"A Mouth for God"
Exodus 4:10-17

“And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.” (Ex 4:10-17)

This is the second sermon this text, but it is a very important text and must be considered seriously.

I will direct your attention to a great many scriptures this morning, and I hope you will turn to them as I read and follow along. You will find that there will not be any great substantial difference in the translation that you read and the one I read from. We certainly must read the Scriptures when we talk about the Scriptures.







Introduction
1. There are at least two things that are critical to understand the implications of this text.

a. God is able to communicate in words to the mind of man: as the creator of man’s mind and the creator of man’s mouth, it should not seem incredible that this should be so.

b. These words can be communicated from man to man, and they still remain the word of God and come with authority and must be believed and obeyed.

2. Let me repeat these things.

a. The word of God is not only in the Bible, it is in the mouths of God’s people; it is preached in the churches; it is quoted in newspapers; even quoted by ungodly blasphemers when it suits their purpose, and is known every where in the world; it remains the word of God in whatever language, whatever means, whatever media, and God will hold every man responsible for what He has revealed to mankind. This world knows what the Bible says.

b. This word of God was communicated by holy men of old, as we read in the following passages:

1. “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;” (Heb 1:1-2) Everybody to whom this epistle was written would understand that the author meant the 39 books of the Old Testament. Those books carefully preserved by the Jews in all their history.

2. 2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake [as they were] moved by the Holy Ghost.

3. The Jews were a people of the book, which to them were the law, the prophets, the Psalms, which meant the 39 books of the Old Testament.

4. One thing the church has been united on it all its forms throughout history is the inspiration of the Bible and its final authority for doctrine and morals.

c. Let us move forward just a bit to Exodus 19:1-8. God also understands the words of the people and they understand the words of God. There is real communication by means of words.

A. “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.” (De 18:18-20) There was to be whole series of prophets, culminating in the Jesus Christ. False prophets were to be put to death.

B. “Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.” (Jer 1:9)

C. “As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.” (Isa 59:21)

D. Jeremiah 23:16-32

E. Read the entire Psalm 12

F. “Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;” (Joh 10:34-35 AV)

G. Mal 4:4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

H. The words were put in the mouths of the prophets, they wrote them in words so the words could be transmitted to the ends of the world.

A. Concerning the witness of Christ Himself:

1. Joh 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

2. Joh 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

3. Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

B. Concerning the Apostles:

1. “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Eph 2:19-22)

2. Most of all: “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2Ti 3:14-17 AV)

3. See Hebrews “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?” (Heb 2:1-4)

4. See also 1Peter 1.

A. You and I have an obligation and a most solemn duty to make the study of the Scriptures our most urgent and intense occupation.

1. There are only 66 very short books. We should hunger and thirst after them.

2. You can learn the content of these words: God has created your mind to absorb and understand His words.

a) You learned English—You could have learned any number of languages.

b) A daily and constant study. Discipline yourself to learn and understand them.

B. They are able to make thee wise unto salvation. Fathers and mothers must teach their children; Ministers must urge these things to their congregations: Teach them to observe all things…..

C. I will close with an Old Testament passage and a corresponding New Testament Passage:

Old Testament: Deuteronomy: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.” (De 6:4-9)

New Testament: “He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Eph 4:1)