will begin to have a better perspective about politics and man made savior a and realized we are all flawed individuals in need of Gods ultimate savior
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Mankind gravitates toward heroes. All of our movies are about heroes saving the day. We elevate politicians to god like statice.
I think this shows how flawed the human heart is and how desperately we need the true savior!
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God is a God who answers promises! He is sovereign in doing so. He out Moses in the perfect place at the right time to be the redeemer of Israel.
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God answered his promise to deliver Israel in the OT and He will be faithful to come again and fulfill the promises given in the New Testament!
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Wes says:
Even with my flaws, I will trust God more with my future and know that He works all things according to His plan.
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That God works through flawed and even murderous people.
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That God has an abundance of grace and mercy for us and that His love for us is so deep that He gave His son in our place.
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That we are flawed and that we may look like heros at times but the real hero is the Lord who is working things out.
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For God’s forgiveness of my sin, and that even with my flaws that His perfect plan will direct my life and for the eyes to see more clearly where God is working in my life right now.
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Russell Phillips says:
By understanding that God is the true source of strength, and by leaning on him instead of trusting in my own understanding and power.
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We don’t have the power, wisdom, or strength to be the hero on our own. We can lean on God for these things.
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It takes man’s imperfection and shows the answer to salvation despite and because of our flaws.
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By asking God to guide me as I endeavor to conduct my life.
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God chooses flawed individuals to carry out his will so that it is evident that his power was responsible for the victory.
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Jonathan Harwood says:
That we have the capacity to be used and that it is the greatest calling for us to answer.
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That God can make straight lines with crooked sticks. That Christ was the perfect example, but through Christ God will use us as well.
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That even in the heart of being used by God, we are still sinners. There is no way to wash that out. We are to continue to be used not for the purpose of being absolved, but instead to give back for the gift of life we have been given.
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Erick Gonzalez says:
Dios es un padre que se preocupa por sus hijos. El ha tallado cada paso que daremos en esta vida. Una muestra de su fidelidad/poder/amor/misericordia es la historia de cómo Moisés pudo sobrevivir la ley de los egipcios que no dejaba a los niños menores de dos años seguir con vida. Es impresionante ver cómo Dios pudo hacer que Moisés(un hebreo) terminará viviendo en el centro de la jerarquía egipcia, siendo adoptado por la hija del faraón. El Señor me brinda su protección y ha estado conmigo desde antes que lo conociera. Me amo antes que lo amara.
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Aunque sea difícil de entender, creo que esto me enseña que el hombre es el centro del padre. El nos desea más que nosotros a él.
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Padre! Tu mano me ha sostenido desde que nací. Pido que pueda seguir el camino que has hecho para mí, ayúdame a no desmayar y a no desviarme por los deseos de mi carne. Líbrame de las cosas de este mundo que el enemigo quiera usar contra mi, en ti busco refugio.
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Jordan says:
He has, He is, and He always will be the Hero of our lives. As his people we should not be searching for the next Hero figure in politics, sports, or higher positions. Jesus came as our Hero for us to live out the Love, Grace, and Redemptive power he died for us to have.
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Scott Schulman says:
God is sovereign over my life. I can trust him with my future.
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Choose to thank God for his wisdom and power in directing my life.
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Everything I can do pales in comparison to what God can do.
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God saves me by the Gospel to be used by him to be able to do great things.
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Thank you Lord, for your wisdom. You are able to do great and mighty things for yourself, and I pray that you will do those things through me.
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AL ARAKAKI says:
Pharaoh- because of his fear of man / the fear of losing the power and reign he had, he resorted to sin.
Moses – though he tries to help his people, he ends up killing an Egyptian. In his pursuit of justice he cannot execute that justly. In his guilt he tries to cover it up. Then in his fear of being found out he himself does not want justice to be bestowed upon him.
