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Moses,
The Leader Lacking
Leadership

By Andrew Noble
February 2, 2010
RS 112/JS 130
Student Number -
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Introduction

Was Moses a good political leader? The answer may never be

established. The Biblical texts surrounding Moses are many, but leave gaps.

We are stuck wondering about his childhood, his relations to his Hebrew

family while in Egypt, and also his leadership qualities. Moses may be one of

the most influential political leaders of all time. He negotiated with Pharaoh

of Egypt, the equivalent of the President of the United States in our day.

Religions continue to look back to Moses as a leader of the religion. But is it

deserved? Was Moses a good leader?

Before I go into my impression of Moses’ leadership, it’s important to

step back and ask what makes a good leader. Many books have been written

on leadership, and rely more on opinion than fact. Two things seem

consistent; leaders are formed by their circumstances, and are established

by their qualities. Specifically, two circumstances create leaders. One of

those is the growth through events, the other is having followers. Also, key

Biblical leadership qualities include courage and humility. Over the course of

this paper, I will discuss Moses’ leadership on the basis of these themes. I

hope to reveal that Moses is a meek man with a lack of abilities, used by God

to lead Israel despite the circumstances surrounding him.

Circumstances - Events

Events that occur in a person’s life shape their characteristics,

including their leadership. Although we don’t have many events of Moses’

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life to draw from, we can look at Exodus 2 to pull out any pertaining

information. Similar to the thoughts of Visotzky, we assume that the

storyteller of Exodus judges these details “relevant to Moses’ growth as the

future leader of Israel” (Visotzky, pg 57). Moses has an odd childhood. He is

born as part of Israel in the house of Levi, and gets brought into the

Pharaoh’s home at an early age (Exodus 2). Moses becomes Pharaoh’s

daughter’s son, but is also is an Israelite. This event gives Moses an ability to

view and judge both the Hebrews and the Egyptians. Moses obtains a duel

identity, which becomes a problem when he grows up.

When Moses grows up, he went out to “his people” and looked on their

burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of “his people.”

Although the storyteller of Exodus notifies us that Moses became part of the

royal family, Moses has identity with the Hebrews. Moses kills the Egyptian,

and hides him in the sand. The likely reason for this is because Moses

appears to be scared, and although seeking justice, he does so in a weak

manner (more on Moses’ courage and humility later). This event was not

hidden enough, for the Hebrews knew of it the next day which eventually led

to a death sentence for Moses (Exodus 2:15). The circumstance that Moses

found himself in, was because of the event of his childhood. He identified

with two very distinct peoples, and looked to create justice in both of them

(beatings for striking, struggling for argument.) The problem does not appear

to be with Moses, but the people. Neither of them can see the world from

both sides like Moses can. This event, creating the circumstance of a duel
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identity, allows Moses to be a fair leader over the people. The reading of

Exodus 2:11-15 has the reader feeling sympathy for Moses, and not much for

the Hebrews or Egyptians. From an ethical standpoint, Moses is attempting

to create equality. He may not do this in the right manner according to a

modern perspective, but according to the Torah, his bruise for bruise

mentality aligns with the Sacred texts in Exodus 21:23-25. The event of

Moses’ upbringing allowed him to be a fair leader and judge.

But did this event really make Moses more of a leader? Upon further

inspection, the Hebrews said to Moses “Who made you a prince and a judge

over us?”. Instead of having a duel identity, Moses had no identity! With no

Egyptian or Hebrew friends, he appeals to God later and says “Who am I that

I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus

3:11). Who is he? An Egyptian of the royal family? A humble Hebrew? I make

this counter-argument not to contradict my previous point, but to show how

the event that could have been used to become a good leader actually did

the opposite. This is proven because no one follows Moses into his journey.

Without a following, you are not a leader.

Circumstances – Followers

First, people didn’t follow Moses when he killed the Egyptian and tried

to sort out the argument between the Hebrew men. Second, the people

didn’t immediately follow Moses when he came back to Egypt – “They did not

listen to Moses” (Exodus 6:9). Third, the people quickly turned away from
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Moses to a gold calf and Aaron (Exodus 32). Fourth, in the wilderness the

people want to chose their own leader and continually complain about

Moses’ leadership (Numbers 14:1-4). Moses was stuck leading a bunch of

people who didn’t want to follow him.

A modern political leader in the western world must have the same

desires as the common-man. In the democratic world, the people get their

say, and a good leader represents the people’s opinion. This is like Aaron in

Exodus 32, he works alongside the people. However, Wildavsky points out,

“because he takes the people only where they would have gone anyways,

Aaron wields no power. (pg 107)” Moses does care for the people, and

defends them against the wrath of God, but the people don’t often see that.

The Hebrews simply “do not know what has become of [Moses]” (Exodus

32:1) so they create a golden calf with Aaron. Who’s fault is this? The sin lies

on the people, but where was Moses’ leadership? Wildavsky considers the

golden calf a “consequence of purely passive leadership. (110)” I would

agree. Talking to God is important, but solely talking to God and leaving His

people is contradictory. Moses does intercede for the people, but he fails to

lead them well. His intercession had great potential for successful leadership,

but the lack of followers proved to show the lack of a leader and leadership

qualities.

