5 Words From God To Me
This blog post is Part 7 of a series entitled "From Fear To Freedom" by Pastor Jeffrey Dean Smith of Donelson First in Nashville, TN.
Message Date: March 17, 2024
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I wonder who today can say, “I live with fear.”
“Fear of forever living in the guilt of regrettable mistakes.”
“Fear from years of hurting and believing the end to the hurt will never come.”
“Fear related to rejection; loneliness; bitterness; extreme sadness.”
Fear, if not faced, can lead to irrational decisions that yield devastating setbacks, not only for myself but, too, for those closet to me and potentially too for those whom I do not even know.
This is exactly what we are going to see from Moses in the next few weeks of our study, From Fear to Freedom. And… as we will soon understand… One irritational decision proves to be costly; costly for Moses; costly for his family; costly for the nation of Israel. As we continue connecting this story to our lives today, we too will come to understand and hopefully be able to better apply one most amazing certainty about the way in which God often works:
I can learn from both the tragedies and triumphs of others.
There is much to be learned from the successes and failures of Moses. For many years, Moses lives the life of a royal, having been adopted into the world’s richest and most powerful empire. Some 40 years elapse before events take a drastic turn for Moses and the people of God, the nation of Israel. At some point during this turn, Moses pens a collection of the most vulnerable and too heart-wrenching words we have in all of the Holy Scriptures. Read with me this morning:
Psalm 90
Moses writes and his words end up in the most important book every written in the history of time on our planet. Is not this incredible! Just another amazing fact about an amazing man with a most amazing life! I too find it most amazing that the deeper we get into the study of the life of Moses, the more complex and unimaginable the details. I have read this story countless times over the past year, specifically in tremendous thought and focus over the past 9 weeks of 2024. And every time I read, I discover more and more. Let me give you some thoughts today as it relates to the man Moses that I know are going to be beneficial for you in your life this very week. Today, I offer two realities to you upon which we will build as we move through this remarkable story:
1. Education, though not always enjoyable, is a necessary part of my personal journey from fear to freedom. Your education is invaluable to you for so very many reasons. None is more important than preparing you to live a life on-mission for the work of the Lord. And this process is one that should be embraced by the follower of the Christ as you continue throughout the entirety of your life. At any age, one should continue embracing the advancement of knowledge in his or her life. One should never stop growing, learning, exploring, and seeking knowledge.
Educating myself is critical to living a life of success. Educating myself with the right knowledge is critical to living a life of meaning.
There is a distinct difference between possessing knowledge, worldly knowledge, and possessing knowledge that is Godly knowledge, biblical wisdom, established within me from the Spirit of God.
While in high school, I made the honor roll every year. I graduated as a part of the National Honors Society and was invited to represent my school at Boys State in Arkansas. I graduated from high school with a 3.9 GPA and was offered the Presidential Scholarship to Arkansas’s highest academic Christian university. However, though my momma was not too thrilled, in the final few months before my freshman year was to begin, I turned down this scholarship and enrolled instead here in Music City at Belmont University. I’ve shared previously with you that it took me a while for me to get going academically at Belmont. As a matter of fact, my Christmas break of my freshman year was not an enjoyable one once returning home. Once my report card arrived in the mail, my mom and dad had some pretty hard conversations with me about the fact that in three of my five classes, I made a “D.” So much for continuing the path of a 3.9, or even 2.9, GPA. But man oh man… did my education at Belmont ever pay off! I have benefited over and again from what I learned in the classroom at Belmont and have applied so very much to the shaping of my skill set and communication proficiencies and, of course, my writing opportunities as an author.
