The Life of Moses: a Journey of Faith, Leadership and Redemption

Moses is a towering figure in the history of the Abrahamic religions, revered as a prophet and leader by Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike. Born in Egypt in the 14th century BCE, Moses is known for his role in leading the Israelites out of slavery and into the Promised Land. He is credited with receiving the Ten Commandments and other fundamental laws from God, which have had a profound influence on the ethical and moral systems of these religions. Moses' life and teachings continue to inspire people around the world, making him a subject of ongoing scholarly and religious study.

Moses exact date of birth isn’t known because they didn’t keep accurate records back then, but we do know that he lived between in Goshen, Lower Egypt between 1393 BCE – 1407 BCE. Moses was chosen to be a prophet because of three reasons. Fistrly, he defended the oppressed: Moses first act of Justice was defending the Israelite slave. God chose him because for Moses, justice does not differentiate between slave and master. Even if the master has a legal right to beat the slave. Moses does not believe in cruelty even if it is deserved. Secondly, he always did what was right, even if it meant criticizing his own people: This is shown when Moses sees two Hebrew slaves fighting with one another. He does not turn away because they are his people. He intervened and asked who started the fight, this showed that he was not afraid of making enemies, he just wanted the violence to stop. God chose him because he will do what is right in every circumstance. Thirdly, he was remaining faithful wherever he was: After Moses was forced to flee Egypt, he arrived in the land of Midian. There he encountered a group of young shepherds harassing a group of women seeking water. Moses intervenes. God chose Moses to be his prophet because even though he is a stranger in a strange new land he does not shy away from seeking justice.

How Moses Encountered God and What Impact He Had on People?

One day as Moses was in the dessert, he heard the voice of God speaking to him through a bush he was passing. He knew it was God because the bush was on fire but did not burn. God asked Moses to lead his people out of slavery in Egypt to the promised land. Moses was at first reluctant, thinking that the Israelites would not believe him if he told them he had spoken to God. God knew Moses had the courage to do what was right as he had been watching the past few years. So, he sent Moses back to Egypt.

Moses is a great example of how people should live their lives. People are confronted everyday by other people with more money and more power than themselves, but Moses showed us to use our courage. He showed us that courage can have a big impact on the outcomes of life, for example, Moses went up to the Pharaoh of Egypt (the richest and most powerful man in the world at the time) and confronted him to stop the slavery of the Hebrews. He defended others even if it meant criticizing his own people. Many more people in the world today are living hard lives with homelessness and no money. Moses is important in this factor of life because he overcame difficulties in his early years. However, it did get better. He shows us that if you stay and believe in God your life will get better. Moses sacrificed safety, money and power to do the right thing. He shows us that life isn’t all about money and power.

Moses went to the Pharaoh and demanded the Israelites freedom. At first the pharaoh did not agree so Moses said that he would unleash the 10 plagues. On the tenth plague the pharaoh finally gave in. The tenth plague would make all firstborn children die in each family unless they marked the door with the blood of a sacrificed sheep. As the pharaoh had a son at the time and the son was to be the future heir of Egypt, the Pharaoh gave in and released the slaves. When the slaves met Moses, they were first reluctant as they did not trust Gods message of a new safe land that they would travel to.    

In conclusion, Moses' story and teachings continue to be relevant and inspiring to people today, thousands of years after his death. His leadership, courage, and commitment to justice have made him an icon in the Abrahamic religions, and his teachings have influenced the ethical and moral frameworks of millions of people. As we continue to study and learn from his life, Moses' legacy will remain an enduring source of wisdom and inspiration for generations to come.