MOSES CALLED THE SHOTS
Written in 2009
by Tony Alamo
aka Bernie Hoffman
On the night of the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt, Moses took the decisive lead. In other words, Moses began “calling the shots,” and because of this fact, he was responsible for directing the entire nation of Israel. Thereafter, Moses is usually mentioned as being alone insofar as calling the shots. Moses, with divine direction or guidance, didn’t lead the children of Israel the shortest way or the closest way to the Promised Land. GOD did not lead them through the country of the Philistines lest, being opposed by this warlike people, the Israelites should be afraid and discouraged and turn back to Egypt.1 So, GOD led the people around by way of the wilderness to the Red Sea, through which the Israelites passed in safety, while the hosts of Pharaoh’s soldiers perished under its waves.2
On the journey to Mount Sinai, Moses led Israel through Marah, where the LORD made the poisonous, bitter waters miraculously drinkable and sweet;3 through Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees;4 through the wilderness of Sin, where the people murmured for lack of bread and were supernaturally supplied with quail and manna;5 and through Rephidim, where the rock in Horeb, smitten by Moses, brought forth water for all to drink.6 This is where the hands of Moses, upheld by Aaron and Hur, inspired the Israelites with courage, and GOD gave them victory against the Amalekites (Exodus 17:8-16).
“And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun” (Exodus 17:11-12). Moses and the children of Israel did not surrender to the Amalekites, but with GOD, they destroyed them. This was where Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought his wife and two sons from Midian to be reunited with Moses (Exodus 18:1-6).
When the Israelites arrived at Mount Sinai, Moses responded to the call of the LORD GOD and went up the mountain of GOD, where he received the message telling the people to prepare for divine communication.7 GOD HIMSELF met them there. As the one who called the shots, Moses led the people to the foot of the mountain on the third day as the LORD commanded, where he received the Ten Commandments. “And [GOD] gave unto Moses, when HE had made an end of communing with him upon Mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of GOD” (Exodus 31:18).
Moses then conducted the ceremony of ratifying the covenant, reading all the words of the LORD8 and all the ordinances of GOD, to the people—not the laws of California, New York, or any other anti-GOD state, or country, and not any antichrist law that is contrary to the laws given by GOD HIMSELF.9
Moses stayed on the mountain with GOD forty days and forty nights, fasting without food or water,10 receiving the plans of the sanctuary and the details for the worship of GOD11 as well as the two tablets of enduring stone with the Ten Commandments.12
In Exodus chapter 32, there is a vivid description of the righteous indignation of Moses due to Israel’s sin in their worship of the golden calf, which led him to destroy the first set of tablets of stone in anger, and call for volunteers to kill the idolaters.13
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: Now therefore let ME alone, that MY wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. And Moses besought the LORD his GOD, and said, LORD, why doth THY wrath wax hot against THY people, which THOU hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did HE bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from THY fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against THY people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, THY servants, to whom THOU swarest by THINE own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. And the LORD repented of the evil which HE thought to do unto HIS people” (Exodus 32:7-14). Moses was zealous in his role as mediator between GOD and the congregation of Israel.
The glory of GOD was revealed to Moses,14 and the tablets of the law were renewed.15 GOD made a covenant with Israel,16 and after a second fast of forty days and nights without food and water upon the mountain, Moses returned to the people. He covered his face with a veil, as his time before GOD caused his face to shine and the people were afraid to come near him.17
Moses then supervised the construction of the tabernacle and its preparation for worship.18 He received the statutes of Israel for the congregation of GOD and consecrated Aaron and his sons for the priesthood. He gave further regulations to the Israelites (Leviticus chapters 1-27).
After this, Moses numbered the people, and arranged the orders of the tribes in the camp and on the march, and numbered the Levites, arranging for their special calling (Numbers chapters 1-4). Then he gave directions in respect to unclean persons, trespasses, and Nazarites, received the dedicatory gifts from the princes of the tribes, consecrated the Levites, and prepared for their continuing journey (Numbers chapters 5-10).
On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year of their journey from Egypt, the cloud of GOD lifted from the tabernacle, which was the sign that the time to leave Sinai had come. “For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys” (Exodus 40:38). Moses accordingly (once again calling the shots) gave the order to march, and six hundred thousand men, at least as many women, and probably many more children, moved forward (Numbers 10:11-33).
By prayer, Moses secured the quenching of the fire at Taberah. “And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and HIS anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched. And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them” (Numbers 11:1-3).
