Moses: The Most Humble Man? (Numbers 12:3)

“Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3, NKJV).

Based on the assumption that a humble person would not say this about himself, a number of critical scholars have questioned Moses’s authorship, not only of the book of Numbers but of the entire Pentateuch. They theorize that a later author or redactor or editor must have been responsible for at least this parenthetical statement if not the entire literary work.  

The Question of Authorship

The first five books of the Hebrew Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy), a.k.a. the Pentateuch or the Torah, have historically been attributed to the authorship of Moses and thus designated the Five Books of Moses. He was clearly an inspired author who preserved in writing a record of historical events, including those in which he and the people of Israel were involved, along with words revealed by God and gathered into a “book” or compilation of documents.¹ Through the centuries these writings have been collectively known as “the Book of the Law of Moses,” or comparable descriptors.²

Jesus was familiar with, accepted, and validated the writings of Moses, both as a collective whole,³ as well as individual passages.⁴ The Spirit-guided apostles were also familiar with, accepted, and validated Moses’s writings, both the entire corpus,⁵ as well as particular texts,⁶ in conjunction with other inspired teachers,⁷ contemporary Jews and Jewish Christians.⁸

It seems readily apparent from the biblical record itself that Moses wrote all five books consistently ascribed to him, from Genesis 1:1 to Deuteronomy 31:24, “when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished.” Unless he prophetically recorded his own death and burial, the ending of Deuteronomy appears to have been completed by someone else, presumably his successor Joshua, who was divinely appointed, indwelt by God’s Spirit, invested with the authority Moses himself had been given, continuing the story in the manuscript bearing Joshua’s name (Num. 27:15-20; Josh. 1:1-8; 24:26).⁹

Contextual Considerations

By the time we get to the twelfth chapter of the historical narrative of Numbers, the Lord has provided for his people deliverance from oppressive slavery in Egypt, protection and provision in the wilderness, direction, leadership, and hope. He has given Moses ample instruction and support, along with miraculous confirmation accompanied by God’s Angel, God’s Spirit, and a pillar of cloud and fire for extra guidance and protection.¹⁰

As the Israelites departed from Sinai to the land of promise (Num. 10:11-36), they grew increasingly dissatisfied, complaining about their surroundings and lack of variety in the Lord’s provisions, ready to revoke their freedom and return to Egypt (11:1-10). Moses himself was growing weary with all the heavy responsibilities, high expectations, and persistent backlash from the multitude of obstinate, discontent, uncooperative, contentious ingrates (11:11-15).

Once again the Lord intervened to help Moses carry this massive load, providing the assistance of 70 elders, an overabundance of additional food for the people, with a disciplinary plague to quell the disrespectful and selfish complaints (Num. 11:16-35). When it probably seemed the situation could not get any worse, Moses’s own brother and sister turned against him (12:1-2), prompting the parenthetical statement, “Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth” (12:3).

Translational and Interpretive Considerations

The Hebrew word translated “humble” in this verse, sometimes rendered “meek” (ASV, ESV, KJV), is ‘anav [עָנָו], which carries the sense of “lowly,” “afflicted,” or “humbled by oppression” (cf. Job 24:4; Psa. 9:18).¹¹ Contextually we see a clear contrast between Moses, on one hand, and his prideful siblings, on the other, who instead of graciously appreciating the special gifts and positions of service God had bestowed upon them, and rather than recognizing and respecting Moses as the divinely chosen leader of God’s people and helping to bear this enormous load, Miriam the prophetess and Aaron the high priest appear to have been consumed with envy as they turned against God’s chosen one, thereby adding to Moses’s already overwhelming burden.

The antagonism they felt toward their brother was unjustified. Moses was not a self-appointed leader. He had neither aspired to, coveted, nor ambitiously sought this position. In fact, he had yielded to God’s call reluctantly with significant apprehension (Ex. 3:1–4:18). It would have been challenging for a person of lesser character in such a lofty leadership role to resist prideful arrogance, to refrain from defending himself, and to abstain from counter attacking. God, therefore, takes up for his faithful servant Moses (Num. 12:4-9).