I did not know it then; and I did not always enjoy it then; but I have benefited in countless ways from that season of my life even unto this very day. The same can be said for Moses as it relates to the unparalleled education he received during his time living in the palace of the wealthiest man and in the most prestigious nation on the planet. It is incredible to know, in the only the way that God can work, that a boy, who should have been killed at birth but was not; who should have drowned in the Nile River but did not; who should have been, at a minimum, eaten by a variety of dangerous animals who call the Nile River home but was not; who should have remained a slave throughout the entirety of his life but did not… This young boy was instead brought into the home of the world’s most powerful and prestigious dictator who, ironically, ordered his death at birth; this same young boy was afforded an education unlike any other of the 2 million + Hebrews living at the time; an education that distinctly and unequivocally shaped him and prepared him for a unique life of meaning unlike any other person ever who has walked our planet.
Stephen, a New Testament martyr for the Lord, reveals this to us in the 7th chapter of the New Testament book of Acts:
Acts 7:20-22
Obviously the education of Moses was of such quality and privilege that, hundreds of years later, a follower of Jesus Christ, in his final moments of living, is speaking of the man, Moses, and the superiority of his education and talents. The Jewish historian, Josephus, who I have taught about before, tells us that the Pharoah at the time of Moses’ birth had no son and heir to his throne. It is believed that Moses was being nurtured for the throne. Whether the King of Egypt did or did not have a son is something I cannot prove. What we cannot deny is that Moses was in fact the recipient of the world’s most elite education. In Acts 7, Stephen speaks of this very educational process for the young Moses. Notice the words “brought him up” in verse 21. Some translations use the word “nurture” here to describe Moses’ education.
Brought up/ Greek/ anatrepho = to rear; to educate; to train
In verse 22, look at what we read: “… in all the wisdom of the Egyptians.” Such a statement was a colloquialism, or an extremely popular statement, of the times in ancient Egypt. This statement was reserved for those of “high society” who would have been considered brilliant or at the top of their game in notoriety and disrepute. It was surely obvious to all in Egypt that the boy pulled from the water was special. By the time he reached the age of thirty, the Jewish historian Josephus writes:
“The Hebrew man, Moses, was a brilliant strategist. He led the Egyptian Army to a bloody and successful victory over the Ethiopians. Moses was a bold leader in battle. He was highly valued.”
The Antiquities
Josephus, Jewish Historian
There is no doubt this man was primed for the throne. Moses was the pride of Egypt. And remember, all of this began when the daughter of the man who wanted every Hebrew boy murdered brought home her adopted Hebrew son, whose name means, “I pulled him out of the water.”
Exodus 2:10
Wow! The difference one verse can make! Now look at verse 11. From verse 10 to verse 11, we know there is a gap of about 40 years. We too know that Moses was about 40 years old when his heart was moved and broken over the people, his people, the nation of Israel. Interestingly, Exodus does not give us this information. Instead, Stephen says this recorded in the book of Acts:
Acts 7:23-29
Now… Moses made some atrociously grotesque mistakes here that are to prove horrific mistakes upon Moses and the entire nation of Israel. We will discuss these in great detail in the weeks to come. But…Another individual I encourage you to research is the Ancient Egyptian priest, Manetho. Manetho was a priest of the early church. Though his writings are not biblically authoritative, he was one who committed to documenting his life work as a priest. Manetho documented much about the upbringing and education of Moses concerning his Egyptian privileges. According to Manetho, Moses was educated in Heliopolis. Heliopolis was a major city of Ancient Egypt. Today it is believed to be located in the modern region of the Northeastern city of Cairo, Egypt. It was in this city where so very many Egyptian youths of nobility would have received their education. Here Egyptian children received a robust and varied education including being taught to swim, to ride a horse, to shoot a bow, and to hunt.
Too the Egyptian children would have received at a very young age detailed teachings on a variety of languages and cultures. These children were well advanced in the arts, in the dexterity of writing and communication, as well as mathematics, including geometry, trigonometry, medicine, music, history, and especially the process of fighting and defending one another and country in war. Moses unquestionably would have known how to read and write in Egyptian hieroglyphs. He too would have been taught the trade language of this period, Akkadian. He too would have learned Hebrew from his mother in his Hebrew home before moving into the palace.
