God is saying: Moses, I've got this plan for you, this huge birthright; but Moses trades it in for a bowl that says: I'm not qualified. God is saying: I have this huge plan for you; and he said: yeah, but I got a 'C' in public speaking. Moses is essentially saying: I don't have the skill.
In Judges 6:14-16, the Lord turned to him and said - go in the strength you have, and save Israel out of Midianites hands. Am I not sending you? Gideon asked: But Lord, how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least of my family. The Lord answered: I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites.
The same group of people gets out of slavery; then ends up in slavery again; and God shows up to a man named Gideon. He says: Gideon, I want you to go get all these people free; and Gideon's like: yeah, have you seen my family? They're white-trash (or olive trash)! Like, have you seen where I come from?
I'm the least of the tribes, the least of the clan, the least of the family - this isn't me! Once again, an excuse - so one excuse was: I don't have the skill; the other excuse was: I don't have the heritage.
Jeremiah 1:4-8 - the word of the Lord came to me, saying: before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart. I appointed you as the prophet to the nations. I said: Oh sovereign Lord, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a child; but the Lord said to me: do not say ‘I'm only a child’. You must go to everyone I send you to, and say whatever I command you to. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you, and will rescue you, declares the Lord.
Once again, I have this huge plan for you Jeremiah – huge; but Jeremiah says: yeah, but I don't have the maturity. We're always making excuses. The 'edom, 'edom. How many of us at times have traded everything we could be, for one momentary urge?
Matthew 23, Jesus is mourning over Jerusalem, because Israel was called to be a light to the nations.
Exodus 3 - God chose to rescue these people out of slavery, and put them into freedom; so God's big idea started with taking a group of oppressed, marginalised people, and moving them out of slavery and into freedom.
Isaiah 49:6 says it is a light thing, that I would just forgive you. The heavier thing is you being a light to the nation.
So in Matthew 23:37-39, here's a group of people who have had this huge destiny on their life, to be a light to the nations; but if you know the history of Israel - they didn't do it. They didn't measure up.
Jesus is mourning, and He says: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who have killed the prophets, and stoned those sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen would gather her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! Look! Your houses is now left desolate; you will not see Me again until you say: Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
Israel, I've got this huge plan for you – huge; but you were not willing. You've chosen the bowl, instead of the birthright. You had this huge birthright, but you chose the bowl. You chose the urge to kill the prophets, because they were challenging your thinking. You chose the urge to live for yourself, instead of living for your birthright. You chose the bowl instead of the birthright.
Colossians 3:5-10, Paul says this: Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived; but now you must rid yourself of all such things: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off the old self with its practices, and put on the new self, which is being renewed in the knowledge of the Creator day by day.