MOSES AS A MINISTER OF POLITICO-RELIGIOUS MIXED MINISTRIES.
By Adedokun Nehemiah Adeseun,
BIBLE-BASED BAPTIST CHURCH,Ilero Road, Iganna,Iwajowa Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria.WhatsApp No:- 08066740105Email Address:- seuntunrayodokun@gmail.com
Definition of Bi-Vocational
Bi-Vocational is an adjective word which erupted from the word Bi-Vocation and this word “Bi-Vocation” in a simple term denotes Bi-Profession. This implies two different work or two different occupations or two different jobs which are being practised together by a person. Bi-Vocational simply means “pertaining to Bi-Vocation, or concerning Bi-Vocation”. Now the word “Bi-Vocational” means “anything which is related with two different work or job or occupation”. Bi-Vocational is “of Double occupations”.
The Church Workers of double vocations as Levites are still relevant. The acts of Bi-vocational Church workers has their base in the scriptures because it has been a practice since nearly the beginning of the creation to the era of Jesus Christ and His Apostles, even till this contemporary period, there is manifestation of the practice of double vocations by Pastors and other Church workers as Levites. We should observe a biblical Minister of God that involved in double vocations in their times as below.
HOW MOSES BECAME BI-VOCATIONAL MINISTER OF GOD?
Moses was born in the year 1526 B. C. and he was called into the ministry of God as a leader of Israelites’ nation, and also as the Prophet of Israel around 1447/1446 B. C. when he was at the age of 80-years shepherding his father-in-law (Jethro)’s flocks. Moses was called as a Theocratic leader onto the Israelites as a nation where he served as both political and religious leader (this is Bi-Vocational). The political responsibilities of Moses on Israel were plainly identified for he was called on Israelites by God to act as the Supreme leader or Prime Minister or National President of a country, he was the same leader who served as the Attorney General and Chief Justice of the Israelites’ Federation. Moses was also called to teach morally, socially and religiously.
BIBLICAL MOSES AS A TEACHER
According to the Bible, Moses passed to the Israelites essential moral instructions, taught them civil and ceremonial code designed to transform the Israelites from enslavement and captivity to a godly nation. Moses primarily received the teachings from God on Mount Sinai and documented them all down in the Pentateuch (or Torah) i. e. the first five books of the Bible (which are Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) in his preparation for teaching the Israelites and he delivered the lessons when necessary. The teaching-learning process focused on establishing a unique godly social life in the Israelites’ society based on justice, compassion, and exclusive devotion to God.
Here are the key moral and ethical teachings Moses taught the Israelites:
MOSES TAUGHT THE ISRAELITES’ NATION MORAL FOUNDATION (THE TEN COMMANDMENTS)
Exactly as the God taught Moses the moral rules and regulations, Moses taught the Israelites. The moral rules and regulations based on the Israelites’ relationship with God and relationship between an Israelite and his or her neighbours were also taught as follows:-
As a religious Teacher, Moses taught the Israelites what to do to sustain healthy relationship with God and how mankind could be guided through a set of principles to establish cordial, mutual and godly relationship within each others (Exodus 20: 3 – 8, 22 – 26). And again,
Devotion to God: Moses taught the Israelites to Deny and Prohibit idolatry and acknowledge God’s name.
The Sabbath: He commanded the Israelites to rest and honor the Lord on the seventh day (Saturday) of each week.
Separation from Sin: Following the idolatry of the golden calf, in his teaching, Moses insisted that the Israelites should be warned and separate themselves from corrupting influences to maintain the covenant with God.
In Exodus 20: 9 – 17, Moses taught Israelites Social and Morals as a School Teacher.
Love for Neighbours and Social Justice
This is social studies which has to do with peaceful and friendship living for individual welfare within the family and society as a whole as follow:-
Loving Neighbours – a Must in Israel:- This was a content among others in Moses’ teaching. In the book of Leviticus (Leviticus 19:18), Moses clearly and strictly mandated the Israelites to live healthy and harmonious life with their neighbours. The statement “love your neighbor as yourself (Exodus 20: 13 – 17),” which Moses emphasis in his teaching was a guide for interpersonal relationship with one another in the Israelites’ society.
Care for the Weak:- Moses teaching of the Ten Commandments of God mandated that the Israelites should take care of the less-privileged ones among the Israelites like the poor, strangers (foreigners), the widows and the orphans (Exodus 22: 22 – 23, Deuteronomy 10: 17 – 18).
Fair Justice: As the Israelites’ Nation leader, Moses compelled the Israelites to have a set of people as judges and instructed all the Israelites’ selected judges to be impartial, forbidding bribery and ensuring that both native Israelites and foreigners received equal justice (Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy).
Social Morality: Commands prohibition of humans’ killing (or murdering), theft (stealing), adultery (unlawful sexual-intercourse) lying (false witness), and coveting (Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy).
Personal Hygiene and Ritual Holiness:- “Be Holy as God is Holy” Moses reminded the Israelites in his teaching that God is Holy and because God is holy, the Israelites must also be holy in their daily lives, that Israelites must always be spiritually and physically hygienic which included dietary laws (clean/unclean), sexual morality, and honest business dealings.
Integrity and Obedience (Commitment within): Moses taught that obedience was not merely external compliance but required a heart devoted to God.
Moses instructed the Israelites to love God with all their heart, soul, and strength, by keeping the commandments of God in their hearts and they should be passing the commandments from one generation to another as their traditions these commandments should be diligently taught to the Israelites’ children (Deuteronomy 6), Moses instructed.
Moses’ teachings were meant to set Israel apart as a extra ordinary nation from other nations, making them a “kingdom of priests” that reflected God’s character through their righteous living. Moses taught the Israelites that the law was not just ritualistic but required ethical behavior toward others, often elevating the rights of the vulnerable.
MOSES SERVED THE ISRAELITES’ NATION AS NATIONAL LEADER. While he was Political Leader in Israel, he was also the Supreme Prophet in the same land of Israel. Moses was the Israelites’ teacher who always taught them as God directed him. One could now understand that the social and moral teachings which are now rampant in the secular schools today are originated from no other source but from the teachings of Moses. So, immediately after the liberation of the Israelites from the captivity of Egypt, Moses is found as pioneer teacher of Hebrew while the MOST-HIGH is seen as the Pioneer Headteacher in the midst of Hebrew. This implies that teachers (even the secular school teachers) are ministers of God. And again, Moses worked as an Attorney General and Chief Justice of the Israelites’ Nation (Exodus 18: 1- 22). Therefore, Moses was identified as a God’s Minister in the Mixed Ministries (or a Multi-ministry Minister).
By
Adedokun Nehemiah Adeseun,
BIBLE-BASED BAPTIST CHURCH,
Ilero Road, Iganna,
Iwajowa Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria.
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