14th Sunday After Pentecost. September 3rd, 2023. Series

Exodus 3:1-15, Psalm 105:1-6, Psalm 105:23-26, Psalm 105:45b, Jeremiah 15:15-21, Psalm 26:1-8, Romans 12:9-21, Matthew 16:21-28

A). THE CALL OF MOSES.

Exodus 3:1-15.

EXODUS 3:1. Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, and led them to new pastures on the far side of the desert, towards Mount Horeb (a.k.a. Mount Sinai). This place is also known in this verse as “the mountain of God,” and elsewhere as ‘the mount of the LORD’ (cf. Numbers 10:33). Moses was just going about his daily business when he suddenly found himself at the right place at the right time for an encounter with God.

EXODUS 3:2a. “The Angel (literally, ‘messenger’) of the LORD appeared to Moses.” A careful study of the Old Testament references to the Angel (or messenger) of the LORD (beginning in Genesis 16:7 and culminating in Malachi 3:1) will reveal that the Angel of the LORD is one with God, but separate from Him. This means that He is a manifestation of God Himself, and as such a pre-incarnate appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ.

EXODUS 3:2b. “In (or ‘as’) a flame of fire in the midst of a bush.” The “bush” is not the focus of attention here, but the “fire” of God’s holiness which “burned”, and which did not consume. For us, the important thing is not the bush, but the presence of God in our lives.

How can sinful man commune with the holy God? Even through the manifestation of His compassionate presence through our Lord Jesus Christ. Moses would later speak of ‘the good will of Him that dwelt in the bush’ (cf. Deuteronomy 33:16).

EXODUS 3:3. It was only natural that Moses drew aside to see what was going on. Moses was a shepherd, and needed to check out whether there was any danger of a brush fire endangering his flock. And he was intrigued at the spectacle of a burning bush which was not consumed. Perhaps the last thing he expected was an encounter with God!

EXODUS 3:4. When the LORD saw that Moses turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush: “Moses, Moses.” The doubling of a name can imply endearment. Now Moses' attention shifted from mere curiosity to interested attention. Moses replied, “Here am I.”

EXODUS 3:5. Yet the LORD’s next call is that Moses should not come too close, but “put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.” The putting off of shoes shows reverence on Moses’ part towards the One whose very presence had made this ground holy.

Inviting somebody to put off their shoes is also customary as an invitation to hospitality. It is holy ground, but God welcomes sinners. Jesus, after all, sat with tax collectors and sinners and invites, ‘Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.’

The Holy God is speaking through His holy Angel (or ‘Messenger’), Jesus. We may draw nigh, but only on His conditions. For Moses, it was the removal of his shoes. Today we draw nigh through the blood of Christ.

EXODUS 3:6. “I (am) the God of thy father.” (‘Thy father’ here is singular.) Moses’ father was Amran, his mother Jochebed (cf. Exodus 6:20). Moses’ parents are both mentioned in the roll-call of the heroes of the faith (cf. Hebrews 11:23). They recognised the potential in their infant son Moses, and were not afraid to defy mighty Pharaoh’s command (cf. Exodus 2:2-3).

The LORD goes on to say, “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” The same God whom Amran worshipped is the same God who is the God of the whole covenant community. God was drawing Moses back in, in order to draw His people back out of Egypt.

EXODUS 3:7. The second thing that the LORD said was, I have surely “seen” the affliction of my people which are in Egypt; I have “heard” their cry; for I “know” their sorrows. This echoes the end of the previous chapter: Israel ‘sighed’ by reason of their bondage, and they 'cried,' and their 'cry' came up unto God; and God 'heard' their groaning, and God 'remembered' His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and God 'looked' upon the children of Israel, and God 'had respect' unto them (cf. Exodus 2:23-25).

EXODUS 3:8. It is amazing to recognise that God has such gracious compassion for His covenant people. He sees our afflictions, and genuinely cares for us. He came down “to deliver” the children of Israel out of the hand of the Egyptians. He came down in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ too, to deliver His Christian people out of the clutches of the world, the flesh and the devil; and out of the thraldom of sin, death and hell.