Conclusion

By comparison, considering the shameful attitudes and actions of Miriam, Aaron, and the Israelite people, the description of Moses in Num. 12:3, inspired by God’s Spirit, is an accurate assessment. It would be comparable to Daniel recounting his own greatness and humility in light of God’s providence (Dan. 1:19-20; 5:11-12; 10:12), and to Paul speaking of his humbled state of weakness that exalts the power of God working through him (2 Cor. 11:30; 12:5-10). Moreover, with the sense of “afflicted” or “humbled by oppression” understood, the self-reflective statement of Moses makes perfect sense in this context (compare, e.g., Psa. 25:16-21; 37:7-8; 69:29; 94:3-5; Isa. 53:3-4; Jer. 1:6-8, 19-19; 12:6; 13:16-17; 15:10; 20:7-18; Heb. 11:37-39).¹²

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Ex. 17:14; 24:4-7; 34:27; Num. 33:2; Deut. 31:9, 24-26. The Hebrew noun cepher [סֵפֶר] does not refer to a “book” in the modern sense of a bound volume of pages but a missive, document, writing, or scroll “in which something is written to preserve it for future use” (Brown–Driver–Briggs–Gesenius 706-707).

     ² Josh. 8:31-35; 23:6; 1 Kings 2:3-4; 2 Kings 14:6; 23:21-25; 2 Chron. 23:18; 25:4; 30:16; 35:12; Ezra 3:2; 6:18; 7:6; Neh. 8:1-14; 13:1; Dan. 9:11-13; cf. Mal. 4:4.

     ³ Luke 16:29, 31; 24:27, 44; John 1:17; 5:45-47; 7:19.

     ⁴ Matt. 5:33; 8:4; 19:4-8; Mark 1:44; 7:10; 10:3-8; 12:26; Luke 5:14; 20:37; John 3:14; 7:22-23; 8:5.

     ⁵ John 1:17, 45; Acts 15:21; 26:22; 28:23; 2 Cor. 3:14-15.

     ⁶ Acts 3:22; 13:17-18, 39; Rom. 9:15; 10:5, 19; 1 Cor. 9:9; 10:1-10; 2 Cor. 3:7-13; 2 Tim. 3:8.

     ⁷ Acts 7:2-44; Heb. 3:2-5, 16-19; 7:1-14; 8:5; 9:19-22; 11:23-29; 12:16-24. E. E. Ellis identifies quotes from the Pentateuch in Paul’s writings (Rom. 4:3, 17, 18; 7:7; 9:7, 9, 12, 15, 17; 10:5-8, 19; 12:19; 13:9; 15:10; 1 Cor. 6:16; 9:9; 10:7; 15:45; 6:16; 8:15; 13:1; Gal. 3:6, 8, 10, 13, 16; 4:30; 5:14; Eph. 5:31; 6:2-3; 1 Tim. 5:18a; 2 Tim. 2:19a), along with additional allusions and parallels (Paul’s Use of the OT 150-52). For careful analysis of these and other OT quotations in the rest of the NT, see G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson, eds. Commentary on the NT Use of the OT (2007).

     ⁸ Matt. 22:24; Mark 12:19; Luke 2:22; 20:28; John 9:29; Acts 6:11, 14; 13:15; 15:1, 5, 21; 21:21; Heb. 10:28.

     ⁹ From the final verses of chapter 31, conservative scholars generally agree that the last chapters of Deuteronomy are an appendix to the entire collection that Moses placed in the care of the Levites: “there is nothing in the whole of the five books which Moses might not have written” (C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the OT: The Pentateuch 3:517).

     ¹⁰ God leads through Moses (Ex. 3:10; 32:7; 33:1), along with Aaron (Ex. 6:26-27), God’s Angel (Ex. 14:19; 23:20-23; 32:34; Isa. 63:9), God’s Spirit (Num. 11:17, 25), and the pillar of cloud and fire (Ex. 13:21-22). See K. L. Moore, “The Angel of the LORD,” Moore Perspective (1 June 2013), <Link>; “The Pillar of Cloud and Fire,” Moore Perspective (27 July 2022), <Link>.

