Exodus 4- What If They Don’t Believe Me
1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.
2 And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
4 And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
5 That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
God has called Moses. The mission is clear.
But Moses immediately jumps to the scenario that's been living rent-free in his head. “What if they will not believe me?”
God has called him. God has spoken clearly. But Moses is already doom-scrolling through every possible disaster.
What if they reject me? What if I fail? What if this completely backfires?
It's amazing how fast fear can turn a clear calling into a thousand imaginary disasters.
So, God gives Moses a sign. The staff hits the ground. Instant serpent.
Moses doesn't stand there analyzing theology. He immediately hits the panic button and backs away.
Fair enough. It's a snake.
Then God says something that sounds absolutely wild. "Take it by the tail."
Nobody grabs a snake by the tail on purpose.
But Moses obeys. And the serpent becomes a staff again.
Big moment.
The thing Moses has been carrying for years becomes evidence of God's power.
The ordinary becomes extraordinary when God gets involved.
We spend a lot of time wishing we had different gifts, different opportunities, different circumstances. Sometimes God points to what's already in our hands and says, "Start there."
More Signs, More Assurance
6 And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.
7 And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.
8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.
God isn't finished.
Moses places his hand inside his garment. When he pulls it out, it is leprous, white as snow.
Then God tells him to put it back.
When he does, it is restored.
Disease appears. Disease disappears.
God is demonstrating complete authority over human weakness and human health.
Then comes a third sign. If necessary, Moses can take Nile water and pour it on dry ground. The water will become blood.
For Egypt, the Nile was life.
God is showing His authority over the very source of Egypt's strength.
Notice what God is doing.
Moses keeps focusing on his limitations. God keeps supplying evidence of His power.
The conversation is no longer about what Moses can do. It's about what God can do.
I'm Not Good at Speaking
10 And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
11 And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?
12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
Moses isn't done with objections. "O my Lord, I am not eloquent."
In other words, I'm not a great speaker. I'm not naturally gifted for this. I’ll mess this up.
Fear often disguises itself as realism.
We call it being practical. We call it being honest.
But underneath, we're convinced our weaknesses are bigger than God's plans.
God responds with sharp clarity. “Who hath made man's mouth?”
Translation: "Moses, you're talking to your Creator."
The God who designed human speech is fully aware of Moses' limitations. Nothing about Moses' weakness caught God off guard.
Not one thing.
And then God gives a promise.
Not "I'll make you comfortable."
Not "You'll never feel nervous again."
Not "Everyone will be impressed."
Just, “I will be with thy mouth.”
Not, "You suddenly won't feel nervous." Not, "You'll instantly become an amazing speaker."
Instead. "I'll be with you."
That's the game changer. God's presence. God's presence becomes the answer to Moses' insecurity.
Sometimes we want our fear removed. God offers His presence in the middle of it.
The Breaking Point Moses Finally Says What He's Really Thinking
13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
14 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
After all the signs and all the reassurance, the masks come off. Moses finally says what he's been circling around the entire conversation. Moses finally says it plainly. "O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send."
Put simply, “Please send someone else.”
There it is. The real issue. Not signs. Not public speaking. Not qualifications.
His problem wasn’t really a lack of ability; it was a lack of willingness. Moses simply does not want this assignment.
Fear is winning.
The pressure has cranked up. The pressure is real. The whole thing feels overwhelming.
And honestly?
Many readers understand that feeling.
The moment when responsibility shows up and every part of you wants an exit strategy.
Moses knows what God is asking. He just doesn't want to do it.
The text says God's anger was kindled against Moses.
That matters. Fear is understandable. Continual refusal is another matter.
God has answered concern after concern. Question after question. Obstacle after obstacle.
Moses keeps moving the goalposts.
Yet even here, grace shows up.
God provides help. Aaron enters the story. Aaron can speak.
Moses can tell Aaron what to say. Aaron will become God's spokesman to the people.
Notice what God doesn’t do. God does not cancel Moses. God does not abandon Moses. God doesn't say, "Fine, never mind."
But God also does not withdraw the assignment. The mission remains. The calling stays.
God gives support, but He doesn't remove responsibility.
That's a lesson people still learn today.