Leadership Qualities – Courage

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Martin Luther King had a dream, Moses had a vision. Star Trek goes

where no man has gone before, Moses does what no Hebrew thought would

happen. Obama promises change you can believe in, Moses promises a God

who preserves His covenant. Leaders are intrinsically tied to casting a

courageous vision. They have courage and unashamedly pursue their goals.

Moses stands up for justice in Exodus 2, and stands up to the King of Egypt

saying “Let my people go.” Inspiring vision right? Wrong. This is just another

example of a seemingly good leadership quality gone wrong. Moses lacks

courage, we often see him scared. Casting vision? Moses can barely

complete sentences.

Imagine President Obama, or Martin Luther King with a stutter. It just

doesn’t fit. Courageous leaders over the years normally speak well; God

spoke the world into existence (Genesis 1), Ezra preached the Law

(Nehemiah 8), Jeremiah was given words for the people (Jeremiah 1:9), Jesus

Christ proclaimed “the gospel of God” (Matthew 1:15), Ghandi inspired unity

with his “Quit India” speech, and Martin Luther King brought change with the

words “I have a dream.” All these courageous leaders were great speakers.

Moses however wasn’t eloquent, and was slow of speech and of tongue

(Exodus 4:10). After God insists Moses to still go to Egypt, Moses again

pleads with God cowardly “Please send someone else” (Exodus 4:13).

Moses was also cowardly when he first grew up in Egypt. He has the

guts to kill a man, but does so with no one watching and hides the body. He
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becomes scared when other people find out and runs away in fear. It’s

important to note that Moses may have confidence when not in crowds; like

killing the man, speaking to the Hebrews, and approaching the burning bush.

But Moses becomes scared when it comes to being around and leading other people. Not

only is Moses not a courageous leader, but he doesn’t want to be one either!

Leadership Quality – Humility

Although our modern culture may not esteem humility as an important quality of a

leader, the Hebrew Bible does. God guides the humble (Psalm 25:9), and forgives the sin of the

humble (2 Chronicles 7:14). Humility comes with wisdom (Proverbs 11:2), is honoured

(Proverbs 18:12, 29:23). Moses was apparently very meek (some translations “humble”), more

than any of the man on the earth (Numbers 12:3). Now on this basis it does appear to be a quality

that God would want to raise up.

Along with Moses’ lack of courage, comes humility. Although it appears like much of

Moses’ so called humility can be traced back to his fear and lack of courage, he still shows that

he thinks lowly of himself. He considers himself God’s servant alongside his inability to speak

(Exodus 4:10). However, Moses still stands up to God and tells God to relent of his action

(Exodus 32). Moses doesn’t simply accept God’s will, he wants to change it. However, the

conversation in Exodus 32 shapes a basis for Moses later on. Knowing how angry God was, he

gets angry with the people later. It seems like God could have been putting Moses through a

teaching phase. A teaching phase required because God needs to work through Moses’ humility

to give glory to Himself.

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The God of the Hebrew Bible is concerned with His reputation. His reputation is one of

the reasons that God decides to relent from the disaster. The storyline seems to want a big God,

and a small man. This is why the storytelling makes Moses so humble and meek. This is

precisely what the God character would want to use. A humble man won’t take credit and glory,

but hand it over to God.

Conclusion

God wants to use the lowly to make Himself higher. Moses’ leadership qualities can be

interpreted a number of ways, because of the lack of information. But I believe that Moses needs

to be trained into a leader rather than simply become one. God needs to talk to him, help him,

remind him, and do miracles for Moses as time goes on and God turns Moses into a better leader.

However the training doesn’t produce desired results, and God continues to get frustrated over

the Hebrews. The enter the promised land, but it’s only a matter of a few generations until they

are excelled under Solomon.

Moses appeared to have beneficial leadership qualities. He appeared to be given two

identities – Hebrew and Egyptians – in order to give him the grounds of fairness to release the

Hebrews. However this led to Moses lacking any identity, forcing him to run away as a

sojourner. Moses didn’t have faithful followers despite his many acts of redeeming Israel. The

recurring theme of being a “stiff-necked people” is what Moses receives – instead of followers.

Additionally, Moses is a coward who runs away but also a humble man who obeys God’s

commands (normally). Moses is unwillingly to do the task, but humbly empties himself in order

to be honoured by God. He runs away from men, but cannot run away from God, and therefore

runs back to redeem the men.

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The point of the story of Moses is not to see Moses, it is to see God working through an

intercessor to rescue and discipline His people. God works through humble Moses, and Moses

accepts God’s laws and cares for God’s people – even if from a distance. Moses is not the ideal

leader, and he’s not a good leader. But he is the right leader for the job, not because of his

circumstances and courage, but despite his circumstances and courage. It was not some ancient

form of leadership, but rather a humble man, along with a powerful God.
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References

Visotzky, B., “The Fugitive” from The Road to Redemption, Pp. 55-65, Crown
Publishing Group, 1998.

Wildavsky, A., “A dialogue against death” from The nursing father: Moses as a
political leader, Pp. 99
115, U Alabama Press, 1984.