The WORD of GOD records Moses’ complaint to GOD of his burden of the murmuring congregation and the subsequent appointment of seventy elders to assist him in calling the shots.19 It also records the sedition of Miriam and Aaron,20 the sending out of the spies,21 the rebellion of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram,22 the deaths of Miriam and Aaron, and the striking of the rock at Meribah.23
The WORD of GOD states, “The man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). “And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend” (Exodus 33:8-11). Moses faithfully followed GOD’S directions except for one instance. Moses was so fed up with the ungrateful, complaining, unbelieving congregation that he did not follow exactly what GOD commanded him to do. As King David said, “They angered HIM also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes” (Psalm 106:32).
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink. And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as HE commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed ME not, to sanctify ME in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them” (Numbers 20:7-12).
Moses was to bring forth water from the rock by speaking to it. In Rephidim, at an earlier date, Moses was to hit the rock once which brought forth water.24 The rock represented JESUS the CHRIST. HE is the ROCK (1 Corinthians 10:4). This was to symbolize the LORD, the MESSIAH, being sacrificed for us once and for all time. So, he was only supposed to speak to the rock this time to bring forth water. To hit the rock again, twice, was showing that GOD’S one-time sacrifice for us was not sufficient for all humanity for all time, as it truly is.
So, after all that Moses went through for forty years on the desert to bring the people of Israel to the land GOD gave them, God did not allow him to enter that land.
At 120 years of age, Moses gave his farewell address.25 Within his final address, he relayed this most important warning: “The LORD said to me, ...I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put MY words in HIS mouth; and HE shall speak unto them all that I shall command HIM. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto MY words which HE shall speak in MY name, I will require it of him” (Deuteronomy 18:17-19). This and hundreds of other prophecies in the Old Testament alerted the people of Israel and the generations to come to watch for the arrival of the MESSIAH, JESUS.26
“And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated” (Deuteronomy 34:7). He never stepped foot into the land of promise, but the LORD allowed him to look at it from the summit of Mount Nebo, where he then died.
Moses died at 120 years of age,27 but the work of GOD continues in the New Testament, and the New Testament continues till the end of time, which is soon. Satan, the devil, and the evil angels that follow him have tried to stop the people of GOD who are bringing the Gospel to the world, but we are still here, and if we are martyred for the Gospel or die, the WORD of GOD will continue.28 Those who believe and continue on in the LORD to the end shall be saved and live forever,29 and those who doubt and persecute Christians shall be damned forever in the suffering, the pain, and the torment of Hell, and finally in the Lake of Fire.30
Joshua called the shots after Moses, and the born-of-the-SPIRIT church, the body of JESUS, carries on today. Since JESUS ascended into Heaven, HE sent the HOLY SPIRIT to live within all believers. We walk in the SPIRIT, which means we never die because the HOLY SPIRIT, the life of GOD, the LORD in us, never dies.31
The worldwide antichrist government says those of us who call the shots as GOD commands us to do, are evil. However, we obey GOD, and HE gives us the wisdom to run our congregations by appointing elders and others, as Moses did (Acts 5:29). An opposing attorney said, “It’s alright to read the Bible, but not to do what it says.” According to GOD’S law, this disobedience would be as the sin of witchcraft. “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23).
Faith without works is void, dead.32 Have faith in GOD, and live.33 Become born again of the HOLY SPIRIT and be saved, so that HE can administer HIMSELF, HIS righteousness and power into you, thus enabling you to do HIS work, HIS will. You can then serve GOD with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength as HE commands us to do.34 Start your new life in GOD now with this prayer:
Prayer
My LORD and my GOD, have mercy upon my soul, a sinner. 1 I believe that JESUS CHRIST is the SON of the living GOD. 2 I believe that HE died on the cross and shed HIS precious blood for the forgiveness of all my former sins. 3 I believe that GOD raised JESUS from the dead by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT 4 and that HE sits on the right hand of GOD at this moment, hearing my confession of sin and this prayer. 5 I open up the door of my heart, and I invite YOU into my heart, LORD JESUS. 6 Wash all of my filthy sins away in the precious blood that YOU shed in my place on the cross at Calvary. 7 YOU will not turn me away, LORD JESUS; YOU will forgive my sins and save my soul. I know because YOUR WORD, the Bible, says so. 8 YOUR WORD says that YOU will turn no one away, and that includes me. 9 Therefore, I know that YOU have heard me, and I know that YOU have answered me, and I know that I am saved. 10 And I thank YOU, LORD JESUS, for saving my soul, and I will show my thankfulness by doing as YOU command and sin no more.11
After salvation, JESUS said to be baptized, fully submerged in water, in the name of the FATHER, and of the SON, and of the HOLY SPIRIT.12 Then study the King James Version Bible, and, for your benefit and the benefit of others, do what it says.13
CHRIST and GOD the FATHER now live in you through the HOLY SPIRIT. There is a way you can receive a fuller portion of the divine nature of GOD in you. The more the divine nature of GOD lives in you, the more you will be able to stand against the temptations that have so easily moved so many millions of Christians away from salvation. Pray for the baptism in the HOLY SPIRIT.14 For instructions on how to receive the baptism in the HOLY SPIRIT and to receive more of GOD’S holy nature, ask for our literature or call. For without holiness, no man shall see GOD (Hebrews 12:14).
