In the Old Testament, Abraham and Moses were two very prominent leaders chosen by God to do his will. Throughout Genesis and Exodus, both men play important roles in fulfilling God’s will. They are put to many tests, given covenants, and communicate constantly with God. Although they have many similarities such as being leaders and men of God, there are also many differences between the two.
In terms of leadership, Abraham was a noble
leader. Although he grew up in a camp where the notion of one God was not
accepted, he eventually manages to become the leader of a tribe and make the
people believe in his faith. He leads them around endlessly from Ur to Canaan,
to Egypt, then back to Canaan. His tribe followed him around without much
questions. They just followed his leadership. Moses was also a great leader.
When he led the Hebrews out of Egypt to the Red Sea, some people questioned
Moses saying, “It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to
die in the desert” (Exodus14:12). Moses being a calm leader replied, “Do not be
afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you
today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight
for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:13-14). In the mist of his people
doubting him and the Egyptians on the chase, Moses reassures his people to put
their faith in God. This shows Moses courageous leadership in a time of eminent
danger. After they cross the Red Sea, with the help of the Lord parting it, the
Red Sea closes on the Egyptians and Moses and his people are safe. After all
this, Moses and his people encounter many struggles such as thirst, hunger,
attacks from enemies, however Moses always manages somehow to renew the faith of
his people and lead them to the promise land. Just like Abraham, Moses was a
worthy leader. They both managed to keep the faith of their people in God and
they lead the people to the places they were destined to go. The only difference
is that Moses faced more doubt from his people then Abraham did.
Although
they were similar leaders, they did have a different relationship with God.
Abraham from the onset did not question God at all. Anything that God told him
to do, it was done. For example, God asked Abraham, “Take your son, your only
son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there
as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about” (Genesis
22:2). Abraham did not question why God wanted him to sacrifice his one and only
son; nevertheless, he did not question God and preceded with him command. When
they got on the top of the mountain, God saw that Abraham truly had faith in
him, thus he sent a ram instead so that Abraham did not have to sacrifice his
son. Abraham never had a doubt in God’s will and was offering even to sacrifice
his own flesh and blood to prove his undoubting faith. Moses on the other hand,
questioned God. When he first encounters God in the form of a fiery bush, Moses
questions God’s will by asking, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring
the Israelites out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11). Although he meets God in a physical
form, he still questioned him with doubts of his own abilities. Unlike Abraham
who had unquestioning faith, Moses started out his relationship with God with a
lack of faith. Eventually, Moses does develop the same undoubting faith that
Abraham processed. Only initially did he have doubts about his relationship with
God.
Finally, they both received similar covenants, however they
communicated with God in a different way. God told Abraham, “Leave your country,
your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I
will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name
great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever
curses you I will curse; and all people on earth will be blessed through you”
(Genesis 12:1-3). These covenants set Abraham on his long journey from Ur, to
Canaan, to Egypt, and back to Canaan. Moses gets a message to free God’s people
and lead them into the promise land. God specifically states, “So I have come
down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of
the land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey – the
home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of
Egypt” (Exodus 3:8,10). Moses received a similar covenant based on the fact that
both he and Abraham were promised a new great land. The only major difference
was that Moses had to set the Israelites free first. And although they received
similar covenants, they received it in a different way. When Abraham received
his, he got it through prayer. This seems to be dominant during Abraham’s days
as a leader. He communicated with God mostly thought prayer. When he asked God
for advise on what to do about Hagar and her son, he does it though prayer. When
he asked God about the wicked city of Sodom, he did it in prayer. And finally
when he was about to sacrifice his son, Isaac, he prayed to the Lord. Moses also
talked to God through prayer, but he also got a visual when God took on the form
of the burning bush. When Moses was tending to his flock, “There the angel of
the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. When the Lord saw
that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, Moses!
Moses!” (Exodus 3:2,4). The first time Moses speaks with God, Moses talks to him
in a physical form rather than through prayer. In addition, when Moses was about
to part the Red Sea, he talks to God directly rather than through prayer. God
responds “Why are you crying to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Raise your
staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the
Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground” (Exodus 14:15). Unlike Abraham,
who communicated to God solely through prayer, Moses communicated to God in a
physical form and a direct way, in addition to prayer.
In conclusion, both
Abraham and Moses were great leaders of their people. Moses had the extra burden
of freeing them first, however they both ended up convincing their people to put
their faith in God and lead them properly. As far as their relationship with God
goes, they both had undoubting faith in the end, but Moses had different
relationship with God initially since he questioned himself. Abraham did
everything God told him to without question, including almost having to
sacrifice his son. They both ended up caring out their respective covenants,
both dealing with the promise of a new land filled with glory. The last point is
that they communicated a bit differently with God. Moses talked to God directly,
in the form of a burning bush, and through prayer. Abraham only conversed with
God through prayer. In short, both men of God had many similarities and
differences, in various aspects of their lives and connection with God.