God chose Moses before his birth to lead His people out of bondage, preparing him over eighty years in mind, heart, and body. Initially impulsive, Moses fled to Midian after killing an Egyptian, spending forty years in the wilderness learning humility and reliance on divine guidance. At the burning bush, God addressed his doubts, equipping him for leadership. Further transformation occurred at Sinai, where, through challenges and divine encounters, Moses aligned with God's will. His face shone with God's glory after forty days on the mountain, reflecting profound change. Through hardship, humility, and God's presence, Moses became a vessel for Israel's deliverance, fully attuned to God's purpose.

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Conviction, Moses, and Us

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Moses, known as the servant of God, is a figure of profound significance, marked by a title that reflects his faithful obedience to divine commands. At the age of forty, Moses made a monumental decision to forsake the wealth, power, and status of Egypt to align himself with the oppressed Israelite slaves. This act, while heroic and noble in intent, was also impulsive and premature, as he acted without seeking God's guidance. Observing an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, Moses killed the Egyptian and hid the body, fearing discovery and the wrath of Pharaoh. This fear and concern for others' opinions revealed that his actions stemmed from strong preferences rather than true convictions, leading to his flight to Midian. For the next forty years, God prepared Moses for his destined role. During this time in the wilderness, tending sheep, Moses underwent a transformation. The once rash and self-reliant man became humble, aware of his weaknesses, and reliant on divine direction. By the time God called him at the burning bush, Moses hesitated, questioning his worthiness and ability to confront Pharaoh. His initial impetuosity had dissolved into a profound recognition of his limitations compared to Egypt's might. God patiently addressed Moses' doubts, assuring him of divine presence and providing signs and support through Aaron, demonstrating a commitment to equipping His servant for the task ahead. This period of preparation was crucial, aligning Moses with God's timetable rather than his own. When he finally returned to Egypt, Moses no longer acted on personal strength but sought God's counsel, showing a marked change in his approach. As the narrative of the plagues unfolds, Moses grows in confidence, directly carrying out God's commands without fear or hesitation, no longer concerned with eloquence or personal inadequacy. He stood before Pharaoh, convicted that his actions were divinely ordered, displaying a resolve that nothing could touch him until God willed it. Moses' journey from acting on human strength to becoming a vessel of divine will illustrates the importance of being in harmony with God's purpose. At forty, his efforts were futile because they lacked divine backing; forty years later, his transformed convictions bore fruit in the liberation of Israel. This transformation, shaped by years of divine discipline and humbling experiences, turned Moses into a faithful servant, deeply attuned to God's mind and will in every action.

Radiating the Glory of God

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Mark Schindler

God had chosen Moses, from before he was born, for a vital role in leading His people out of bondage. For eighty years, God patiently prepared Moses' mind, heart, and body for this leadership position. Physically, Moses was trained to rule with the authority of a king, and through hardship and shame, he was humbled for sacrificial service. God brought Moses to a point where he could serve as His chosen vessel in delivering Israel from Egypt. This transformation reached its fullness in the presence of God at Sinai, where Moses' true preparation culminated. Upon arriving at Sinai in the third month of their journey, Moses faced immense challenges and grumbling from the people under his charge. God called him up the mountain, declaring His intent to make Israel a special treasure, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation, provided they obeyed His voice and kept His covenant. Moses relayed these words to the people, who affirmed their commitment to do all that the Lord had spoken. God instructed Moses to consecrate the people and set boundaries around the mountain, ensuring they did not touch its base, under penalty of death, as they prepared for the Lord's descent on the third day. Later, during the incident with the golden calf, God commanded Moses to descend from the mountain, revealing that the people had corrupted themselves by worshiping a molded calf. In anger, Moses broke the tablets of the Testimony at the foot of the mountain upon seeing their idolatry. Despite this, Moses' intercession for the people showed his growing compassion, though his mind was not yet fully aligned with God's. In subsequent interactions, Moses pleaded to know God's way and see His glory, and God assured him of His presence and grace, promising to proclaim His name and show His goodness. During Moses' second forty days and nights on Sinai, a profound change occurred. In the presence of God, Moses became more aligned with Him, no longer seeing himself as separate from or above Israel. He recognized that this was solely the work of God, who uses and prepares whomever He wills for His plans. At this time, God shared His glory with Moses through His words and spirit, embedding the plan and purpose within him. When Moses descended, the skin of his face shone, radiating God's glory from within, a visible sign of the transformation that had taken place. Whenever he spoke with the Lord, he removed the veil from his face, but covered it again when addressing the people, signifying the intimate connection he now shared with God.

