O.T. Leader Moses

God’s leaders did not always have lily white reputation. For instance, Moses was God’s chosen leader to guide the Israelites out of bondage. As the story goes, (Ex. 2 & 3) Moses was adopted into the Egyptian Royal family. As a young man he killed an Egyptian who was beating an Israelite. It was found out and he ran to the desert to escape punishment. It was there that God found him and called him to be his prophet and leader of the enslaved Israelites. This man was a murderer but God forgave him and called him to lead his people.  (Ex. 3)

Moses was not the only leader of Israel that had the label of being a murderer. David as king was also guilty of this crime, but God chose him and kept him as king because he repented of this sin. However, the consequences of David’s sin would plague he and his family for a long time after his repentance.

Moses and David were not the only Israelite leaders with a checkered history. Abraham must also be added to the list because he went to Egypt to survive a famine in Canaan and while there he lied to the Egyptians about Sarah being his wife. (Gen. 12:11) So the father of the Jewish people, Abraham was a liar. God used these leaders, despite their checkered past, to accomplish great and mighty things for Israel and for God in the O.T. Despite their failings, they were all obedient to carry out what God commanded them to do. God looks for at least two things in those he chooses to be leaders: a. obedience, b. a repentant heart. As we look at some of the prophets, we will see another trait that God looks for in his leaders.

Daniel

O. T. Main