Prophetic Accusations

My reading today is from Acts 7 which is the story of Moses' self-isolation from Egypt when he was "full forty years old."  (vs23)  The next words reveal a change.  "... it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel." I often asked myself if Moses knew his family origins and his destiny when he was being raised in the house of Pharaoh. From this one phrase we can see that he knew where he came from. He was definitely in a position of some influence and was "educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds." (vs 22)  But did he know his destiny? 

I believe our destinies are in our hearts. Someone has said that we are sent to earth as a gift, and with a gift. We often describe this as a passion, a natural gift, talent, or interest. Yesterday, April 30th, was the anniversary of the debut of Michael Flatley and the rest is history. Check out his story as a child, where he came from, and how he was raised. Irish dancing was in his blood. He ignored and resisted the teasing of class mates for being an Irish dancer. He went up the ladder in competitions, taking every opportunity to increase his skill and do what he had a passion for.  

Moses suddenly has a desire to "visit" his people. A passion was born in him to bring justice when he witnessed an Egyptian abusing an Israelite. His natural instinct to stop the abuse resulted in the Egyptian being killed. (vs 24)  The following verse says, "For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his (Moses') hand would deliver them: but they didn't understand."  It seems that Moses understood he had a divine assignment and was just waiting for the right time. Turning "full forty" had something to do with it. 

Maybe as he watched Egypt being built to a grand scale on the backs of the Israelites he became more and more agitated about their state. There's no doubt he would have had to bow to the Pharaoh at the time in order to live in the palace and be educated there.  Maybe he thought that a little more education, honing his "words and deeds" would bring him to a place where he could step up and make a difference. 

The day after he gets rid of one cruel Egyptian, and saves one Hebrew, he goes out again only this time he encounters one of his brethren abusing another one. He asks a simple question. "Sirs, you are brethren: why do you wrong one to another?" The abuser stops and throws a question back at Moses, "Who made you a ruler and judge over us? (quoting Exodus 2:14) and adds, "Will you kill me, as you did the Egyptian yesterday?"

Suddenly Moses is in a hard place.  He has no support on either side, and in fact has now made enemies of both the Egyptians and the Hebrews. All that he has learned in Egypt, all his "words and deeds" don't stop the fear he has.  He flees.  He puts himself in self-isolation in the land of Midian. He is reduced to leading sheep, not his people, or the Egyptians. But after another "full forty years" Moses has the encounter of the burning bush and the assignment to go back where he left off, but with God's "words and deeds".  

Acts 7, is where this story is recounted by Stephen to the High Jewish Council. He says to them, "This Moses who they (the Hebrews) refused, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge? God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush." (vs 35) The accusation was actually prophetic. The answer to the question of "Who made you a ruler and a judge?" was God!  The one who called himself "I Am" to be present in Moses' destiny from that moment on.

The first time Moses wasn't ready to confidently say, "God sent me...." He had too much of the Egyptian style of ruler ship that was very powerful and strong in which he had excelled in "word and deed". But it was God's word and deeds through Moses and Aaron that God would use to deliver the people.   

Mo Chaurdry, in a Secret Millionaire episode I watched recently also leaves his wealthy lifestyle to explore how his immigrant "brethren" are doing in England. At first he's disappointed and upset because he's made it, so why can't they?  Then he begins to really look and listen and get involved to understand why they are struggling.  He sees where he can help and he does. To those he helps it's a kind of deliverance from their depression and hopelessness. He also comes home more connected to his original culture.  He sees what he's missed by being so immersed in the culture of the land he is living in.  

I once was accused of only being happy if I was on a platform speaking. I resisted that comment and was a little confused about it.  After much thought realized it was prophetic.  The person accusing me obviously saw the energy, enthusiasm, and passion I had to "educate, motivate, inspire, and empower" through an entertaining, fast paced presentation.  The platform was part of my destiny on which I could give what was already in me.  

​Are some of the accusations you hear full of prophetic words? Take them as confirmations you are doing the right thing.  Follow your destiny.