Made His Wonderful Work to be Remembered (Part One)

Sermon by Mark Schindler

We must remember that God is working not only in the world, but in our personal lives as well, training us to lead, act, and believe with conviction.

The Handwriting Is on the Wall (2021)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Mark Schindler

God had chosen Moses from before he was born for a leadership role within His plan to deliver His people from bondage. For eighty years, God patiently prepared Moses' mind, heart, and body for this role, equipping him to rule with the authority of a king and humbling him through hardship and shame for sacrificial service. God brought Moses to a place where he could be used as His chosen vessel in the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. This preparation culminated in the presence of God at Mount Sinai, where Moses faced numerous challenges and grumbling from those in his charge. In the third month after leaving Egypt, Israel arrived at the Wilderness of Sinai, and Moses ascended the mountain to receive God's instructions. The Lord called to him, declaring that if Israel obeyed His voice and kept His covenant, they would be a special treasure to Him, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. Moses relayed these words to the people, who agreed to do all that the Lord had spoken. God instructed Moses to consecrate the people and prepare them for His descent on the third day, setting strict boundaries around the mountain to maintain its holiness. Despite this preparation, Moses' thinking was not fully aligned with God's, as seen when he descended the mountain and, in anger, broke the tablets of the Testimony upon witnessing Israel's idolatry with the golden calf. God had warned Moses of the people's corruption, and though prepared as a great and compassionate leader, Moses still needed further refinement. In his plea for forgiveness for Israel, he even offered to be blotted out of God's book, but the Lord affirmed that only those who sinned against Him would be removed. Moses sought deeper understanding, asking God to show him His way and His glory. The Lord assured Moses of His presence and grace, promising to proclaim His name and show compassion as He willed. During a second forty days and nights on Sinai, Moses transformed further through God's Spirit and the sharing of His glory. He no longer saw himself as separate or above Israel, fully recognizing that this was God's work alone. When Moses descended, his face shone with God's radiance, reflecting the profound change within him, and he veiled his face before the people, unveiling it only when speaking with the Lord. This transformation marked the completion of Moses' preparation, aligning him more closely with God's purpose as he led Israel.

Made His Wonderful Works to Be Remembered (Part Two)

Sermon by Mark Schindler

Those called by God now have a unique privilege and responsibility to live in God's truth, distinguishing them from those who have hope but lack understanding.

Two Arks of Salvation

Sermon by Ted E. Bowling

In both the basket carrying Moses and the ark carrying Noah's family for over a year, God was in control, and guided both arks to safety.

The Bride of Christ (Part One)

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Mark Schindler

God's called and chosen people are being prepared, under Christ's direction, to become His perfect and faithful helpmate for eternity.

Wild Horses

Sermonette by Ronny H. Graham

The Greek author Xenophon, in his work The Art of Horsemanship, dispels the notion that meekness is weakness by describing the 'meeking' of war horses.

Seeing the Invisible

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Imagination, coupled by the power of the Holy Spirit, helps us to understand the power and reality of the invisible. Faith as a concept is immaterial.

The Sabbath: Redemption

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

God has blessed us with the Sabbath, a period of holy time, when He redeems us from the clutches of our carnality and this evil world.

Go Forward

Sermon by Mark Schindler

Are we ready to sacrifice as was Moses, realizing that our precious calling is far more than the imaginary quest of Don Quixote?

Israel's Missing Characteristics of God

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

Faithfulness is living continually by faith, acting even though doing so may cost us. Love is not primarily a feeling, but faithfulness in applying God's Word.