     ¹¹ Brown–Driver–Briggs–Gesenius 776; Wilson’s OT Word Studies 223. The LXX employs the adj. πραΰς, meaning “not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance, gentle, humble, considerate, meek in the older favorable sense .... unassuming ...” (BDAG 861).

     ¹² “Powerless to personally supply the people’s demand for meat in the previous crisis (11:13-14), Moses was equally powerless, due to his character, to defend himself against personal attack and so deal with the authority crisis precipitated by the revolt of his brother and sister.... The affirmation of Moses’ meekness, which documents his incapacity and explains the sudden divine intervention, is thus so essential to the context that the supposition of some expositors that verse 3 may be an editorial addition, perhaps by Joshua, is rendered unlikely. To be sure, Moses’ humility ... is seen as a virtue, but one recorded by that remarkable objectivity of inspiration which enabled Moses also to speak fully of his own shortcomings (e.g. 11:11-12, 21-22; 20:10-12 and Exodus 4:10-15)” (C. M. Woods, Living Way Commentary on the OT 2:115).

Works Cited:

Walter Bauer, F. W. Danker, W. F. Arndt, and F. W. Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature. 3rd ed. Chicago; London: The University of Chicago Press, 2001.

G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson, eds. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2007.

Francis Brown, et al., The New Brown–Driver–Briggs–Gesenius Hebrew and English Lexicon. Lafayette, IN: Associated Publishers, 1980.

E. Earle Ellis, Paul’s Use of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1991.

C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Vol. III, The Pentateuch. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1968.

William Wilson, Wilson’s Old Testament Word Studies. McLean, VA: MacDonald Publishing, 1990.

Clyde M. Woods, The Living Way Commentary on the Old Testament: Vol. 2, Leviticus-Numbers-Deuteronomy. Shreveport, LA: Lambert, 1974.

Related Posts: God's Mighty Acts in Exodus, Moses: a Husband of Blood 

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Faith Exemplified (Hebrews 11:1-40): Part 3

The Faith of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph

“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones” (Hebrews 11:20-22, NKJV).

Despite being alluded to in the midst of these examples of faith, neither Esau, nor Manasseh, nor Ephraim is counted as one of them. They had the same opportunities and blessings but failed to rise to the occasion. Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, on the other hand, were enabled to accomplish great things and fulfill God’s purpose because their unyielding faith looked beyond immediate circumstances in anticipation of God’s promises (cf. Gen. 27:1-40; 48:14-20; 47:29-31; 50:24-25; Ex. 13:19; Josh. 24:32).

The Faith of Moses

“By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them” (Hebrews 11:23-28).

The faith of Moses was first exhibited by his parents (v. 23), Amram and Jochebed (Ex. 6:20). His mother is the second woman noted in this chapter of faith, who helped lay the foundation of the faith that Moses would demonstrate later in life.

Moses’ faith affected his decisions (vv. 24-26). He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Moses’ faith affected his priorities. He chose suffering rather than the temporary pleasures of sin, esteeming affliction (the same kind of abuse and rejection Christ would suffer) more valuable than earthly treasures.

Moses’ faith affected his emotional disposition (v. 27a). He did not fear the king’s wrath. His reliance on God engendered courage that was greater than his fears. Moses’ faith affected his resolution: he endured (v. 27b). Moses’ faith affected his behavior (v. 28). He was obedient to God’s revealed will.

“By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned” (Hebrews 11:29).

Moses’ faith affected his leadership. The discussion of Moses’ faith smoothly transitions into a description of the Israelites’ faith under his capable, God-centered direction. Consequently, their fate was determined by their obedient faith, while the fate of the Egyptians was determined by the absence thereof.

The Faith of the Conquerors of Jericho

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace” (Hebrews 11:30-31).

