Day 26: The birth and commission of Moses

So we begin Exodus, the third book that we'll read in its entirety. Years have passed since the famine brought the promised people to live in Egypt, and they're in danger of forgetting their destiny. They're not in danger of settling down in peace and prosperity, because the Egyptians have forgotten why they were grateful to these people, and just see them as an immigration problem.

Population of Israel grows
Genesis 47:27, Exodus 1:7
Egypt's bondage and oppression
Exodus 1:8-14
Moses and his family
Numbers 26:59, Exodus 6:20, Exodus 1:15-22, 1 Chronicles 23:13, Exodus 2:1-10
Aaron's family
Exodus 6:23, Numbers 26:60, 1 Chronicles 6:49
Moses slays an Egyptian and flees to Midian
Exodus 2:11-20
Moses marries Zipporah
Exodus 6:21-22, 1 Chronicles 23:14-15
God hears Israel's groanings
Exodus 6:23-25
Moses receives his commission
Exodus 3:1-22
Moses' objections
Exodus 4:1-13
Moses complies
Exodus 4:11-18

So first we hear about the hardship of the Israelites - slaves to a cruel Pharaoh who has forgotten about Joseph. A baby boy survives the harsh decree that all Hebrew boys must be killed at birth, and is brought up as an Egyptian prince. He tries to bring justice to his people, but an impetuous act makes him a murderer and a fugitive. God's promise is under threat again.
So God acts. He calls this fugitive, and makes a promise to him, that he will be the one to lead the slaves to freedom in a land "flowing with milk and honey." Somthing else has been forgotten - the famine!
But Moses is lacking in self-esteem, and needs a lot of persuading. A friend of mine, Robert Harrison, tells this marvellously in the book called Oriel in the Desert. In this book, his Moses is in the pit of depression, and gradually, gradually picks himself up as he realises that not only has God given him a great task, but actually, with God's help, he can do it. It's a wonderful portrait of dawning faith.
So Moses is the most reluctant person we've met so far. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Job, all of them accepted what God said to them. Moses says, "No Lord, please send someone else." (4:13) At which point, God gets angry.