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So, how many times can one person make excuses to God before the Almighty gets fed up? Apparently, the answer is four–you may come up with some lame excuse four times, but the fifth time might be too many. Well, at least that’s how it worked for Moses.

Have you heard the story of the burning bush–the one that didn’t burn up? If not, I recommend reading Exodus 3 and 4. That’s the bush God called Moses from. The Almighty had a mission for the eighty-year-old Hebrew runaway, but even a bush that wouldn’t be consumed by fire was not enough of a sign for Jochebed’s son.

Moses’ excuses begin in Exodus 3:11

¹⁰ [God Said] “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

^11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

My response would have been, “The guy who lived in the palace for forty years. They treat you like family, get back there.” But God was more patient. He let Moses pose excuse number two as a question.

^13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

^14 God said to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I Am has sent me to you.’”

Everyone can see Moses is using stall tactics. You’d think God revealing a name He had never told His people before might have been motivation for Moses to head back to Pharaoh. But God knew the fear in Moses’ heart, so the Sovereign King elaborated. He told Moses exactly how it would go down. Pharaoh would push back, but in the end the Israelites would plunder Egypt. That should be enough information for anyone. Well, not Moses.

If you turn to chapter four, you see the excuses continue:

¹ Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”

That sounds like a legit question. Yahweh must have thought so too because He gave the timid man two miracles to show the leaders of his tribe. Moses has run out of reasons the Israelites might not listen. So his fourth excuse assumes God hasn’t noticed his slight handicap.

^10 Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

Does he stutter? Is he soft-spoken? Maybe he has a weird accent after being raised by his Hebrew mother until he was weaned and then by the Egyptian princess for more than thirty years and now living in Midian for another forty. Perhaps he’s afraid he’s forgotten some of Egypt’s dialect. Whatever it is, God’s got it covered.

^11 The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? ^12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

And with no excuses left, the truth finally comes out.

^13 But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”

Moses just doesn’t want to go. He’s become comfortable in Midian. He’s eighty years old. Did God really want him to leave his wife and two young boys?

Obviously God did.

^14 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. ^15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. ^16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. ^17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”

We don’t often see the Trinity angry in scripture. But I’m convinced one of His primary triggers is “I don’t want to, get someone else.” He’ll comfort us when we don’t feel like we’re enough. He’ll give us encouragement when our handicaps, impediments, and shortcomings make us feel inadequate. It might be that Moses hadn’t reached the limit on excuses. But what can God do with, “I don’t want to”?

In Moses’ case, God had that worked out, too. Aaron would help his little brother.

I’m a firm believer that God doesn’t mess with free-will. So I think He knew Moses’ heart. He understood that the first leader of Israel would be timid. Later scriptures tell us he was the most humble man that ever lived. If Moses had decided to run when he returned to his father-in-law to get permission to leave, God would have let him go. A big fish may have come along to help him change his mind–and the consequences of disobedience are an entirely different study–but just like the Almighty didn’t stop Jonah from running away, God would have let Moses flee.

God knows your heart. He understands your reservations. But what if He has miracles to show you and a sea to part before you eyes? Do you want to miss that? When God tells you to go, get the answers you legitimately need and go. You don’t want to miss His blessings or disappoint Him, and you certainly don’t want to stir up His anger.