Psalm 105 is a succinct summary of Israel’s history: Genesis – Joshua! A lot of ground but the theme is clear:

Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth. (Psalm 105.5, NKJV)

Remember his works, his wonders, and his word.

He made a covenant with Abraham:

He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations, The covenant which He made with Abraham, And His oath to Isaac, And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute, To Israel as an everlasting covenant, Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan As the allotment of your inheritance,” When they were few in number, Indeed very few, and strangers in it. (Psalm 105.8 – 12, NKJV)

“I’ll give you the land…when they were few in number, indeed very few…”

How?

Moreover He called for a famine in the land; He destroyed all the provision of bread. He sent a man before them— Joseph—who was sold as a slave. (Psalm 105.16, 17, NKJV)

God sends Joseph to Egypt who will prepare the way for the fledgling nation (only about 70 people!) to grow.

The king sent and released him, The ruler of the people let him go free. He made him lord of his house, And ruler of all his possessions, …Israel also came into Egypt… He increased His people greatly, And made them stronger than their enemies. (Psalm 105.20 – 24), compare Genesis 37 – 50 and Exodus 1.1 – 8.

Then God raised up Moses:

He sent Moses His servant, And Aaron whom He had chosen. They performed His signs among them, And wonders in the land of Ham. (Psalm 105.26, 27, NKJV)

I think we’ll finish the Psalm 105 story tomorrow so we can meditate briefly on “He sent Moses his servant…” It takes two chapters of Exodus (3 and 4) for God to send Moses! Amanda Armstrong, whom we are leading through a discipleship program, captures the problem:

Moses is speaking to God Himself through the burning bush – GOD HIMSELF! And what does Moses say?  “Pardon your servant, Lord – please send someone else.”  We’re ALL called by the Lord to do things we are unready or uncertain or unwilling to do. But the Bible tells us that some of the most legendary of God’s servants were also unready, and He can help us to see and answer His call. 

A good word, Amanda! God does a lot, and we’ll finish looking at Psalm 105’s summary tomorrow, but God normally uses people, even those who are “unready, uncertain, or unwilling.” Maybe especially those who are unready, uncertain, or willing.

But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” (Exodus 4.10 – 13, NKJV)