Moses & Evidence for the Exodus

Worth Remembering- From the Book "Exiting Egypt"

Who Was He? Prince, shepherd, leader, prophet, author, humblest of men, Egyptian, Midianite, Israelite, warrior, no matter how many descriptives are summoned to explain who Moses was and the part he played in history, invariably a key assignment is overlooked. Make no mistake; the author of the first five books of scripture is not just a Biblical character. Moses was a real historical figure.

Persians recorded the saga of an Egyptian general called Moses who led great campaigns in Ethiopia. Forced to flee Egypt in large part because of Pharaoh’s jealousy, the warrior eventually married an Ethiopian princess. Artapanus of Alexandria wrote of an Egyptian pharaoh who attempted to rid himself of a problematic adoptive son named Moses by sending him to battle in Ethiopia. Instead, the young man became a hero both for his military prowess and because he had the foresight to bring ibis on the expedition. The birds devoured snakes which threatened the army.

Other texts describe an Egyptian prince called Moses who led a Nubian campaign, married a Cushite princess, and reigned in Africa before conflicts with the Egyptian ruler forced him to flee. Although, details found outside scripture are not infallible, there is plenty of historical evidence to establish, Moses was real.

Jewish sages tell us Moses was the greatest man who ever lived. Having an innate bent towards rescuing the hurting, Moses intervened for the Hebrew being beaten by the Egyptian, Exodus 2:11-12. He pleaded for reason between the battling slaves, Exodus 2:13, and defended the daughters of Jethro, Exodus 2:17 22. When God called on Moses to help rescue a nation, His nation, the rescuer resisted. Had Moses determined Israel was not worth redemption?

Despite initial hesitancy to submit to the Lord’s bidding, once Moses accepted that assignment, he would be used by the Lord in ways not seen before or since. Deuteronomy 34:9-12 explains there was no one like Moses in signs, in acts of wonder and terror that Moses worked before all Israel, and in his familiarity with God. The LORD spoke to other prophets through dreams and visions or using angels. They had to interpret the meanings of what they had seen. God communicated with Moses face to face as a man speaks with a friend, Exodus 33:11. Unlike every other human, requiring food and water to survive, Moses neither ate nor drank for 40 days, seemingly sustained by the presence of God himself, Exodus 34:28-29. Unlike other prophets, the actual glory of God was reflected in Moses’s face, Exodus 34:35, 2 Corinthians 3:13. Moses is the only man in scripture buried by the LORD. It is Exodus which introduces us to Moses, the law, and the delivering power of Almighty God to save men and nations.

Despite arguments from uninformed doubters, history is clear, Moses was an actual person every bit as real as Caesar or Lincoln. At the same time, scripture is clear, Moses moved in the supernatural. Both are true, and that is Worth Remembering.