Moses

The life story of Moses spans from his miraculous survival as a child to his leadership of the Israelites out of Egypt and their journey toward the Promised Land. His story begins in Egypt during a time when the Israelites were enslaved. Pharaoh, fearing the growing number of Hebrews, ordered the death of all Hebrew male infants. Moses’ mother, Jochebed, hid him for three months and then placed him in a basket, setting it afloat on the Nile River. Pharaoh’s daughter discovered the baby and adopted him, raising him in the palace as her own son.

As an adult, Moses witnessed the suffering of his people. After killing an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave, Moses fled to the desert of Midian, where he married Zipporah and became a shepherd. While tending sheep, God appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush and commanded him to return to Egypt to free the Israelites from slavery.

Moses returned to Egypt with his brother Aaron and demanded that Pharaoh release the Israelites. When Pharaoh refused, God sent ten plagues to Egypt, culminating in the death of the firstborn children. The Israelites were spared by marking their doorposts with lamb’s blood, known as the first Passover.

After Pharaoh’s refusal to let them go, Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. At the Red Sea, God miraculously parted the waters, allowing the Israelites to escape, while the pursuing Egyptian army was drowned when the waters returned. Moses then led the Israelites through the wilderness, where they received the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, a pivotal moment in their covenant with God.

Throughout their journey, Moses acted as both leader and mediator between God and the people, enduring their complaints and doubts. Despite his faithfulness, Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land due to an act of disobedience (Numbers 20). He died on Mount Nebo, having seen the land from a distance, and his leadership left a lasting legacy for the Israelites. Moses is regarded as the lawgiver and a prophet in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

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Charlton Heston - The Ten Commandments