ANALYSING THE ANALYTICAL MIND OF MOSES
MOSES: The Analytical Melancholy
Throughout this month, we’re taking a closer look into a few of the great Biblical leaders. And this week’s focus is Moses.
To gain a full understanding of Moses’ influence, we need to look at more than just his background. We must take into account the behavioral characteristics and personality traits that were clear throughout his calling.
It’s believed that Moses had an analytical mind and Egypt was a key contributor to this attribute. Egypt was the superpower of that day and Moses was at its centre. It was a hub of commerce and trade, so the world was at Moses’ doorstep.
As we read in Acts 7, “Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians…” (7:22)
Egyptians were intelligent.
Egyptians were some of the first people to explore complex sciences and mathematics. One commentary at BibleHub.com describes it this way:
“Egypt was one of the most academic and scientific societies among ancient cultures. It is reasonable to think that Moses was instructed in geography, history, grammar, writing, literature, philosophy, and music.” (BibleHub.com/Commentaries/Guzik/Commentaries/0202)
Bottom line, Moses was a smart guy.
Pharaoh’s court was likely not a place for knuckleheads.
There are those who crave learning and love the academic world, and those who endure a few lessons to get by and figure the rest out on their own. I don’t think Moses could have lasted 40 years as the adopted Hebrew kid unless he had some value as an active, participating learner.
Scripture seems to show that Moses picked up on Egyptian wisdom pretty well. And God used his wisdom in one of the mightiest of ways.
God led Moses to write the Pentateuch.
Also known as the Torah, these are the foundational first books of the Bible:
Without a doubt, these books contain some really exciting writing. But these books also contain some passages that only an analytical mind could love.
A Couple of Examples
In Genesis 10 and 11, God leads Moses to record the first family tree. “So and so were the sons of so and so, who were the sons of so and so…” (Paraphrasing of course.)
What about the book of Leviticus containing the Levitical Law? “Here’s how you do a burnt offering. Here’s how you do a grain offering. Here’s how you do a fellowship offering. Here’s how you do a sin offering.” (Again, paraphrasing.)
I’m telling you; Moses was the perfect man to carry out this tedious, analytical task.
What if Peter had been chosen?
Can you imagine if God chose a guy like Peter to write these books?
“So and so were the sons of so and so…who were farmers, which reminds me, I need to go to the market to pick up some grain…What? New scroll.”
Joking Aside
The people who God led to write Scripture are as varied as you and I. Some Believers crave analytical passages like genealogies and law, and feel connected to God through the intricate details of His plan and process.
Furthermore, these folks help people like me, see God’s power, grace and purpose through these less than action-packed sections of Scripture.
Either way, Moses and his well-educated, analytical mind, was a great choice to write these passages.
CAN I GET YOUR FEEDBACK?
Moses wrote the Pentateuch (first 5 books of the Bible). How have these foundational writings affected your faith and relationship with the Lord?
Please comment below or share your answer on Facebook or Twitter.
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