"Moses said to the LORD, 'Behold, the people of Israel have not listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?" (Exodus 6:12)
God is still personally dealing with Moses, He is still personally shaping Moses and his faith in the midst of the greater mission of delivering the nation of Israel from bondage.
God is "taking the time", one could say, to deal very graciously and personally with Moses as an individual believer, as an individual man. In the midst of a mighty mission, God is dealing personally with Moses, saying "no, this is the way". It is wonderful to be able to watch this very personal dynamic, to observe the grace, mercy, condescension, the gentleness, the patience, and the love of God. Not just for His people, as a whole, but for his people, each and every one individually, as here in Exodus we see Him taking such patient care to train up Moses into the man God would have him to be.
At Pharaoh's first refusal Moses is discouraged, despite the fact that the LORD told him that it would be this way. Moses sees the immediate circumstances growing worse, not better, and like those he came to lead, he lost heart and despaired, "Why did you ever send me?" Moses seems to imply: "I told you it was a bad idea for me to attempt this!" "You told me to do it, I did, and nothing good happened, I only made things worse! You must have picked the wrong messenger!" But again, Moses is not yet fully trusting God and His word and promise, but he is letting the present instant shape and control his emotions and opinions, instead unwavering faith in the unchangeable Creator God.
How often do we too call by the name of "faith", some expectation that we have, and when we are disappointed, we realize that it was not true faith, but some other motivation? We must continue to be thusly disappointed as many times as it takes for us to be able to tell the difference between true faith, and that of our own manufacturing.
Moses is still counting on his own actions and words lending something to the situation, he does not yet really understand that God will do this--truly, God Himself will move His hand and bring this about! And God only moved His hand once Moses truly and fully trusted and believed that God could and would act, God did not act while Moses only believed halfheartedly...
Not only does Pharaoh not listen to Moses, but the Israelites, who initially received his message with joy, now condemn him and call for judgement to come upon him. So when God calls Moses to go again and speak before Pharaoh, Moses argues that now not even God's own people will listen to him, so how is he to expect Pharaoh, who has been hostile all along, to hear him?!
Moses is again thinking of the efficacy of his own message, not the broader plan of God. Thinking of the inadequacy of his own speech ("I am of uncircumcised lips"), not the power of God working through the weakness of man, to do great things.
God is not only teaching the lesson of His greatness and glory to Pharaoh, Egypt, and the people of Israel, but His is still very personally teaching Moses this lesson of faith and trust.
Just believe. Just obey. Things may not make sense right now, but just keep the faith. Believe and obey God's word and command, and He will show you and others His greatness and glory--both in and through you yourself.
Have patience to wait upon God's way, and you will be blessed beyond the greatest imaginations you had at first.
You don't know but that you may climb the mountain of God--many times. You don't know but that you may be in frequent personal communion with God, and that upon your request you may see as much of the glory of God as is possible for man!
You may not be able to understand what is going on right now, or see beyond the present instant and circumstances, but keep the faith. Follow in obedience. Walking blind is difficult for those who want to see...but if you stop struggling to walk about on your own, and trust to your faithful, loving Father, who alone knows your path, to guide you, you will be the greater blessed for it, and your sight may even come with faith...If you walk in humble, obedient faith, you may yet be granted vision of your path, your end and your purpose.
In chapter 7, you see the unwilling, arguing Moses become the very representative of God himself. Not that he wasn't that already, but you see Moses really accepting this role, and seeing himself as God's representative, as is evidenced by his ceasing to argue. Goes to show, one never knows how one may be called and used of the LORD! One doesn't have to be "qualified" with all the "right" study, research, and practice under one's belt...God will call you where He wants you, "ready" or not, and He will make you so.
In chapter 7 you see reiterated, "Moses and Aaron did so; they did just as the LORD commanded them." (v.6) "So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD commanded." (v.10a) "Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded." (v.20a) No "ifs", "ands", or "buts". They simply did.
This is the chapter where Moses himself grows in faith and obedience enough that he is able to obey his charge without arguments...He himself believes enough, he now is beginning to understand, "God is doing this, God can and will do this, with or without me. Nothing here depends on me, not my eloquence or bearing, not my forming of indestructible arguments; this is God's work, done by His hand, I only must obey and follow his command." Can you but imagine the moment of this realization? How freeing, and fearful, and awe-provoking, and humbling this moment must have been for Moses! And what a revelation of the very Almighty nature of God!
Moses understands. This is God. God is a Great and Almighty God, "I am only His mouthpiece." God is in absolute control of all things. There is nothing left for Moses to fret about and be concerned over--only to obey.
To say Moses was "only a mouthpiece", sounds trite, which is not my intention...No one knew more than Moses himself how great a task this was! What a privilege, an honor, a fearful honor and duty!
And as God used Moses as a mouthpiece, He was pleased to grant Moses the grace of having Aaron for his mouthpiece...Even so sometimes God will grant others to help up in the areas we most fear to stand alone...
Moses, the reluctant messenger.
Moses, the man of faith and prayer.
Moses, the man zealous for the law of God and the purity of His worship.
Moses, the sinner saved by grace.
Moses, the man who spoke face to face with God--many times.
Moses, the man of God.
Moses, the man.
What a man rich of character, however little thought we usually tend to lend him...He was a special man in a special place, a man with doubts and struggles and burdens like any of us. But as God patiently showed him the way, so He will and does for each one of us. Whatever new cross-road or path lies before you, know this.
And, pluck-up! Yours will not be the out-of-the-blue call of: "Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." (Ex. 3:10) What an overwhelmingly large task to be thusly announced! And even if you or I were called to an equal challenge...let us strive to learn from the mistakes of Moses and not to repeat them.
"He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left." (Isaiah 30:19b-21)