Sometimes God provides backup. But He still expects us to step onto the field.
Then God tells Moses to take the staff. The same staff that became a serpent. The same staff that will be used for signs.
The journey is becoming real.
Time to Go-Heading Back to Egypt
18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
19 And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.
20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
For years Moses has been learning to live the life of a shepherd.
Quiet life. Routine life. Predictable life.
Now everything changes. Moses returns to Jethro and asks permission to go back to Egypt. Jethro sends him in peace.
Then God tells Moses that the men who wanted to kill him are dead.
The danger that once drove him out of Egypt has passed. One of Moses' biggest fears has already been addressed.
The obstacle he may have been carrying for forty years is gone.
Moses puts his wife and sons on a donkey and begins the journey back.
Forty years earlier, Moses fled Egypt.
Now he's returning. Not as a prince. Not as a fugitive.
As God's messenger.
This is a turning point.
For years Moses lived as a shepherd in Midian. Now everything changes.
Moses packs up his family. Takes the staff of God. And starts walking toward the very place he once escaped.
Think about the emotions.
Egypt is connected to failure. Regret. Fear. Old wounds.
Yet Moses starts moving anyway.
Now he begins walking back toward the place he once fled.
This is what courage actually looks like.
Not fear disappearing. Not suddenly feeling confident.
Just taking the next obedient step while your stomach is still in knots.
Because obedience matters more than fear.
Pharaoh's Heart
21 And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
God tells Moses what is coming. Moses must perform the signs before Pharaoh. But Pharaoh will not let the people go.
The conflict hasn't even started, and God already knows the outcome.
Then God gives Moses a message for Pharaoh. "Israel is my son, even my firstborn."
This language is powerful. Israel is not just a nation. Israel is God's covenant people.
God's relationship with Israel is personal.
Pharaoh is not merely dealing with slaves. He is dealing with a people God claims as His own.
And if Pharaoh refuses to release God's son, Israel, judgment will follow.
The stakes are becoming clearer.
This is bigger than politics. Bigger than a national dispute.
This is about God's covenant purposes, and this is about Pharaoh resisting the will of God.
A Serious Moment on the Journey
24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him.
25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.
26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.
As Moses travels, the narrative suddenly slows down.
The Lord confronts him on the journey.
Zipporah responds by circumcising her son, and the immediate danger passes.
The text gives only a few details, and we have long wrestled with every aspect of the passage.
What is clear is that God's covenant sign (Genesis 17) had not been properly addressed, and immediate action was required.
The lesson is sobering.
Moses is being called to lead God's people. But before leading publicly, matters of covenant obedience cannot be ignored.
The tension appears suddenly. Then it resolves suddenly. But the message remains significant.
Two Brothers Meet
27 And the Lord said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.
28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.
The Lord tells Aaron to meet Moses in the wilderness and Aaron goes.
The brothers meet at the mountain of God and embrace.
Imagine the moment.
Years of separation. Years of different experiences.
Now they're standing together because God is at work.
Moses tells Aaron everything the Lord has said and everything He has commanded him to do.
The mission is no longer resting on Moses alone.
Aaron is now part of the story.
29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:
30 And Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
Then Moses and Aaron travel to Israel's elders.
Moses and Aaron gather the elders of Israel.
Aaron speaks the words God gave.
Moses performs the signs before the people.
And then something Moses feared back in verse 1 actually doesn't happen.
The scenario that had him spiraling. The question that launched the entire chapter. "What if they don't believe me?"
And what happens? They believe.
The disaster Moses anticipated never arrives. Fear had been writing fan fiction.
Reality turns out different. God was telling the truth the whole time.
The people hear that God has seen their suffering. That He hasn't ghosted them. That He hasn't forgotten them. That He is still paying attention.
And they worship.
The chapter starts with anxiety. It ends with worship.
It starts with excuses. It ends with obedience.
It starts with Moses trying to avoid the mission.
It ends with Moses fully stepping into it.
Sometimes we spend so much time worrying about how things will go that we miss what God is already preparing ahead of us.
Moses wrestled with fear, insecurity, and excuses, but God patiently equipped him, sent help through Aaron, and began preparing Israel to receive the deliverance He had promised.
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