Key Events: Exodus from Egypt, Receiving the Ten Commandments, Wilderness wandering
Symbols: Stone tablets, Staff, Burning bush, Bronze serpent
Lived: c. 1526-1406 BCE (traditional dating)
Overview
Moses is one of the most significant figures in the entire Bible, second only to Jesus Christ
in importance to Christian theology. He was the prophet through whom God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt, gave the Law (Torah) at Mount Sinai,
and established the covenant that would define God's relationship with His people. Moses is the author (traditionally) of the first five books of
the Bible, the Pentateuch or Torah. In Christian typology, Moses prefigures Christ as a deliverer, mediator, and lawgiver.
Moses was born to Hebrew slaves in Egypt during a time when Pharaoh had ordered all Hebrew male infants to be killed. His mother placed him in
a basket and set him afloat on the Nile River, where he was discovered by Pharaoh's daughter, who adopted him. Moses was raised as an Egyptian
prince but retained awareness of his Hebrew heritage. As a young man, he killed an Egyptian taskmaster who was beating a Hebrew slave, and fled
to Midian, where he became a shepherd and married Zipporah, daughter of the priest Jethro.
The Burning Bush
While tending sheep near Mount Horeb (Sinai), Moses encountered God in a burning bush that was not consumed by fire. There, God revealed His
personal name—YHWH (I AM WHO I AM)—and commissioned Moses to return to Egypt and demand that Pharaoh release the Israelites
from slavery. Despite Moses' protestations about his inadequacy and speech impediment, God appointed him as deliverer, giving him his brother
Aaron as a spokesman.
The Ten Plagues and Exodus
Moses confronted Pharaoh repeatedly, demanding, "Let my people go." When Pharaoh refused, God sent ten devastating plagues upon Egypt: water
turned to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock disease, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and finally the death of all firstborn sons. The
Israelites were spared this final plague by marking their doorposts with lamb's blood—the origin of Passover.
After this, Pharaoh released the Israelites, who numbered about 600,000 men plus women and children. Moses led them out of Egypt in the Exodus,
and God miraculously parted the Red Sea, allowing them to escape while Pharaoh's pursuing army was drowned.
At Mount Sinai, Moses ascended the mountain and spent forty days and nights in God's presence, receiving the Ten Commandments
and the comprehensive Law (Torah) that would govern Israel's religious, civil, and moral life. The commandments were inscribed on stone tablets
by the finger of God. When Moses descended and found the people worshiping a golden calf, he shattered the tablets in anger, interceded for
the people, and later received replacement tablets. Moses also constructed the Tabernacle according to God's precise instructions, establishing
Israel's system of worship, priesthood, and sacrifice.
Wilderness Wandering
Moses led Israel through the wilderness for forty years. This period was marked by constant grumbling, rebellion, and God's miraculous provision
(manna from heaven, water from rocks, quail for meat). At Kadesh-Barnea, when the people refused to enter the Promised Land out of fear, God
decreed that the entire generation would die in the wilderness except for Joshua and Caleb. Even Moses himself was barred from entering Canaan
because he struck a rock in anger rather than speaking to it as God commanded, thus failing to honor God's holiness before the people.
At age 120, Moses ascended Mount Nebo and viewed the Promised Land from afar. There he died, and God Himself buried him in an unknown location.
The book of Deuteronomy declares, "And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face." His leadership
had transformed a band of slaves into a nation with law, covenant, and identity. Moses established the priesthood through Aaron, appointed Joshua
as his successor, and left Israel with the Torah—the foundation of biblicalfaith.
"Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, 'I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.' When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, 'Moses, Moses!' And he said, 'Here I am.' Then he said, 'Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.' And he said, 'I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God."
Source: Book of Exodus, Old Testament (c. 6th-5th century BCE compilation)
Exodus:3:13-15
"Then Moses said to God, 'If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, "The God of your fathers has sent me to you," and they ask me, "What is his name?" what shall I say to them?' God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' And he said, 'Say this to the people of Israel: "I AM has sent me to you."' God also said to Moses, 'Say this to the people of Israel: "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, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.'"
Source: Book of Exodus, Old Testament - God reveals His name YHWH
"Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. The Egyptians pursued and went in after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen... Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.' So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its normal course when the morning appeared. And as the Egyptians fled into it, the Lord threw the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the horsemen; of all the host of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea, not one of them remained."
"And God spoke all these words, saying, 'I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image... You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain... Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy... Honor your father and your mother... You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet...'"
"And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God."
"And he said, 'Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?'"
"And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel."
Source: Book of Deuteronomy, Old Testament - Moses' epitaph
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."
Source: Gospel of John, New Testament - Jesus compares Himself to the bronze serpent Moses lifted
Gospel of Matthew:17:1-3
"And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him."
Source: Gospel of Matthew, New Testament - The Transfiguration
Hebrews:3:3-6
"For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself... Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son."
Source: Epistle to the Hebrews, New Testament (c. 60-90 CE) - Christ's superiority to Moses