Moses expected the Israelites to recognize him as God's chosen deliverer and to understand that God would use his hand to lead them out of Egyptian bondage.
According to Acts 7:25, Moses supposed his brethren would have understood that God by his hand would deliver them, but they understood not. Les Feldick emphasizes that Moses, as the second most powerful man in Egypt, sincerely believed he could lead his kinsmen out of slavery, yet Israel would not accept him.
Acts 7:25 — This verse directly answers the question: Moses supposed his brethren would understand God's hand of deliverance through him, but they did not.
In Acts 7:23-25, Stephen recounts that when Moses was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him and smote the Egyptian. The Scripture then states: 'For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.' In Exodus 2:11-14, the account records that Moses went out unto his brethren and looked on their burdens, and when he saw an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, he slew the Egyptian. The next day, when he went out and saw two Hebrews striving together, he asked the one doing the wrong, 'Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?' The man replied, 'Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian?' This reply shows that the Israelites did not understand Moses' intended role as their deliverer.
Les Feldick emphasizes that when Moses first approached the children of Israel, he did so as their deliverer, but God was not directly instructing him at that moment. Moses used his own position, power, and faith, understanding that Israel had to be taken out of Egypt. Les notes that Moses was the second greatest man in Egypt, just under Pharaoh, and he had the power and clout he thought could lead Israel out of bondage and back to God. However, Moses failed to take into account that Israel would not buy it—they would not accept him. Les repeatedly points to Acts 7:25, where it says Moses supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them, but they understood not. Les also draws a parallel to Christ's first coming: the nation Israel did not comprehend who Jesus was as their Messiah and King, just as they did not understand Moses' role as deliverer. Only a precious few understood.
Les Feldick says that Israel wouldn't buy it. Despite Moses having everything going for him as the second most powerful man in Egypt, the Israelites did not comprehend that God was using him. In the biblical account, when Moses tried to intervene between two Hebrews, one of them challenged him, asking 'Who made thee a prince and a judge over us?' This question reveals that they had not recognized God's chosen deliverer.
Les explains that just as Israel did not understand Moses' role as deliverer, they also did not comprehend Jesus when He came to the nation the first time. He presented Himself as their Messiah and King, but they never understood who He was—only a precious few did. This parallel is Stephen's whole purpose in Acts 7, to bring the nation to the knowledge that the One they had killed was the King.
Moses, the Ark, and the Second Coming: Unlocking the Prophetic Pattern
Daniel became the second man in the Babylonian empire. It was overrun by the Medes and Persians, but Daniel survives and becomes the second man in the Mede and Persian empire. And so it has been all through human history. Well, same thing happened here with Joseph. He comes in as a slave, he ends up the second man in Egypt.
Moses' First Approach as Deliverer
Les explains that at age forty, Moses approached Israel as their deliverer without direct instruction from God, relying on his own position, power, and faith, and he honestly thought he would lead them out of slavery.
Moses' Misplaced Confidence
Les emphasizes that Moses, as the second greatest man in Egypt, had the power and clout he thought would lead Israel out of bondage, but he did not take into consideration that Israel would not accept it.
Moses' Presentation to Israel
Les reviews that Moses made his presentation to the children of Israel hoping to deliver them, and he had everything going for him as the second most powerful man, but Israel did not respond as he expected.
Who Spoke from the Burning Bush? The Mystery of "I AM" Revealed
Well, from that time on, I was just more confident than ever that when I teach this lesson on Exodus chapter 3, down there at verse 14, you go back and tell the children of Israel that I am a sent you, and as you'll see before the half hour is over, that we're not stretching any points, we're just staying strictly according to the biblical language.
Is God Done With Israel? What the Bible Really Says - Romans 9 Explained
Then about 500 years later, He calls out Moses. Israel is now down in Egypt, they're multiplying, and He calls out the man Moses and He says, I'm going to send you in to Pharaoh, and you're going to lead My people, who had come now from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the 12 sons, you're going to lead My people out of Egypt, you're going to bring them to Myself, and I'm going to start working with th…
Why Jesus Forbade Mary to Touch Him: The High Priest & His Blood
And so anyway, things keep getting worse, and finally the children of Israel are beginning to wonder whether Moses and Pharaoh really know what it's all about. And they come unto them, and oh, where is it? Verse 22, And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this thy people? Why is it that thou hast sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy n…
The Parallel to Christ
Les ties Moses' rejected deliverance to Christ's first coming: Israel did not comprehend who Jesus was as Messiah and King, just as they did not understand Moses' role as deliverer.
Acts 7:25: For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.
This is the key verse directly answering the question: Moses expected the Israelites to understand that God would deliver them through him, but they did not.
Exodus 2:14: And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.
This verse records the Israelite's rejection of Moses' authority, showing that they did not understand his intended role as deliverer.
Exodus 2:11: And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.
This shows Moses acting on his expectation by visiting his brethren and seeing their burdens, setting the stage for his deliverance efforts.
According to Les Feldick, God was not in it specifically at that point. God did not instruct Moses; rather, Moses used his own position and faith, understanding that Israel had to be taken out of Egypt. This was his first appearance as their deliverer.
It means the Israelites did not grasp that God was using Moses to deliver them. Les Feldick says they didn't buy it—they did not accept Moses as their deliverer, despite his power and position. This is evidenced by the Israelite's challenge to Moses in Exodus 2:14.
Watch the Teaching: Moses, the Ark, and the Second Coming: Unlocking the Prophetic Pattern