The biblical account of the forty years of wilderness-wandering is passed over. These years were not characterized by faith but by rebellion and unbelief (cf. 3:16-19). The narrative resumes with the conquest of the land of Canaan. Jericho was not conquered by military force but by faith (cf. Josh. 6:1-21).

Rahab is the third woman highlighted in this chapter. She had more faith than the other Jericho inhabitants (cf. Josh. 2:11; Jas. 2:25-26). She did not perish with “the disobedient [ones]” [apeithéō];¹ faith and obedience are inseparably linked. Despite her sinful past, her obedient faith enabled her to be used by God as a contributor to the family tree that ultimately produced the savior of the world (Matt. 1:5).²

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Not simply “those who did not believe” (NKJV; cf. mg. “disobedient”; NASB); see also 3:18-19; 4:6.

     ² See K. L. Moore, “The Lineage of Jesus According to Matthew,” Moore Perspective (3 Feb. 2013), <Link>.

Related Posts: Faith's Hall of Shame, Faith Exemplified Part 1, Part 2, Part 4

 

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Jesus Christ is Superior to Moses as God’s Lawgiver (Hebrews 3:1-19)

“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house” (Hebrews 3:1-3, NKJV). 

The Reason Christ is Superior to Moses

“Therefore,” since Jesus is a merciful and faithful High Priest, having become human like us in all things, including suffering and temptation (2:9-18), we are thus “holy” [hágioi] (set apart/sanctified) “brethren” [adelphoí] (cf. v. 6) as spiritual family thanks to our brotherly bond with Jesus Christ (2:11-17). We are therefore “partakers/sharers” of a heavenly calling (Phil. 3:14, 20; Col. 3:1-2). Christ (messiah) Jesus (savior) is the “Apostle” [apóstolon], one sent forth (cf. John 3:17, 34; 5:36, 38; 6:29, 57; 7:29; 8:42; 10:36; 11:42; 17:3, 18, 21, 23, 25; 20:21; etc.), and “High Priest” [archieréa], a concept introduced in 2:17 and developed in 4:14 ff. as one of the main themes of the epistle and a unique feature of Hebrews.

Our confession [homologia] (3:1; 4:14; 10:23) is not merely verbal but is lived out in the everyday lives of all who are devoted followers of Christ.¹ As Moses was faithful in all of God’s house (Num. 12:7; cf. Ex. 40:16), so Jesus has been faithful to the One who appointed him (cf. John 9:4; 17:4). He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses (3:3a): he who builds the house has more honor than the house (3:3b). Jesus is creator of all things (cf. 1:2, 10). He is the builder of his church (cf. Matt. 16:18). He is the king over God’s spiritual kingdom (cf. 1:3, 8). Moses is included in God’s household but is not over it (cf. v. 5).

“For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God” (Heb. 3:4).

For the original reading audience and all other Bible believers, this is an axiomatic truth. For everyone else, it serves as a simple and compelling statement of God’s existence and creative power. The so-called cosmological argument affirms that the universe, which clearly exists, has not always existed nor did it create itself. Therefore, something (or Someone) superior to and beyond itself must have caused it (cf. Rom. 1:20).  

“And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end” (Heb. 3:5-6).

Moses was merely “a servant” [therápōn] (free, personal service; a role of subservience albeit a position of honor) in God’s house, but Christ is a Son over his own house. WE are (emphatic!) this house (cf. Eph. 2:19-22; 1 Pet. 2:5) as Christians rather than physical Israel of the past. Condition: “if [eán] we hold fast the confidence [parrēsían] and the rejoicing [kaúchēma,  lit ‘boast’] of the hope firm to the end” (3:6b). Our confidence is exhibited by a bold, open profession of the Christian faith (cf. 4:16; Eph. 3:12).

The “boast of the hope” is opposite of being ashamed (cf. Rom. 1:16; 2 Tim. 1:12). It is the open assurance of an earnest expectation (cf. Rom. 5:3-5; 8:24-25; Col. 1:23, 27). “Firm to the end” (not in all manuscripts) is an expression of endurance, perseverance (cf. v. 14; 6:11; Rev. 2:10). 

