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| Moses turns aside to see the burning bush |
Exodus 3:3-4 KJV And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. (4) And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
Picture Moses; he is a content man, living with his wife and family; in a warm and friendly relationship with his father-in-law. Life is good! The last thing he; or any of us would expect, is to hear the voice of God coming out of a burning bush. Living the life of a fugitive under very comfortable conditions; no one would ever think that they would be called upon to go back from where they fled. Who would ever guess that God would call him for a Divine Mission? But that is what happens to Moses. He was on the “back side,” of the dessert and far away from civilization. We may have thought that we too could hide from responsibilities and hide from God. The man is approaching eighty! But God knew where he was; just as God knows where we are. Apparently God had to send a fire to get Moses’ attention. Can anyone relate? It was so stupendous that it could not be ignored! When God calls; no one can ignore the call. When we answer the call, God invites us into His presence and our lives take on a new dimension, He calls us to turn aside and ultimately make an about face. For the Christian, repentance means to turn away from the world and turn to God; to walk away from the unholy and to be joined to that which is holy and holy ground.
Exodus 3:5 ESV Then he said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."
God then proceeds to tell Moses the purpose for appearing to him; that the cries of His people have reached Heaven and that now is the time to fulfill the promises made to Abraham. Now is the time to lead them out of Egypt and into the promise land that flows with milk and honey. God then gives Moses, the most difficult part of this personal conference; God tells Moses that he is the one to rescue the people from Pharaoh and lead them to Canaan, a land filled with hostile warlords.
Exodus 3:7-10 ESV Then the LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, (8) and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. (9) And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. (10) Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt."
Moses’ response would be typical of any one in his position; he tried to talk his way out of it. He says, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” God is not taking, “No,” for an answer. He then asks God, “If I do this thing and go; they are going to want to know what is the name of the god who is sending me.” Gods says, “I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
God further instructs Moses to go to the elders of Israel and then take them with him to Pharaoh and say, “The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, please let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.” Then God tells Moses that, “Pharaoh is not going to let you go, unless compelled by a mighty hand.” So God tells Moses that they are going to be in for a big fight; but afterwards, they will plunder Egypt before they leave, “they will not go out empty!”
Exodus 3:20-22 ESV So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go. (21) And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, (22) but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians."
Moses forgets that he is talking to the Almighty God, who told him, “I will be with you.” Moses keeps trying to negotiate every excuse why he does not want to do this. He insists that the people will not listen to him or believe that God indeed has sent him. God tells him to throw down his staff. It immediately turns into a snake. When he grabs its tail, it turned back into a staff. Then God tells Moses to put his hand inside of his cloak. When he pulled it out it had turned leprous like snow. He’s told to put it back inside his cloak and pull it out again. It is immediately restored and like the rest of his flesh. God gives Moses a third sign, if they don’t believe the first two:
Exodus 4:8-9 ESV "If they will not believe you," God said, "or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. (9) If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground."
Moses continues to argue with God; claiming that he is not a good speaker or negotiator. He pleads with God to send someone else. God gets angry!
Exodus 4:11-17 ESV Then the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? (12) Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak." (13) But he said, "Oh, my Lord, please send someone else." (14) Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, "Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. (15) You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. (16) He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. (17) And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs."
When going into danger or uncertainty, no one wants to go alone. It is a rare person who has the fortitude of character to stand alone. So God gives Moses a partner in this mission and sends him Aaron his brother. He tells them to go to Egypt; that those who sought his life are all dead; and adds that he is to do all of the miracles, but that God was going to harden Pharaoh’s heart. This is a tough assignment; God tells him that they are going to fail.
Exodus 4:18-21 ESV Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, "Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive." And Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace." (19) And the LORD said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead." (20) So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand. (21) And the LORD said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.”
In all of the years that Moses had been with his father-in law, the Priest of Midian, he had not been circumcising his sons. On his journey to Egypt, with his family, God is angry and wants to kill Moses for his negligence. Zipporah cuts her son’s foreskin off and throws it at Moses’ feet and calls him a bridegroom of blood! God leaves him alone.
Exodus 4:25-26 ESV Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it and said, "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!" (26) So he (God) let him alone. It was then that she said, "A bridegroom of blood," because of the circumcision.
God tells Aaron to meet Moses in the dessert. Moses explains everything to Aaron and they go to the elders of Israel; they show all of the miracles and explain all of the words of God. The elders believe.
Sometimes parents have to get tough with their children to get them to do the right thing. God had to get tough with Moses. Even Moses’ wife had to get tough with him. Aaron and the elders believe; next is to go before Pharaoh.
Prayer: Father in Heaven, thank you for your patience with me. I need you LORD continually. Only by your power in me can I do any thing. Be with me and strengthen me. Complete your work in me, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Copyright © 2006, 2011 Thomas C. Blake
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