Do you detect a hint of irritation here on God's part? Is

HaShem: literally, Hebrew for 'The Name' - an allusion used to avoid pronouncing the Tetragrammaton, the so-called 'ineffable' name of G–d

Sforno: Rabbi Ovadiah Sforno (1470-1550CE), Italian rabbi, philosopher and physician; born in Cesena, he went to Rome to study medicine; left in 1525 and after some years of travel, settled in Bolgna where he founded a yeshiva which he conducted until his death

So perhaps the issue here is with Moshe, rather than with G-d. Moshe is having a leadership crisis and is not certain that he has what it takes to lead the people through their fears and doubts. Did the people have a problem? Certainly, you only have to read their conversation in the previous verses (v11-12) to know that they had effectively lost it. Although Moshe makes the right response (v13-14) pointing to G-d's promises and abilities to deliver the people, his own faith is sufficiently shaken that HaShem has to take a firm line to snap Moshe out of his self-doubt and get him back on track; the people have gone to pieces and G-d can't allow his leader to go the same way. So although neither Moshe nor the people are directly recorded as crying out to G-d, He steps in and gives Moshe a fairly sharp set of instructions about what he is to do and what G-d is about to do.

There comes a time in each of our lives when prevarication and delay, the so-called "waiting upon the L-rd", is not only damaging to us and those around us, but contrary to G-d's will. Elijah the prophet challenged the people of Israel on Mt. Carmel: "How long are you going to jump back and forth between two positions?" (1 Kings 18:21, CJB); in the letter to the community in Laodicea, Yeshua said, "You are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were either one or the other!" (Revelation 3:15, CJB). Ya'akov in his letter sums it up: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask G-d ... but let him ask in trust, doubting nothing for the doubter ... should not think that he will receive anything from the L-rd, for he is double minded, unstable in all his ways" (Ya'akov 1:5-8, CJB). Having asked, do it!

Further Study: Proverbs 3:5-7; Romans 14:22-23

Application: Are you debating a big decision at the moment and seeking the L-rd as to what you should do? When you have taken counsel and advice from trustworthy people, you must act. You cannot delay indefinitely, waiting for one more confirmation - you just have to do it.

© Jonathan Allen, 2006