The LORD wants you to tell others of your salvation (Mark 16:15). You can become a distributor of Pastor Tony Alamo’s Gospel literature. We’ll send you literature free of charge. Call or email us for more information. Share this message with someone else.
If you want the world saved, as JESUS commands, then don’t rob GOD of HIS tithes and offerings. GOD said, “Will a man rob GOD? Yet ye have robbed ME. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed THEE? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed ME, even this whole nation [and this whole world]. Bring ye all the tithes [a ‘tithe’ is 10% of your gross income] into the storehouse, that there may be meat [Spiritual food] in MINE house [souls saved], and prove ME now herewith, saith the LORD of HOSTS, if I will not open you the windows of Heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of HOSTS. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of HOSTS” (Malachi 3:8-12).
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footnotes:
2. Ex. 14:21-30, 15:4, Psa. 78:51-53, 106:7-11, 136:15, Heb. 11:29 return
26. Psa. 78:2, Isa. 7:14, 35:4-6, 42:6-7, chap. 53, 61:1-3, Dan. 9:24-26, Hos. 11:1, Mic. 5:2, Zech. 11:12-13, Mal. 3:1 return
28. Isa. 40:8, 2 Tim. 2:9, 1 Pet. 1:23-25 return
29. Matt. 19:29, John 3:15, 6:27, 8:31, Acts 14:22, Rom. 11:22, 1 Tim. 4:16, James 1:25, Rev. 22:15 return
30. Matt. 10:28, 23:33, 25:46, Mark 3:29, 16:16, Luke 16:19-31, Rom. 14:23, 2 Thes. 2:12, 2 Pet. 2:1-9, Rev. 20:15, 22:15 return
34. Deut. 4:29, 6:5, 10:12-13, 30:2, 6, Josh. 22:5, 2 Kings 23:3, 2 Chron. 15:12, Matt. 22:37, Mark 12:30 return
Prayer footnotes:
1. Psa. 51:5, Rom. 3:10-12, 23 return
2. Matt. 26:63-64, 27:54, Luke 1:30-33, John 9:35-37, Rom. 1:3-4 return
3. Acts 4:12, 20:28, Rom. 3:25, I John 1:7, Rev. 5:9 return
4. Psa. 16:9-10, Matt. 28:5-7, Mark 16:9, 12, 14, John 2:19, 21, 10:17-18, 11:25, Acts 2:24, 3:15, Rom. 8:11, I Cor. 15:3-7 return
5. Luke 22:69, Acts 2:25-36, Heb. 10:12-13 return
6. I Cor. 3:16, Rev. 3:20 return
7. Eph. 2:13-22, Heb. 9:22, 13:12, 20-21, I John 1:7, Rev. 1:5, 7:14 return
8. Matt. 26:28, Acts 2:21, 4:12, Eph. 1:7, Col. 1:14 return
9. Matt. 21:22, John 6:35, 37-40, Rom. 10:13 return
10. Heb. 11:6 return
11. John 5:14, 8:11, Rom. 6:4, I Cor. 15:10, Rev. 7:14, 22:14 return
12. Matt. 28:18-20, John 3:5, Acts 2:38, 19:3-5 return
13. Deut. 4:29, 13:4, 26:16, Josh. 1:8, 22:5, 2 Tim. 2:15, 3:14-17, James 1:22-25, Rev. 3:18 return
14. Isa. 28:11-12, Joel 2:28-29, Luke 3:16, 11:9-13, John 1:29-34, 7:37-39, 14:15-29, 15:26, 16:7-14, Acts 1:1-8, 2:1-18, 32-39, 5:29-32, 19:1-7, Rom. 5:3-5, 15:13 return