Mediating God’s Authority

Before giving a person permission to speak for you, would you not be sure to choose someone you trusted? It would be important that he or she knew your position and faithfully expressed it.

Moses had spent the first 40 years of his life getting the best education that Egypt had to offer, but this would not prepare him to become God’s messenger. He had to spend the next 40 years in the wilderness as a shepherd, without the distractions of the world. In many ways he had to undo much of what he had learned as a prince. Before he could cooperate in freeing Israel, Moses had to get to know the God on whose behalf he would be speaking.

Moses was asked to play the role of God, with Aaron assuming the role of Moses’ mouthpiece (Exod. 4:16; see also Exod. 7:1). As He did with Moses and Aaron, God helps His prophets find the best way to deliver the message that He gives them.

Moses knew that he had previously failed. He remembered his last encounter with fellow Israelites, when his authority had been questioned (Exod. 2:14). God understood Moses’ apprehension. He dealt patiently with his fears. All grounds for excuse had been removed, but, even then, Moses resisted the call. His fears had crossed over into un­belief. By his reluctance, he was questioning God’s ability to use him. It was then that God issued an unqualified command to get the reluctant prophet moving (Exod. 3:14–17).

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Additional Reading: Selected Quotes from Ellen G. White

Jesus was the light of the world. He came forth from God with a message of hope and salvation to the fallen children of Adam. If men and women would but receive Him as their personal Savior, He promised to restore to them the image of God, and to redeem all that had been lost through sin. He presented to human beings the truth, without one thread of interwoven error. When He taught, His words came with authority; for He spoke with positive knowledge of the truth.
The teaching of mortals is wholly different from the teaching of Christ. There is a constant tendency on the part of humans to present their own theories and opinions as matter worthy of attention, even when they have no foundation in truth. They are very tenacious for their erroneous ideas and idle opinions. They will hold firmly to the traditions of humanity, and defend them as vigorously as if they were the veritable truth. Jesus declared that everyone that was of the truth would hear His voice.
How much more power would attend the preaching of the Word today if ministers dwelt less upon human theories and arguments and far more upon the lessons of Christ and upon practical godliness. He who had stood in the counsel of God, who had dwelt in His presence, was well acquainted with the origin and elements of truth, and understood its relation and importance to humanity. He presented to the world the plan of salvation, and unfolded truth of the highest order, even the words of eternal life.
Patriarchs, prophets, and apostles spoke as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost, and they plainly stated that they spoke not by their own power, nor in their own name. They desired that no credit might be ascribed to them, that no one might regard them as the originators of anything whereof they might glory. They were jealous for the honor of God, to whom all praise belongs. They declared that their ability and the messages they brought were given them as delegates of the power of God. God was their authority and sufficiency. . . .
Christ is the Author of all truth. Every brilliant conception, every thought of wisdom, every capacity and talent of human beings, is the gift of Christ. He borrowed no new ideas from humanity; for He originated all.—To Be Like Jesus, p. 224.

The divine command given to Moses found him self-distrustful, slow of speech, and timid. He was overwhelmed with a sense of his incapacity to be a mouthpiece for God to Israel. But having once accepted the work, he entered upon it with his whole heart, putting all his trust in the Lord. . . . God blessed his ready obedience, and he became eloquent, hopeful, self-possessed, and well fitted for the greatest work ever given to man. This is an example of what God does to strengthen the character of those who trust Him fully and give themselves unreservedly to His commands.
A man will gain power and efficiency as he accepts the responsibilities that God places upon him, and with his whole soul seeks to qualify himself to bear them aright. However humble his position or limited his ability, that man will attain true greatness who, trusting to divine strength, seeks to perform his work with fidelity.—Conflict and Courage, p. 87.