For a man who says he’s “slow of speech,” Moses seems to be quick at coming up with excuses!
Moses hasn’t quit trying to get out of this trip! Next he tries this one: “O my Lord, I am not eloquent…but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue” (Ex 4:10). Can you imagine trying to convince the God who made you that you aren’t suited for the job? I can imagine it—I’ve tried it myself. But as the Lord says, “Who has made man’s mouth?…Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say” (vv 11-12). In other words, You just show up, Moses, and I’ll do the rest. Up to this point, the Lord has been very patient, as He is with us, graciously answering his objections. But now Moses crosses the line: “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send” (v 13). At this point, “the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses” (v 14). Whomever else? “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother?” says the Lord. “I know that he can speak well.” So at last Moses relents, heads to his father-in-law’s house and asks if he may, as he said, “return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive” (v 18). Jethro agrees. So taking his family with him, he begins his journey, encouraged by the Lord’s affirmation, “All the men who sought your life are dead” (v 19). Well, that’s good to know! With his wife and sons riding on their donkey, they make the journey back to Egypt, perhaps 24 days in transit. On the way, the Lord continues the conversation, explaining what to say and how it will go. Now for the first time, we hear this: “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go” (v 21). Now there’s an important topic for our next study: the hardening of Pharaoh.