Obviously Moses was a man wealthy in knowledge. Such a skill set obviously benefited him as a gifted writer. We believe that Moses wrote the Pentateuch:
Pentateuch /Greek/ = The compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, & Deuteronomy; also known as The Torah to the Jews
We too know that Moses wrote at least 1 Psalm. And the words of this Psalm are extremely timely in our study, as we read earlier. It appears that Moses wrote this Psalm around the age of 80. It too appears that, not only was Moses aware of the pain his people, the nation of Israel, are in. But it too appears as though Moses writes these most-beautiful words before going to stand before Pharaoh.
Psalm 90:13-15
Moses’ education plays a critical role in so very much about his life, especially the beautiful writings of Moses recorded in the Old Testament that we have to study to this very day. Moses too would have been taught the: Hammurabi of Babylon = The most famous law code of Egyptian society; treaty structure in which the King enters into an agreement with his people to protect them; the people agree to obey the laws. Does such a treaty sound familiar to you? Look at these words spoken by God to His people at the time of delivering the Law to the nation of Israel while journeying through the wilderness.
You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord. Leviticus 18:4-5
The Old Testament law, specifically the Ten Commandments, are structured in a similar way as the Hammurabi of Babylon with the same kind of treaty formulations. It is not surprising that these parallels to the ancient Egyptian law codes are reflected in the structure of the Mosaic Law. Simply: Moses organized these laws in a similar structure to those of the Hammurabi [ha·mr·aa·bee] of Babylon upon which he was educated as a young boy. Again, how fascinating the education process of this young man and the way in which he applied this knowledge to the formation of laws among the Hebrews. Again, this is why Stephen can say this of Moses in the New Testament book of Acts:
At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for by his family. When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action. Acts 7:20-22
You know… the proficiency rate in America for middle and high school students dropped 11% last year alone. Since the OCED has been conducting testing scores among American students, last year's readings were the lowest scores ever since the testing began. Reading scores declined by 11 points. Math scores fell by 15 points. Now, the dumbing down of America and the ever increasing decline in test scores among our kids in America is a much larger conversation for another time. But it does remind me to remind all parents and grandparents of the responsibility we have to stay involved and vigilant in the educational process of our children. Parents, I hope you will grab these five applications so very important as it relates to your child’s education: I do not know if I do not go.
Look… it is mostly impossible to keep tabs on everything your child is learning in school if you are not intricately involved in their educational journey. To just ask them how their grades are or to offer inconsistent help on homework won’t fly. As a parent, you’ve got to “go the distance” with your kids. Now, I don’t mean to literally go and attend class with them each day.
What I do mean, secondly: Be involved in my child’s educational journey. If you are merely sending your child to his/her bedroom each night to do homework, you are setting them up for failure. The potential of a tech distraction alone is a huge part of why Amy and I expected our girls to do their homework at the kitchen table each night. This way they remained in front of us; they were in the same room with us seeing and hearing and watching and being a part of life in the Smith family; they didn’t get lost in the “sit on my bed in my bedroom each night casually doing homework with one hand and looking at my device with the other hand” dilemma! We were there when they had questions. We created a culture of homework and the normal flow of a busy life all happening together in one room each night for our family.
Additionally: Get involved regularly on my child’s campus. Volunteer. Attend their events. Know the teachers. Attend PTO meetings. Regularly communicate with teachers and admins. Attend sporting events, on-campus concerts, and productions together, even if your kids aren’t participating.
Know the parents of my child’s friends. I tasted my first beer in 7th grade at Jeff Walker’s house. I saw things my young eyes had never seen before in 8th grade at Stephen Hendrickson’s house when, while his parents were not there, Stephen took me into his parents’ bedroom, where Stephen proceeded to pull out a box of magazines from under the bed of things I had never seen before. The magazine: Playboy! My parents did not know either Jeff’s or Stephen’s parents. If they had known these parents, would that have changed these two experiences in my life? I do not know. But it might have.