A Call to Faithfulness

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, “They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.” So I swore in My wrath, “They shall not enter My rest”’” (Heb. 3:7-11).

Having established the supremacy of Christ over Moses, the argument shifts to an exhortation. “Therefore” [dió], in light of the fact that we are God’s house in persevering, “as the Holy Spirit says [légei]” (present tense, “is saying”), presently and continuously, via a quote from Psalm 95:7-11. This simple statement affirms both the divine inspiration of scripture (cf. 10:15-16) and its current and ongoing relevance.

What is the Holy Spirit saying? “Today,” applicable to the day this psalm was first written and every day since when it is read and heard, “if you will hear His voice ...” Reading scripture and hearing it read is to listen to the voice of God as the Holy Spirit speaks, which in the context of Hebrews is to hear the voice of God’s Son speaking (cf. 1:1-2).

The contrasting example is Israel’s rebellion in the wilderness (cf. Ex. 17:1-7; Num. 14:1-38; 20:1-13). They “have not known” God’s ways (v. 10) because they have not listened with open hearts (vv. 7-8) and have therefore faced grave consequences (cf. John 8:43, 47).

Reference to kardía (“heart”) occurs six times in this section of Hebrews (3:8, 10, 12, 15; 4:7, 12). The term “rest” [katípausis] appears eight times in chaps. 3–4, and only once elsewhere in the NT.²

Warning and Exhortation

“Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today,’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: ‘Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion’” (Heb. 3:12-15).

“Beware” (NKJ), “Take care” (NAS) [blépete] (“look,” “behold”) “brethren” [adelphoí], note v. 1; cf. 2:11-17. “Apostasy is the ultimate consequence of unbelief; and unbelief, as the next verse indicates, is brought on by the heart that is hardened through sin. Thus the logical order of the downward process is sin, a hardened heart, unbelief, apostasy” (N. Lightfoot, Jesus Christ Today 90).

What are we to do? “Exhort” (NKJ), “Encourage” (NAS) [parakaléō] (lit. “call to one’s side”). Who? “one another” or “yourselves” [heautoús], a reciprocal duty (cf. John 13:34; Col. 3:16). How often? “daily” or “each day” [hekástēn hēméran] (cf. Acts 2:46). Why? “For” [gár] “we have become” [gegónamen] (perfect tense: in the past, continuing in present) “partakers” or “sharers” [métochoi] of Christ (cf. 1 Co.1:9; 2 John 9; Gal. 2:20). Condition: “if we hold the beginning of our confidence [or ‘assurance’] steadfast to the end” (3:14), a call for perseverance, pressing on (note v. 6; cf. also 2:2; 6:19).

Lessons from rebellious Israel3

“For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief” (Heb. 3:16-19).

It is interesting to note that the “disobeying ones” [apeithēsasin] (v. 18) were guilty of “unbelief” [apistían] (v. 19); cf. 4:6, 11. It follows, then, that to be a believer in the biblical sense is to obey (cf. 5:9; 11:31).

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Cf. 2 Cor. 9:13; 1 Tim. 6:12. On the verb homologeō, see Heb. 11:13; 13:15; cf. Matt. 10:32-33; Rom. 10:9-10; 1 Tim. 6:12.

     ² Heb. 3:11, 18; 4:1, 3(x2), 5, 10, 11; Acts 7:49 (quote Isa. 66:1-2). The verb form katapaúō occurs in 4:4, 8, 10, and only once elsewhere in the NT (Acts 14:18). Note also sabbatismós (“sabbath rest”) in 4:9, the only occurrence of this word in the NT.

     ³ Cf. Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:1-11.

Related Posts: Heb 4:1-13

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Moses: a Husband of Blood

A brief and obscure episode in Moses’ life is recounted in Exodus 4:24-26. After forty years in the land of Midian, Moses was sent by the LORD back to Egypt to lead the Israelites out of bondage, initially taking his wife Zipporah and his two sons, Gershom and Eliezer (Ex. 2:11–4:20; cf. 18:2-6; Acts 7:22-36).

