That’s an interesting question.  Let’s look at that exchange between Moses and the Lord.  It was in Exodus, chapter three that we find Moses keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, who was a priest in Midian.  The Lord spoke to Moses out of a burning bush, and He said to him in verses 9-10, “Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.”  The Lord had compassion on the sufferings of His people and chose Moses to go to Pharoah with the message to let His people go free from their slavery in Egypt.

It seems that Moses immediately began to make excuses as to why he should not do this work the Lord had called him to do. 

  • “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Verse 11).
  • “Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?” (Verse 13).  
  • “But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.” (Exodus 4:1). 
  • “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” (Verse 10). 

With all these excuses, the Lord acted to assure Moses that He would be with him in all He sent him to do. 

Did Moses not have faith in the Lord?  Of course he did!  We read of Moses in Hebrews 11:24-26, “BY FAITH Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.”  Yet, when the Lord called him into service, Moses hesitated greatly.  In all the excuses he gave the Lord, it is evident Moses had his eyes upon himself and all his inadequacies instead of on the Lord and His great assurances.  Isn’t that true of many today?  The Lord wants to use us in a particular service, but we look at our own shortcomings instead of the One who can strengthen us to do ALL THINGS.  May we live in the same assurance the Apostle Paul had when he wrote, “I can do ALL THINGS through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13). 

Why didn’t the Lord heal Moses of his speech impediment?  Well, the Lord did assure Moses that he would be able to speak properly because God would speak through him as we read in Exodus 4:11-12, “And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? Now therefore go, and I WILL BE WITH THY MOUTH, and teach thee what thou shalt say.”  What a great promise the Lord offered to Moses!  I’m reminded of the Lord’s words to His people in Psalm 81:10, “I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: OPEN THY MOUTH WIDE, AND I WILL FILL IT.” 

Still, at this point, Moses looked at and doubted his own ability.  In the face of the Lord’s assuring promise, Moses responded to the Lord by saying, “…O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.” (Exodus 4:13).  “Send someone else” was the plea of Moses to the Lord.  Was this humility?  I think not.  It was the inability of someone to completely rely upon the Lord to do what He says He will do.  We can contrast that with the faith of Abraham of whom it was written in Romans 4:21, “And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”

It was at this point of Moses’ rejection of the Lord’s promise that we read in Exodus 4:14-16, “And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.”  The Lord would still use Moses greatly, but because of his initial reluctance to trust the Lord, Aaron was chosen to be one the Lord would use.  So…the Lord would give a message to Moses, he would share that with Aaron, and Aaron would speak to the Israelites. 

In spite of his failures, the Lord still used Moses greatly and still commended him for his faithfulness as we read in Numbers 12:7, “My servant Moses…is faithful in all mine house.”  (CC)  (710.2)