When he was approaching the age of forty

This is the second part of Moses’ story. “But when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his mind to visit his countrymen, the sons of Israel. And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended and took vengeance for the oppressed man by fatally striking the Egyptian.” (1) When Moses was about forty years old, he began to act as a deliverer. He was convinced that God had appointed him as the liberator of his people. To help his oppressed compatriot, he killed the Egyptian and hid his body. This action was based on his conviction as a deliverer. (2) At that time, Moses assumed that his compatriots would understand him. He expected them to gather around him and support him. However, they did not accept Moses as their deliverer. “And on the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting each other, and he tried to reconcile them to peace, by saying, ‘Men, you are brothers, why are you injuring each other?’ But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us? You do not intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’” (1) The next day, Moses took on the role of mediator between the brothers fighting each other. Without peace and unity among themselves, they could not stand against the Egyptians. Moses’ advice came from pure motives. However, the man who initiated the conflict resisted Moses. He said, “Who made you a ruler and judge over us?” Furthermore, he threatened Moses, saying, “You do not intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday, do you?” Although God had appointed Moses as a deliverer, the Hebrews rejected him. (2) Fearing the discovery of the murder of the Egyptian, Moses fled Egypt and decided to sojourn in the land of Midian. (3) In Midian, he took a Gentile wife and raised two sons. The fact that he was blessed with children signifies that God blessed Moses’ life in the land of the Gentiles. Moses experienced setbacks, but that did not mark the end of his life. God had an even better plan prepared for him. The same can be said for our lives. Let us keep our eyes on God‘s plan that lies beyond our failures and setbacks.