“And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the LORD met him and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, ‘Surely you are a husband of blood to me!’ So He let him go. Then she said, ‘You are a husband of blood!’—because of the circumcision” (Ex. 4:24-26, NKJV).

Commentary

Zipporah was a Midianite of the lineage of Abraham through his second wife Keturah (Gen. 25:1-4; Ex. 2:15-21). Presumably the Midianites were also amenable to the covenant of circumcision that God had instituted with Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 17:1-14). Zipporah’s father was the “priest of Midian” (Ex. 2:16; 3:1; 18:1) who acknowledged and served the LORD (Ex. 18:10-12, 19-23). However, at some point the Midianites drifted away from the monotheistic faith of their ancestry and served other gods (Num. 25:2). They became enemies of the people of Israel, luring them into sexual perversion and idolatry (Num. 22:1-6; 25:1-18; 31:1-18; cf. Judg. 6:1-10, 14).

The fact that Moses was in danger of being struck down by the LORD suggests he had been negligent in observing the whole counsel of God. The words and actions of Zipporah reflect her contempt for a divine ordinance, regarding it as abhorrent rather than a solemn act of obedience. Seeing that only one of their two boys was circumcised on this occasion, the other son had likely been circumcised already, provoking the ire of Zipporah and thus influencing Moses to then appease his wife rather than the LORD.

As the recognized leader of God’s people, it was imperative for Moses to be an example of obedience and faithfulness, even in what might seem to be the smallest matters. Moses would go on to write: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children …” (Deut. 6:5-7a). Moses’ life was spared when the law of God was obeyed, enabling him to continue his mission and be the instrument through whom the LORD would accomplish incredible things. 

Lessons to Learn

Apostasy is a gradual process. It starts with what may appear to be “the little things,” digressing from and thereby straining God’s will and favor until complete estrangement results (cf. Rev. 2:4-5). Whether spiritual degradation occurs within one’s lifetime or over generations, apostasy is a great tragedy with everlasting consequences for all who go astray (cf. 2 Pet. 2:18-22).

Concerning the divine will, we must avoid trivializing, compromising, or disregarding what might be perceived as merely “minor” elements. While certain aspects of biblical teaching are “weightier” than others, “These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone” (Matt. 23:23).

It is vital that we exercise diligence in knowing, observing, and defending the whole counsel of God. “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much” (Luke 16:10).

It is dangerous to think we know better than God. Whether or not we understand, like, or agree with what the Bible says, we must trust that God’s revealed thoughts and ways are infinitely higher than ours (Isa. 55:8-9). “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2).

Our circle of influence matters. “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits’” (1 Cor. 15:33). This is especially true with respect to whom we choose to marry. Spousal influence can draw us closer to God or lead us farther away (cf. Gen. 26:34-35; Deut. 7:3-4; 17:17; 1 Kings 11:1-3).

Conclusion

While circumcision is no longer enjoined under the new covenant of Jesus Christ (Acts 15:1-5, 24; Gal. 5:1-6; 6:15), the overarching principle of humble submission to the divine will still holds true (Acts 5:29; Rom. 2:4-11; 6:16-18). Let us be committed to trusting and obeying the Lord in all things, no matter how trivial and insignificant it may seem from a worldly perspective.

--Kevin L. Moore

Related Posts: Premarital Decisions, The Pillar of Cloud & Fire, Moses: the Most Humble Man?

Related articles: Steve Higgenbotham's Anatomy of a Backslider, Tony Brewer, When Reasoning Goes Beyond Revelation

 

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Addendum:

Jesse Speaks (Facebook 8 Jan. 2026)

This is one of the most disturbing—and revealing—moments in all of Scripture.

After God personally calls Moses, speaks to him from the burning bush, and commissions him to confront Pharaoh and lead Israel out of slavery, something shocking happens on the road to Egypt.

God moves to kill Moses.

