In the book of Genesis and Exodus, we find many similarities between Abraham and Moses. Their relationship to God can be compared since they share the same faith, obligation to comply to their God are, both chosen by God and grow to be the most devoted servants of god regardless of their doubt and challenges.
When it comes to comparing Abraham and Moses their faith towards God is their greatest similarity. Abraham and Moses prove their faith to God by following his commands. In fact, when Abraham and Moses are complying to Gods wishes they have a similar journey. God reaches out to both of them and not only does God talk to them and ask them to travel to a different land to reach the promised land for the Israelites; but he also reveals himself
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This is the first appearance in the bible that insinuates that God reveals himself in a human form and because it does not happen until the middle of Genesis, we can speculate that God who calls himself “El Shaddai” meaning God Almighty does not appear very often to humans.
In the book of exodus, similarly to Abraham, Moses is commanded by God to wander off and find the land God has given the Israelites; however, his first task is to free the Israelites from the Pharaoh of Egypt and then lead the Israelites to that land. Moses journey was not easy nor expeditious. Moses did not only have to travel 40 years to follow God’s commands, but he also had to deal with the Rebellious Israelites who had no faith in Moses and were losing faith in God. Despite everything Moses had to go through, he continued to follow God’s commands because he didn’t lose faith in God. If Moses would have lost faith in God just like the Israelites did Moses would not have been infuriated with the Israelites for praising another God. Even after God tells Moses he will not see the promised land because he offended him by giving water to the Israelites, although God was the one that ordered him to do so, Moses still continued to follow God’s commands and demonstrate his faithfulness to
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The change Moses goes through such as having to wear a veil to cover his radiant skin happens after God reveals his face to Moses which emphasizes the importance and peculiarity of God disclosing his physical appearance. Although God had spoken to Moses before, Moses never saw his face and it wasn’t until God exposed himself that Moses had to wear a veil and hide his radiant skin. This shows the importance of God’s appearance because Moses had spoken to another important figure such as the Pharaoh and yet he wasn’t distinguished or differentiated, which proves God is Almighty and the most important figure.
Regardless of the undeniable strong faith both Abraham and Moses have towards God, they often doubt him and influenced God’s Decisions. It is easy to regard Abraham and Moses as blind followers of God, followers who completely trust and agree with God; because they always end up complying with God’s commands. Nevertheless, they speak up against God’s plans without always believing God will do as he
I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.” Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation. “Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to
Ramses the Pharaoh wouldn’t let the Israelites out of Egypt, so Moses stepped in and led the Israelites out of Egypt, which we know as the Exodus. If I were an Israelite, I would join Moses out of Egypt. I would do this because being a slave would mean being tortured. Moreover, Moses had powers from God, so it was save to be with him. He had the Ten Commandments, so people would know how to live their daily lives.
In Exodus, there was never any signs of doubt and God’s plan for justice was always consistent. Because of this, Moses’ purpose did not waver during the negotiations with Pharaoh, preventing him from understanding Pharaoh’s perspective. Moses followed the orders of God and obeyed his every command, never doubting him for a second (Exodus 3:12). He believed that if anyone was going to pull him and his people out of exile, it would be God. The idea of following God and His love was so simple to Moses, that he completely ignored occurrences that any person today would have fled from.
The angle of the Lord appears to Moses in a flaming bush. Moses sees the bush is burning however is not consumed (Exodus 3:2). “3 And Moses said, ‘I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned’, Moses was confused as to why the bush was on fire, yet undestroyed (Exodus 3:4). God calls Moses, Moses responds to God (Exodus 3:5). Then in verse 5 God tells Moses, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground”(Exodus 3:5). In verse 6 God introduces himself by saying, ‘“I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And [in response] Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God”(Exodus
The similarities between Temple Judaism and Christianity can be found with the seven laws of Noah and Christianity’s ten commandments, the establishing of the synagogue as central to congregation in comparison to the churches used for mass by Christians, and also that the Christian movement was born during the time of Temple Judaism.