Amy and I have always aired on the side of keeping up with what's up in our girls lives by also knowing the families of their friends with whom they spend much of their time. Parents, a critical part of our education process must be to stay in the know with the families with whom our kids are spending time. I could say so very much more on all of this. We must move on. But let me remind us all:
Realize education shapes the decision-making of my child.
Parents: You play a powerful role in the educational process of your kids, and as such, this role shapes the decision-making process of your children in countless ways. As a parent, I am the most important educator in my child’s life. Everyday my child is showing up to class. The question is: As a parent, am I too showing up to teach and to help shape my child’s spiritual character and biblical worldview?
Another reality I see in the life story of Moses:
2. Pain, though mostly never enjoyable, is too a necessary part of my personal journey from fear to freedom. Abraham dealt with the pain of having to journey three days with a child whom God commanded him to kill. Isaac dealt with the pain of betrayal from a son and a wife. Esau dealt with the pain of having his father’s blessing stolen from him by his younger brother. Jacob dealt with the pain of believing his brother would soon kill him. Joseph dealt with the pain of his siblings selling him into slavery only to be falsely accused of a crime he did not commit and then, as a result, living many years in jail. Miriam dealt with the pain of watching her younger brother float in the dangerous waters of the Nile.
Jochebed dealt with the pain of hearing those palace gates close and wondering if she would ever again hold her son.
Show me a story from fear to freedom in the Bible, and I too will show you a story immersed in pain.
From pain, Adam and Eve were cast from the Garden of Eden. From pain, all of humanity, except eight people in the ark, drowned when the earth was flooded. From pain, Jonah slept three days in a fish. From pain, Samson destroyed his enemies and too died in the process. From pain, David lost his son. From pain, Peter turned on his best friend on the darkest day ever. From pain, Jesus died.
I have never, ever met a person who isn’t dealing with some pain on some level and in some way. I presume this statement is for each here today. I know Amy and I are dealing with immense pain today. I’m reminded today that our Savior too dealt with pain; the pain of rejection, loss, abandonment, death of loved ones, loneliness, and more. We too know that Moses, early on in this story, deals with so very much pain.
I have to presume that on that day his Hebrew mother left him at the palace with his new Egyptian family, there were many, so very many, sleepless nights ahead for Moses. I too am confident there were many nights when Moses, lying awake crying in his bed, had to wonder where was the God of his people of whom his Hebrew mother, Jochebed, had taught him – the God of miraculous deliverance; the God of sovereignty and of providence; the God of the patriarchs; the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God of whom his mother taught him was the only hope for the Hebrews of ever journeying from fear to freedom. I have to believe that there were so very many times in this young boy’s life, and quite possibly even into his young adult years, where a young Moses would question, “Why? Why me? Why this country? Why can’t I be with my family? Why can’t I go home to my house and my people?” There had to be moments, with tear-filled eyes, a sorrowful spirit, and a heavy heart when Moses simply said, “This is not fair.” “I deserve more.” “God… where are you?”
Look again at Psalm 90 and notice the emotion in the words Moses uses in verses 7 – 10.
We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. All our days pass away under your wrath; we finish our years with a moan. Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. Psalm 90:7-10
Do you see what Moses says? He reveals the reality of pain that stays with us even unto a last breath. He says, “We finish our years with a moan, and the best of them are but trouble and sorrow.” You know, pain never really leaves this story of Moses on his journey from fear to freedom. Pain journeys right alongside of Moses at every turn. Moses carries this pain knowing he will never make it to the Promised Land with the nation of Israel; to a land flowing with milk and honey. As we journey on with Moses this spring, we are going to see:
Though pain is a part of my story, what God desires for me is less about finding relief from my pain and more about trusting God in the midst of my pain.
