THE MATCHLESS MOSES
Charles Olivea
The Urantian Journal of Urantia Brotherhood
Summer, 1979
While Ikhnaton was remarkable, Moses was matchless. "Despite the enticements of the culture of the Nile kingdom, Moses elected to cast his lot with the people of his father ... No leader ever undertook to reform and uplift a more forlorn, downcast, dejected, and ignorant group of human beings." (*1055:6,7) This magnificent world teacher dreamed and realized an impossible dream. Moses chose the low road of forty years of watchful waiting that resulted in the glorious, dramatic rescue of an apparently hopeless people and in the savings of their priceless spiritual heritage. His life will forever serve as a demonstration of how the first will be last and the last will be first.
His life work was characterized by a high standard of excellence and a multi-faceted ability in problem-solving. A Melchizedek described him as being the single ". . most important individual world teacher and leader between the times of Machiventa and Jesus." (*1057:7) A midwayer listed Moses as one of seven of the world's most outstanding human teachers. He was a versatile and adaptable master of human behavior. He combined skills of military leadership, religious teaching, and social organization. This extraordinary set of talents resulted from his successful use of inherited traits. His parentage was an Egyptian-Semitic union, stemming from a highly mixed racial ancestry of good sources. "Had he not been of this mixed type, he would never have displayed that unusual versatility and adaptability which enabled him to manage the diversified horde which eventually became . . . " known as the people of Israel. (*1055:5) Moses was a grand example of what is possible with a hybrid racial mixture based on sound, healthy, superior antecedent biological qualities.
His greatness was achieved by striking a balance between the ideal and the practical. One readily admires the heroic qualities in Moses. But one is moved by the charm of his wisdom, meekness, and faith. He earned respect by matching his actions with his words. Yet, this man of strong purpose knew how to compromise. He was a forceful leader who took the long view. He had a strong mind coupled with a tender heart. He placed work-importance over self-importance. He was sensitive and responsive to real human needs. He made a lasting contribution to the evolution of religion by accommodating the best of the primitive beliefs about God held by his people with the more advanced concepts of God that he offered them. He wisely nationalized his religious teachings. "Other men have had greater concepts of God, but no one man was ever so successful in inducing large numbers of people to adopt such advanced beliefs." (*1009:6)
The bottom line for Moses was the saving faith that can find a way where there is no way. Moses knew that when a person searches for God, he searches for everything; when he finds God, he has found everything. Moses was bold enough to act on the answers to his prayers. The faith of Moses expanded his mind, ennobled his soul, reinforced his personality, augmented his happiness, deepened his spiritual perception, and enhanced his power to love and be loved.
-Charles Laurence Olivea, Watertown, Connecticut
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