When they got on the top of the mountain, God saw that Abraham truly had faith in him, thus he sent a ram instead so that Abraham did not have to sacrifice his son. Abraham never had a doubt in God’s will and was offering even to sacrifice his own flesh and blood to prove his undoubting faith. Moses on the other hand, questioned God. When he first encounters God in the form of a fiery bush, Moses questions God’s will by asking, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11). Although he meets God in a physical form, he still questioned him with doubts of his own abilities. Unlike Abraham who had unquestioning faith, Moses started out his relationship with God with a lack of faith. Eventually, Moses does develop the same undoubting faith that Abraham processed. Only initially did he have doubts about his relationship with God.
In verse 12, God tells Moses, “I will be with you.” This promise to be with Moses throughout his journey is very meaningful because of the great risk and danger that they are going to be enduring. Because of the agreement between God and Moses, “neither of them truly acts alone when bringing the Israelites out of Egypt” (p. 150). God took initiative and called Moses to him and told Moses of his plans. Moses then worked towards fulfilling Gods wish with God helping and accompanying Moses along the way. If God were to speak of doing great actions but then never follow through, God would lose a sense of the divinity. Part of the divine identity is to have an unbreakable connection between the word of God and the presence of God. In order to fully trust in God’s word, God must be
pattern of trusting God, then doubting God, then falling from grace and then eventually repenting, but Moses continues to have faith in God. Moses, does have his problems, though. He has anger issues and grows angry with the people of Israel many times, sometimes disobeying God’s direct commands. For this, God forces Moses to suffer the consequences of disobedience and causes Moses to die before he can enter Canaan. This story is indicative of God’s love, and mercy towards His people, but also of His justice. All actions have consequences, and wicked actions always have painful
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affiliation with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the King; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. (Hebrews 11:24-27)
Despite the Israelites rejecting Moses their redeemer, rejecting Gods provision, land, covenant and the prophets, God still heard and responded to their cry. He never gave up on them. God has always been and He always will be faithful. God wants me to live in freedom. He has freed me from my captivity as I have learnt to trust in Him. I can place my complete dependence upon Him and He will never fail me. My life is a journey. I know that trials will come my way and that I am bound to make mistakes. However, God has set me apart. He has a plan and a purpose for my
Another similarity is the way that the gods spoke to people. Both the Egyptian creator gods and the Israelite Creator God spoke through prophets or priests. God spoke through prophets, such as Moses, to the Israelites. The Egyptian gods spoke through oracles, priests and pharaohs to talk to the Egyptians. Some of the pharaohs even thought that they were reincarnations of the god Horus. Both the Egyptians and the Israelites had a creator god who spoke to them through prophets and priests.
A patriarch is another word for the leader of a family. In the Old Testament, particularly in Genesis, the patriarchs of Jesus’s family tree are incredibly similar to one another and to Jesus Himself. Two such patriarchs are Abraham and Joseph. These two patriarchs fall into the pattern. Both of them are very similar to one another, and to Jesus.
In Genesis, God is often depicted in human form. This is, of course, long before the birth of Jesus and the beginning of the New Testament. There is evidence that he is physically there, rather than a mere illusion, in the story of Jacob wrestling with God (Gen32.24-30). Jacob is not subdued easily. He is able to remain in the fight until near daybreak when the stranger strikes his hip and dislocates it. This shows not God as some supreme being in the distance. Rather He is physically present, appearing in the same manner as every other human. He can be seen, touched, and battled with. It demystifies God, but it also makes these interactions very personal for those involved. This changes when we see Moses being called in Exodus. This shift in appearance highlights the duel nature of God as being both a protector and a punisher.
Abraham showed great faith in God throughout his life. Even when Abraham did his own thing instead of what God wanted, God used it for good. So let`s take a look at some of the details.
Moses was a humble man, but God sees that he is mightier than Moses sees himself. When God tells him that he must lead the Jews out of Egypt, he grows fearful and unworthy of such a task. Moses humility toward God is what makes him capable of such a tremendous mission. Although, he would have much rather not lead the Jews out of Egypt because he is afraid and does not have faith in himself, however, he is able to do it because God has told him to and God would not ask him to do so if it was impossible. Moses successfully leads the Hebrews out of Egypt. Moses was capable of freeing the Jews of slavery with a quality of humility (No Title, 1986).