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Our tendency may be to find hope in ourselves by looking to Moses as a great hero. We may think that Moses was so great because he did so many miracles and delivered a nation from the hands of pharaoh. The reality that the only good thing about Moses is that a great God worked through him. God is the one that chose Moses to work through. It was God that brought the signs and miracles. God is the hero and he displays his power through weak people.
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I will not allow my own abilities or others perception of me be the standard at which qualifies me to be used by God. It is God who qualifies all. Even more so, recognizing that I am weak and broken, all the more should I praise God for the work he has done in and through my life. There is hope for me that comes not from me.
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It is by God’s grace that Moses was chosen to lead the Israelites out of slavery. One murderer delivers gods people from the hands of another murderer. It was nothing of Moses’ own doing that gave him favor to be used by God. We see the grace of god played out even through Moses.
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I pray that God will show me more and more of my weakness so that I can depend on him more to be my strength. I pray that I will have confidence to live for God because he is faithful to use weak people.
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Daniel says:
The God who gave up His son for me is actively involved in my life. He’s the same God who promoted Moses’ mother to place him in the river and lead Pharaohs daughter to the basket. My Saviour hasn’t left me on my own. He gave His Spirit, word, power to guide me each day.
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Man likes to look for the man who makes big things happen and respect him. Pharaoh was the big name who seemed to be directing the lives of the Hebrews. I’m reality, it was all part of God’s plan.
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God is the hero of Moses’ story and will be the hero of every mans story. God uses people, however messed up we are, to complete his mission and make His name known.
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Tyler Rowe says:
This teaches me that GOD is always who it comes back to. Yes, Moses lead an extraordinary life, but it is the Lord who guided and shaped that life to be what it was on Earth. This reminds me that I do not have to make my own story and that I need to trust the Lord with what he is doing with my life. He is consistently shaping my life and purpose on Earth and I need to have an open heart to listen when He is telling me to go or move or something if that nature. Obedience.
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It teaches me that man can do all the “cool” or “extraordinary” things they want but they are nothing without God being the reason. As sinful people we are prideful of our accomplishments and want recognition, but Moses’ life shows me, though he had his flaws, he wanted to ultimately glorify the Lord with his life no matter what.
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I will respond by being in prayer more. I feel the Lord is trying to make big changes in my life right now and I need to pray and open myself up to Him so as to really receive the direction He wants for my life.
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I will pray with an open heart and mind and pray hopefully. Hopeful that Christ will show me where he desires me to be. Where he feels my talents will best glorify him.
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Dakota Anderson says:
Test
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Malachi says:
This teaches me that God is going to give me plans. He will reveal Himself to me in ways I haven’t thought possible. He sent me to other parts of the world. All for what? That I may gain, no, but that He would gain all the glory.
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That man is meant for adventure. That a man such as Moses was so obedient to the call that Christ gave him. I want that obedience.
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That like Moses he lead his people out of “death” and into life. Just like Jesus who literally lead people out of death and into life by the cross.
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Braden Condray says:
We are not the center, the focus, or the hero of our story. In spite of our limitations and our depravity, we have been invited, by God’s sovereign grace, to play a part in His story.
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God is in the business of rescuing and reconciling people to Himself for His glory and His good pleasure. He providentially works all the moving cogs of our seemingly random existence to bring about His plans and purposes in and through us.
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The Gospel shows us the extent to which God is willing to go to rescue us from ourselves and reconcile us to Himself. Just as Moses was God’s agent in delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, Jesus has delivered us from our slavery to the power of sin and death, and now He has given us a role in His mission of reconciliation.
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I will let go of my self centered, self consumed perspective on my life which I do often defer to, and acknowledge in all things that every single aspect of my life and my story is really about Him.