Not Pharaoh.

Not an enemy.

Not a pagan king.

The man God just chose.

Why? Because Moses disobeyed a covenant command: he had not circumcised his son. The leader of Israel was about to confront Egypt while ignoring the very sign of God’s covenant.

It took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, to intervene. She circumcises their son and touches Moses with the blood, declaring, “You are a bridegroom of blood to me.” And only then does God relent.

This moment exposes something modern Christianity often avoids: God is not casual about obedience. Calling does not cancel responsibility. Leadership does not excuse disobedience. Being “chosen” does not put you above covenant.

The same God who saves is also holy.

The same God who calls also confronts.

The same God who sends mercy also demands alignment.

This story isn’t about ritual—it’s about authority. Moses was sent to confront Pharaoh in God’s name, yet his own household was out of order. God would not allow His representative to speak for Him publicly while defying Him privately.

And here’s the part that unsettles people most: God was willing to stop the mission entirely over what many today would call a “minor issue.”

That’s why this passage is rarely preached.

Because it forces a hard truth into the open:

Grace does not mean God overlooks disobedience.

Calling does not mean God tolerates compromise.

Zipporah’s act wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t ceremonial. It was urgent, bloody, and decisive—because obedience delayed can cost everything.

This story doesn’t make God look tame.

It makes Him real.

And that’s exactly why it still matters.

Jude 9: Why argue over the body of Moses?

     Jude’s initial intent in writing his letter was to convey a positive message about “our common salvation” (v. 3a). But his focus abruptly switches to the urgency of his readers to “contend earnestly for the faith” in view of the intrusion of ungodly men who had secretly “crept in” among them (vv. 3b-4).¹ In v. 8 he describes these intruders as “dreamers” [void of spiritual substance] who “defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.” To reinforce and illustrate the indictment, he writes in v. 9, “Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you!’” The point Jude makes is that evil men ignorantly reject and ridicule authority, while in so doing reveal their own corruption (v. 10).

     The question is, what’s this about the dispute between Michael the archangel and the devil over the body of Moses? This is the only biblical passage that speaks of this incident. It is commonly alleged that Jude’s account is based on a pseudepigraphical work, namely the Assumption of Moses (a.k.a. the Testament of Moses). However, Jude does not attribute his information to any particular source. The Assumption of Moses is of uncertain date and authorship, and the only extant portion of it is a sixth-century AD fragmentary Latin manuscript. Since no surviving portion of this work contains the passage in question, and since similar words are found in Zechariah 3:1-2, the element of divine revelation notwithstanding, it is just as likely that the material came from a common source or tradition rather than having been the result of literary dependency.²

     Seeing that Jude provides no further details, no definitive conclusions can be reached, although various suggestions have been made. Nothing is said about the timing of the event. One proposal is that the contention concerned baby Moses (Ex. 1:16) and maybe the devil wanted to destroy or corrupt this future leader of God’s people. Another possibility is that “the body of Moses” is to be understood in a corporate sense as the OT parallel of “the body of Christ”; i.e., the collectivity [body] of people following Moses whom the devil was against (see Zech. 3:2; cp. Acts 15:21; 1 Cor. 3:15).

     The most popular suggestion is that Moses’ corpse was the center of the dispute (Deut. 34:6). Perhaps the devil questioned his right to a proper burial, or wanted to desecrate the body or reveal the burial site to tempt people to idolize the tomb or the remains and draw honor away from God.

     The bottom line is, we don’t know. And seeing that no further details are revealed in scripture, this is apparently something we don’t need to know. The point Jude makes is clear enough without having to satisfy our curiosity.

--Kevin L. Moore

Endnotes:

     ¹ Scripture quotations are from the NKJV. 

     ² See K. L. Moore, “Jude’s Alleged Use of Pseudonymous Sources,” <Link>.

Related Posts: K. L. Moore, “The NT Epistle of Judas,” <Link>.

Image credit: http://chemistry.csudh.edu/faculty/jim/AAAcozaug05/stmichael02.jpg