When God first called Moses before the burning bush, but it was not consumed, he subtly rejected the calling. He said, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?” (Exodus 4:1). This statement is often interpreted as Moses doubting his own ability to carry out a risky and challenging task. Many preachers also refer to this verse to illustrate that God can use people who feel insecure, incapable, or insignificant.
However, given Moses’ background as the son of the Pharaoh and one who grew up surrounded by privilege, such an interpretation becomes less accurate. As someone adopted into Egypt’s royal family, Moses indeed received an aristocratic education that granted him access to high knowledge and sophisticated skills. Thus, it is likely that Moses was confident and not as insecure as he is often portrayed.
His refusal is better understood as a subtle rejection born of trauma. In the previous chapter (Exodus 2:11–15), Moses was rejected by his own people when he tried to break up a fight between two Israelites. Instead of being appreciated, he was denied and judged through his past actions: “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” That statement awakened “the ghost of the past” within Moses.
When Moses killed the Egyptian who was abusing an Israelite, he may have meant well and hoped to be valued as a hero. But what happened was the opposite — his fellow Israelites rejected him. Moses became a rejected hero. The writer of Exodus notes that Moses became afraid and fled from Egypt. Therefore, when God wanted to send him back to the Israelites, he subtly rejected the call. His refusal was the fruit of the previous rejection; he doubted whether the Israelites would accept him as a prophet of God.
Returning to Exodus 4, God did not give up. He did not accept Moses’ objections just like that; instead, He reassured him through three miracles that could be shown if the Israelites doubted his calling (Exodus 4:2-9). Yet Moses still preferred to believe in his past rather than believe in God. He returned with another objection, this time claiming that he was not eloquent (Exodus 4:10). God strengthened him again: He would be with Moses. But Moses still refused, and this final refusal revealed the actual condition of his heart — the fear of rejection haunted him. Yet God would not be God if He gave up. He offered Aaron as Moses’s spokesman, and finally, Moses agreed.
From this story, we see how decisive rejection can be in a person’s life. Rejection can make someone doubt themselves, feel unworthy, and view themselves as undeserving. Yet no matter how strong the power of rejection is, the power of God’s love is greater. The power of God’s love lies in His steadfast heart to continue trusting the one He has chosen. He remains committed to nurturing and empowering the person He loves. Even when people try to run away and even betray Him, He does not grow weary of seeking them.
Doesn’t this become an essential lesson in commitment for us? Often, we feel as though we have run out of reasons to maintain our commitment to God. The world around us succeeds in turning our eyes away from Him. We become unfaithful and surrender the commitment we once built with tears and sincerity. Today, learning from God’s steadfast commitment, we need to reestablish our resolve: we will not turn away from our promises and commitment to Him. Believe that God’s unwavering commitment deserves to be answered with the same steadfastness.