Analyze how moses is related to the herioc model - Essay Example

INTRODUCTION Moses is one of the famous characters in the Bible during the Patriarchal period when the Egyptians were being enslaved under the Israelites. He is known as the baby boy who was hid when the Pharaoh ordered all Egyptian male children to be murdered by drowning to the Nile River. His parents had kept him in secret until he is three months old, however, when his parents can keep him hidden no longer they decided to set him adrift to the Nile River in a small craft of bulrushes coated in pitch. According to the Bible, Moses sister Miriam watched the progress of the tiny boat until it reached a place where Pharaohs daughter Thermuthis was bathing with her handmaidens. It is said that she saw the baby in the basket and had her handmaiden fetch it for her and adopted the baby as her child. There are several women who attempted to nurse child, however, they were unsuccessful with it. It is here when Miriam came forward and asked Pharaohs daughter if she would like a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby. Thereafter, Jochebed (Moses’ mother) was employed as the childs nurse, and he grew and was brought to Pharaohs daughter and became her son, as she had no other children at the time of her adoption of Moses. Thermuthis (Pharaoh’s daughter) named him Mosheh, similar to the Hebrew word mashah, "to draw out". In the Greek translation, Mosheh was Hellenized as Moses. The Old Testament depicts Moses as the leader of the Israelites in their Exodus from Egyptian slavery and oppression, their journey through the wilderness with its threats in the form of hunger, thirst, and unpredictable enemies, and finally in their audience with God at Mount Sinai/Horeb where the distinctive covenant, known as the Ten Commandments, bonding Israel and God in a special treaty became a reality. The famous ten plagues which hit the Israelites, the famous parting of the Red Sea and the Passover, all happened in the account of Moses. Moses: A heroic model The Old Testament describes Moses as a heroic leader of the people and as a man of God who brought the people into their special relationship with God. The story about Moses in the Old Testament, found in the extensive narratives from Exodus 1:1 through Deuteronomy 34:1, can be described as a heroic saga. It is more than simply a biography of Moses, a historical document that records the events of his life. It is a special kind of ancient art form. (George W. Coats, 1991) Moses’ leadership was known as directed by God; He who is God was the One responsible for all the directions and instructions that Moses was giving to his people, the Israelites. Moses goal is to free the Israelites from slavery under the Egyptians and deliver them to the promise land, Canaan, a land where milk and honey were overflowing. But their journey towards the promise had never been that easy, it was a journey accompanied by temptations and bloodshed to which they were strengthened by faith. Their entrance would be accompanied by the power and presence of God Himself, for He alone would be their strength and victory. That God would be with them in their taking of the land was as much a trustworthy promise as the land itself; indeed, perhaps more so. However, as we know, Israel did not really receive the inheritance promised, at least not fully. Forgetting the command of the Lord, they prostituted themselves with other gods and committed idolatry. Eventually, the people of Israel were taken into exile. The Promised Land given to them by God was taken away. The promise remained unfulfilled. Moses: A Model of Leadership As we saw by Moses response to the oppression of his fellow Jew, he certainly did possess leadership qualities. The model of leadership in the Jewish tradition is not the individual who is willing to subjugate others, rather the individual who is willing to sacrifice for others. Moses was the most modest of men, became the finest leader and teacher that our people have had. Furthermore, despite his upbringing, Moses rejected his role in Egyptian society, as well as the culture and beliefs of Egypt. (Rabbi Ari Khan, 1995) This is evidenced by the fact that after leaving Egypt, we are told in Exodus 3:1, that Moses was the shepherd of his father in-laws’ flock. Where in those times, a shepherd is considered an abomination in Egypt as presented in Genesis 46:34 when Joseph’s brother came in Egypt to ask or help and it is where their brother Joseph warned them that they must delicately inform the Pharaoh of their occupation as shepherds. Moses became a shepherd; the most detestable occupation in the value system of Egypt. It was then that God revealed himself to Moses for the first time, at the "Burning Bush." The rejection of Egyptian life is what apparently allowed the Divine Revelation. Why Moses deserve to be a Leader? We can begin to understand why Moses deserved to be leader: He possessed incredible spiritual integrity. From where did Moses take the strength to change his life? What inspired Moses to begin a spiritual quest, an odyssey which would take him from heir to the Egyptian throne to freedom-fighter for the disenfranchised slaves? From lowly shepherd to vanquisher of the Egyptian empire? Moses embodied the chessed, "kindness" of Abraham, the gevurah, "strength" of Isaac, and emet, "truth" of Jacob. (Rabbi Ari Khan, 1995) These aspects of Moses character became evident in his reaction to the beating of the Jewish slave. Moses felt kindness toward the victim. He displayed strength by holding back personal considerations and involving himself in the altercation. And finally Moses showed that he embodied truth by immediately discerning which side was right. Conclusion Moses certainly deserved his leadership role and with that he is regarded as a hero for all his dedication to serve God and make God as the center of his life and to serve his Israelite brothers and fight for the truth. Moses is certainly a leader which has to be taken as a model of good leadership for today’s leaders of one’s country or state. For without the direction and instruction from Above, there will be no success in any endeavour. References 1.) Rabbi Ari Khan (1995 – 2007) Aish HaTorah. One Western Wall Plaza, POB 14149, Old City, Jerusalem 91141, Israel 2.) George W. Coats, (1991) Holman Bible Dictionary, Broadman & Holman Publishing. 3.) Holy Bible, King James Version (1990). Read More