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Heavenly Father, I thank you so much for giving us an ultimate and final Deliverer in Christ Jesus. Thank you for liberating us from our slavery to sin and for saving us from the power of death, and thank you for the way that Moses’ story foreshadows that. We acknowledge that Moses’ story and our stories are really your story, and I ask that you would fix my eyes on you and my role in your story. Show me how to best leverage my life for your glory and your kingdom. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
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Duane van Minde says:
Sinfull men need saving.
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Man is in itself is lead by his or her desires and sinfull in nature. Man is torally dependent on God.
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I will respond when God calls me to be used by Him.
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God doesn’t look at the outside of people but looks at the heart. He chooses vulnerable people, changes them and uses them for His glory.
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Father let Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
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Andrew Flack says:
This shows that man is imperfect but can still do good through the power of The God of the Universe.
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This message shows that God is the Ultimate Guide in life. This doesn’t just apply to Moses. If you just read throughout the Bible you’ll see thousands of times where there’s a “Bible Hero” but if you really look, you’ll find that God is in the background doing it all behind a curtain. It’s almost as if God shows his humbleness through His word. Instead of saying “I’m God I parted the Red Sea, I raised the dead, I created everything and it was awesome” He used His people for His works. So at first glance, you see the “Bible Heroes”. But then you come to find that they were all just sinners and people before God used them and saved them and all they had to do was do what the Lord said and they were blessed.
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That the Gospel is full of people doing good through God, but ultimately God is the Ultimate Guide and “Hero” of the story.
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Ways that I will respond is by being more open to the things God tells me to do. Being a light for Him and not for myself. The other night I played one of the most powerful worship services I’ve played and everyone else was really connecting but this time I only barely felt that spiritual, inexplainable feeling that you get in worship. And I made it of myself instead of giving it to God.
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I will pray that the Lord will give me strength and that He was use me for the things that I am currently capable of and can handle. And I will pray for more humility so that I may go out and do His work for Him and not for me.
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Aaron says:
God has a plan for all of us. He knows our strengths and our weaknesses and has place for us to do his will as long as we are open to receiving and acting on his commands. We do not have to be perfect, just willing to act.
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I will be more attentive to listening for Gods plans for my life and ask for strength and wisdom to follow through.
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Man is not perfect. Man is set in their ways and very stubborn thinking we either have all the answers or need no ones help.
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God has a plan for us all. No matter our flaws. If we are receptive to the Lords words we can accomplish all things he has planned for us.
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I will pray for an open heart and mind. I will ask for strength in leadership and guidance in following Gods path for my life.
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Josh Campbell says:
There are two key traits we see evident in man in these passages; Fear and Faith. Pharaoh feared the Israelites, he feared losing his power so much so that it drove him to become a monster. On the other side of things, Moses’ Mother had great faith in God when she placed her son in a basket on the Nile River. Fear as a motivator leads to uncertainty and all kinds of devastation in your wake; whereas faith in God as a motivator leads to peace and God’s provision.
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This beginning to the story containing the life of Moses teaches us some specific things about God and His character. God has not even spoken directly to Moses yet but it is evident that God is present. God is Sovereign, He is directing everything for His own plan and good pleasure. The passage in Exodus 1:17-21 speaks directly to God’s dealings with the Egyptian midwives. He prepared them to respond rightly in protection of Moses and the other Hebrew children. God also provided provision for Moses and his family in two ways. First he sent Moses to Pharaoh’s daughter so that she would take him as her son, but secondly God directed the princess to send Moses back to his mother and PAY her to nurse him. Moses got to be protected and nursed by his own mother, while his family was provided for by wages from the palace.
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God is loving. He orchestrates things in such a way that He makes a way for us to know Him. In this passage God protected and guided Moses’ life circumstances to direct him toward God. God prepared a “savior” for the Israelites, but he didn’t pull some high and mighty man to do so. In fact, Moses’ story begins with God’s provision in man’s weakness. Moses was a small weak baby from a weak, slave race. The slave race was imprisoned by a weak, fearful Pharaoh. But God, in the midst of our weakness, builds the most beautiful strength.
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