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.
EXODUS 3:9. He 'hears' the cry of His people; He 'sees' the oppression that they face. But why was God telling Moses all this?
EXODUS 3:10. “Come now therefore, and I will send THEE unto Pharaoh, that THOU mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.” It was not as if Moses had volunteered like Isaiah, ‘Here am I, send me’ (cf. Isaiah 6:8). Or like Jesus, who said, ‘Lo, I come to do thy will, O God’ (Hebrews 10:7). In fact, Moses wriggled and squirmed to escape this unsolicited commission (cf. Exodus 3:11; Exodus 3:13; Exodus 4:1; Exodus 4:10; Exodus 4:13).
EXODUS 3:11. Moses first complained of his unfitness: “Who am I?” After all, some forty years earlier Moses had ‘looked’ at the burdens of his brethren, and had slain an Egyptian (cf. Exodus 2:12). On account of this, Pharoah had sought to slay Moses, and Moses had fled (cf. Exodus 2:15).
EXODUS 3:12. But, responded God, “I will be with thee.” Furthermore, God provided Moses with a sign that God had sent him: “When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God on this mountain.” We know that when God calls us to a task, however difficult, He also equips us for it. And what He has promised shall come to pass.
EXODUS 3:13. Moses next complained of his lack of knowledge of who God is. What shall I tell them when they ask, “What is His name?”
EXODUS 3:14. The LORD condescended to reply, “I AM THAT I AM.” In other words, He is the ever-present One. He is even present with His people in the midst of their sufferings. ‘If God be for us who can be against us?’ (cf. Romans 8:31).
Tell them, “I AM” hath sent you. This speaks of God as the self-existent One, who always has been, is now, and ever will be. We also read of ‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever’ (cf. Hebrews 13:8). Hereafter our English translations render the name YHWH, translated above as “I AM,” as “the LORD” in capital letters.
EXODUS 3:15. The LORD goes on to instruct Moses to tell the children of Israel that “The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” Jesus also identified Himself with the LORD God when He said, ‘Before Abraham was, I AM’ (cf. John 8:58). Let us go forward in His name.