In just a few weeks, we are going to study the moment where, in painful fear, Moses questions why God has chosen him to stand before the Pharaoh. The last time Moses was in Egypt, he was running in fear for his very life. And now God is commanding him to go back to Egypt and to stand before the Pharaoh demanding that the nation of Israel be set free. Moses and God have a very intimate heart to heart conversation that obviously leaves Moses consumed with fear:
Exodus 3:10-12
Can you hear the fear in Moses’ question? I sure do. Moses lacks confidence. Moses is insecure. The fear he has been carrying for 40 years is as real and raw as the moment he first stepped from the palace gates and began the long and lonely and confusing journey across the Egyptian desert. Moses reveals to us in this one question that the same man who fled Egypt 40 years previous, though older, is the same man immersed in fear and pain today. Yet… notice what God offers to Moses:
Exodus 3:12
First, God does not say, “Let me first remove your fear; let me first remove your pain. And then, we can journey on!” No! God does not initially remove Moses from his fear. God does not remove Moses from his pain. Instead, God just simply assures Moses of 5 critical words - - “I will be with you.” Man… I do not know about you… but I personally am in need of these same words today! This statement from God to Moses is not one merely articulating that God will walk beside Moses. This assurance from God is not simply that God will take Moses by the hand. Nor is this statement one that means God will lead and expect Moses to merely follow. No! This statement is much more intense; much more intimate; much more extreme!
You see… when God says these five words to Moses, “I will be with you,” He means this:
Be /Hebrew/ haya = to hold; to marry; to endure with
With /Hebrew/im = to sleep with; to have sexual relations; to make love to
There is no stronger union than two becoming one in marriage. That’s why God takes so seriously the union of marriage. It’s not just two people committing to spend their lives together. It’s two separate lives becoming one united life; one unified life; one enduring life together. This supernaturally happens in the life of every believer who chooses to say, “Jesus, I give my life to you.” In this one moment, two become one; and from this moment forward, two are commissioned by God to journey through life inseparable.
Wow! That’s pretty intense. You see… God isn’t merely communicating to Moses, “I’m walking with you.” No! God is saying, “When you go back to Egypt; when you walk into the palace and a flood of emotions begins to overtake you; when all of those memories of 40 years living in that palace come rushing back in; and especially and most assuredly, when fear begins to creep in and you find yourself fearful before the King of Egypt, know this…“I, your God, will be with you!” I will be holding you. It will be as if we are married, two in one, enduring together, as if we are as close as lovers sleeping together, having relations; there is no closer union than that of two making love and becoming one; As your God, I will become one with you and we will journey intimately together, and we, as one, will face your fears, and we will be victorious!”
Church… before you think, “Well, this is nice to know… that God journeyed step in step, extremely intimately, with Moses… but what about me? What about my loneliness? What about my inadequacies? What about my lack of confidence? What about my fear? What about me? Well, if today my friend you are immersed in fear as was Moses, as in full disclosure, is your Pastor today, let God’s Words consume you; consume me; consume us all!
So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? Hebrews 13:6
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:10-13
Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. Psalm 55:22
May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake us. 1 Kings 8:57
For the Lord will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance. Psalm 94:14
Church, in each of these passages, we find the same promises from God to His people - the promise that He will intimately walk with those whom to Him have devoted their very lives. I hope you find this comforting today to know that when facing your fears, no matter how severe, you do not face them alone. As a matter of fact, the Hebrew word “haya” which is translated…
Be /Hebrew/ haya = to hold; to marry; to endure with
… appears more than 1,200 times in all of the Scriptures. The Hebrew word “im” which means…
With /Hebrew/im = to sleep with; to have sexual relations; to make love to
… appears over 800 times throughout God’s Word.
Obviously, God takes monumental steps over and again in Scripture to assure us that He is intimately joined with His followers just as lovers are intimately joined as one. You see, Church… know this today and claim it as your truth:This same God who made this promise of assurance to Moses, too wants to offer me the same intimate relationship in my passage through life on my own personal journey from fear to freedom.
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Jeffrey Dean Smith is a husband, father to Bailey & Brynnan, author, and the Senior Pastor at Donelson First in Nashville, TN. If you are in Music City, meet Jeffrey and enjoy iced tea on the front lawn each Sunday at 10:30a.