MOSES – 5
We are walking in the Valley of the Kings. This is where Moses could have been buried. But he decided to obey God who created heavens and earth, and he enjoyed a more exciting life than any of the pharaohs.
In search for the mummy of the pharaoh Thutmosis II who ascended the throne when Moses refused the honour. I checked on this one, but without success.
Eventually I found his mummy in the Egyptian museum. It is quite an experience to look at someone who had contact with Moses. You are looking at the mouth of the man who spoke to Moses. And those ears, heard the voice of Moses speaking to him.
While married to Hatshepsut, Thutmosis II had an illegitimate son from another woman. This caused a little discomfort to the queen.
After ruling Egypt for only four years, Thutmosis II died. His illegitimate son, eventually called Thutmosis III was too young to become the next Pharaoh.
The only two other contenders for the Egyptian throne were Moses and Hatshepsut. Guess who accepted the honour? Hatshepsut. Why? Because Moses refused it for a second time.
Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.
Whenever I look at the marvel of ancient Egyptian architect, I think about Moses. If he became pharaoh he had to relinquish his faith in God and worship the many gods of Egypt. The verb “refused” in Greek is in the infinitive. In other words he kept on refusing to become the pharaoh.
He could have sat on an ecclesiastical chair and became the spiritual leader of Egypt, but he refused. The book of Hebrews tells us why:
Hebrews 11:25,26 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.
When one visits Deir El Bahri, the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut, your thoughts go out to Moses. She gave him the best education the ancient world could offer. Eventually he thought he could deliver God’s people by his military skills. But he made a terrible mistake:
Exodus 2:11,12 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
This crime occurred in 1490 BC. Fourteen years previous in 1504 BC, the young Thutmosis III became co-regent with Hatshepsut. This was due to pressures from the priests of Amun.
Verses 13,14 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?” The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”
Poor Moses. He thought he knew the heart of his people like he knew hieroglyphics, but he was wrong. His time was out, and his method too. What was the result?
Verse 15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well.
A great man fell. The future deliverer of Israel fled from fame to shame. His career virtually ended. In my mind’s eye I can see him fleeing over the hot desert sand to who knows where to.
How does God treat losers who flee into deserts of shame? Don’t miss the next episode on God’s extravagance when it comes to forgiveness.