The Bible is a book of sendings. Most of the forty different authors were, themselves, Sent
Ones. In fact, almost all the encounters between God and men\women in the Bible, He is
preparing to send them to some one(s) or some place. The God of the Bible is a Sending God -
Misseo Dei.
One of the most dramatic occasions of sending is found in the book of Exodus when the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob invites Moses to meet with Him on the “Mountain of God” (Horeb).
There Jehovah speaks from the burning bush to a humble, 80 year old shepherd. We pick up
the narrative in chapter 3:7,8 “And the LORD said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My
people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their
sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring
them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey…”
Moses may have thought to Himself, “Oh my! This is going to be good! You, LORD, are coming
down to deliver Your people! And I not only get a preview but a front row seat! This will be EPIC!
Oh, what anticipation and excitement must have arose in his heart, until the other shoe drops,
like a sledge hammer.
“Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the
children of Israel, out of Egypt.” vr.10
At the meeting on Horeb, Moses hears God say, in essence, I have not forgotten my covenant
people; I have seen them; heard them; and I’m coming for them. In the next breathe He tells
Moses HOW… I AM sending YOU!
Whoa! How did that get turned around so quickly? Did the Lord change His mind or alter His
plan? I thought YOU were coming down. What’s that got to do with ME (Moses)?
A sending is an strong identification between the One sending and the one being sent. Consider
the verbiage the LORD uses describing Moses relationship with his brother, companion and
spokesman, Aaron, “You shall be to him [Aaron] as God.” And again, related to the one Moses
is sent to, “See, I have made you as God to Pharoah.” The sent one is totally identified with the
One Who sends: As if to say, “Moses, you will be My mouth and My hands to work My
wonders.”
This sounds a whole lot like what Jesus had in mind when he sent out the 12 disciples, the 70
after them, and the rest of us who believe in Him. We are to be His representatives. “Now then,
we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on
Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. (2 Co.5:20)
Moses knew intuitively he was to have something to do with delivering the God’s people
(Ac.7:23-25), but when he tried to act out the role by killing an Egyptian oppressing a Jew, it
didn’t work out so well. Moses fled for his life. The appointed time of his sending as a deliverer
was not yet. A sent one lives on *kairos time.
What was Moses’ reaction to God’s sending? He was petrified! He began grasping for a good
reasons not to go: Who Am I? Who are You? What if I’m not received? I can’t speak. What do I
have? He is searching for an excuse; looking at his limitations to the point it angers the Lord.
I’ll be the last to cast aspersions at Moses. There have been times I have balked at God’s
assignment for me. In fact, when you look at the people God has chosen and sent in the Bible,
you will find others who reacted just like Moses (Gideon, Saul). Natural qualifications don’t seem
to mean much in the divine selection process. Conversely, the less qualified one is, the more
dependent they are on the All Sufficient One, and the more glory He receives. In this instance,
God stands with Moses demonstrating His presence and power in magnificent ways. Should we
expect anything less when we are sent?
All divine sendings are meant to fulfill God’s purposes. The story of the Jews began with God
visiting Abrm in Haran and sent him to a land he did not yet know. This sending came with
wonderful promises to Abrm concerning a land, a lineage and a blessed life. Even though there
arose road blocks and detours (we follow in Genesis), the Lord purpose for His people was
never deterred. The sending of Moses was another step towards the fulfillment of God’s
promise. He played his part. When the Lord chooses to send us to someone, it is because there
is a place for them in God’s Family and before the His throne. We are sent to deliver that good
news.
There are more analogies to be drawn from the sending of Moses. What I hope you see is the
similarities between this great patriarch of the faith and you. Everyone is sent to someone. It’s
true, Moses assignment was more dramatic; sensational. But each sending requires the same
hearing heart, obedience and faithfulness to see it through. We may have insecurities and
excuses like he did but that never seems to matter to the Master Sender. He is simply looking
for our, YES! It’s your time to step up and step out as a Sent One.
*kairos GK = a specific moment in time; “right time”
