3:1-4:31, After 40 years of monotonous tending of sheep, Moses receives God's call at the burning bush; He is to go to Pharaoh to demand that Israel be released (Note 4:22-23, "And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel [is] my son, [even] my firstborn: 23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, [even] thy firstborn.")
3:1 NOW MOSES KEPT THE FLOCK OF JETHRO HIS FATHER IN LAW, THE PRIEST OF MIDIAN: AND HE LED THE FLOCK TO THE BACKSIDE OF THE DESERT, AND CAME TO THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD, [EVEN] TO HOREB.
**HOREB: Perhaps the range of mountains which included Mt. Sinai; It is used as another name for Mt. Sinai.
3:2 AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD APPEARED UNTO HIM IN A FLAME OF FIRE OUT OF THE MIDST OF A BUSH: AND HE LOOKED, AND, BEHOLD, THE BUSH BURNED WITH FIRE, AND THE BUSH [WAS] NOT CONSUMED.
**This is not just a legend, a myth, but is endorsed by the Son of God as having been fact - Mk 12:26
3:3 AND MOSES SAID, I WILL NOW TURN ASIDE, AND SEE THIS GREAT SIGHT, WHY THE BUSH IS NOT BURNT.
A.A BUSH: Everything indicates this was an ordinary bush; The extraordinary thing was that the bush was burning and yet it was not being burned up (God is Almighty).
B.If God had not been in the bush, it would have been consumed; If He had not been with Israel, the descendants of Abraham, they would have been eradicated. But He was with them, and therefore Satan and Pharaoh could not destroy them. Possibly this thought suggested itself to Moses.
C.We do not now see burning bushes, or hear voices calling to us. Why? Because we do not need them -- God's Revelation is complete, and there is no further truth for Him to communicate to us; The Bible is the sum of His Word - Jde 3; 2Ti 3:16-17.
D.In a sense, we still see the bush and still hear God's voice, just as we still see Lazarus coming out of the grave.
3:4 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.
A.Moses knew about Jehovah (he had been trained by his mother), but this is the first account that he met God and heard Him.
B.We know so little of Moses before this, and no connected con-tinuous history after this. He lived 120 years, and it might all be seen as four crises, expressed in four words: Birth -- Decision -- Service -- Death.
C.Note that in Verses 2 and 4 that "The Angel Of The LORD (Jehovah)," "The LORD (Jehovah)," and "God" are the same.
3:5 AND HE SAID, DRAW NOT NIGH HITHER: PUT OFF THY SHOES FROM OFF THY FEET, FOR THE PLACE WHEREON THOU STANDEST [IS] HOLY GROUND.
A.PUT OFF THY SHOES: We are told that slaves of this time went barefoot as a sign of humility and submission. So Moses was to show respect to the Great and Perfect Creator.
B.HOLY GROUND: Made holy by the Presence of God upon it.
C.In this "star-light" age, human beings needed to be impressed with God's unapproachableness. His awful majesty, purity, and holiness make us aware that we must not rashly intrude into a Presence Who is so Great.
D."Little by little we come to have some faint conception of the absolute perfection and incomprehensible greatness of the Supreme One."
3:6 MOREOVER HE SAID, I [AM] THE GOD OF THY FATHER, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB. AND MOSES HID HIS FACE; FOR HE WAS AFRAID TO LOOK UPON GOD.
A.I AM THE GOD...: This implies continued existence of the patriarchs, for God did not say I WAS, but He said I AM; So there is existence after death.
B.It therefore also implies a resurrection, since continued existence will make bodies essential to perfection -- See the Lord's argument in Mt 22:31-32.
C.The God of the fathers is necessarily the God of the children; so Moses, recognizing this is His God, HID HIS FACE.
3:7 AND THE LORD SAID, I HAVE SURELY SEEN THE AFFLICTION OF MY PEOPLE WHICH [ARE] IN EGYPT, AND HAVE HEARD THEIR CRY BY REASON OF THEIR TASKMASTERS; FOR I KNOW THEIR SORROWS;
3:8 AND I AM COME DOWN TO DELIVER THEM OUT OF THE HAND OF THE EGYPTIANS, AND TO BRING THEM UP OUT OF THAT LAND UNTO A GOOD LAND AND A LARGE, UNTO A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY; UNTO THE PLACE OF THE CANAANITES, AND THE HITTITES, AND THE AMORITES, AND THE PERIZZITES, AND THE HIVITES, AND THE JEBUSITES.
A.UNTO A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY: A proverbial express-ion for "a land of plenty" - cf Num 13:27 (that is, "it has an abundance of food").
B.Not to a land of slavery, but to a land where they could be useful and happy in service to God.
C.UNTO THE PLACE OF THE CANAANITES...: Which was promised to the seed of Abraham more than 6 Centuries previously - Gen 15:18.
3:9 NOW THEREFORE, BEHOLD, THE CRY OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL IS COME UNTO ME: AND I HAVE ALSO SEEN THE OPPRESSION WHEREWITH THE EGYPTIANS OPPRESS THEM.
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.
A.I WILL SEND THEE: This is a call to a great and difficult task, for which Moses had 80 years of preparation.
B.But he did not think himself adequate, so the question...
3:11 AND MOSES SAID UNTO GOD, WHO [AM] I, THAT I SHOULD GO UNTO PHARAOH, AND THAT I SHOULD BRING FORTH THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL OUT OF EGYPT?
A.First, observe that Moses expressed no doubt that God could bring about the deliverance of Israel; His problem was that God had selected him as the deliverer.
B.WHO AM I, THAT I SHOULD GO UNTO PHARAOH: Before we get too hard on Moses here, let us remember that he previously had tried to help his people, and failed, not having gone further than killing a taskmaster, after which he was rejected by his people, and had spent 40 years in quiet meditation, becoming timid and distrustful of himself.
C.THAT I SHOULD BRING FORTH THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL: What weight could he possibly have with people who rejected him when he was in his full vigor, and who would now have forgotten him?
D.It seems typical for one who has been fitted for a work to feel himself not fit -- This is the qualification Moses needed and which God had given him in the 40 years of meditation.
E.What the great man Moses did not see (at least, not yet):
3:12 AND HE SAID, CERTAINLY I WILL BE WITH THEE; AND THIS [SHALL BE] A TOKEN UNTO THEE, THAT I HAVE SENT THEE: WHEN THOU HAST BROUGHT FORTH THE PEOPLE OUT OF EGYPT, YE SHALL SERVE GOD UPON THIS MOUNTAIN.
A.I WILL BE WITH THEE: Moses, in effect, had said in Verse 11, "I am not able to do this by myself;" God responds, "I will give you the strength" - cf Eph 6:10.
B.UPON THIS MOUNTAIN: This was assurance that he would be suc-cessful; No doubt he could still hear these words ringing in his ears when he came back to Mt. Sinai with the Israelites.
3:13 AND MOSES SAID UNTO GOD, BEHOLD, [WHEN] I COME UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SHALL SAY UNTO THEM, THE GOD OF YOUR FATHERS HATH SENT ME UNTO YOU; AND THEY SHALL SAY TO ME, WHAT [IS] HIS NAME? WHAT SHALL I SAY UNTO THEM?
A.Moses was still not satisfied, because when he had tried to help his people, they had rejected him; He wondered if they would believe him when he went back and told them that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had sent him to deliver them from Egyptian slavery.
B.WHAT IS HIS NAME?: All the pagan gods had names, surely the God of the Hebrews also had a name. Perhaps Moses did not yet have the conception of monotheism, although no doubt He re-garded his God to be the greatest of all gods.
3:14 AND GOD SAID UNTO MOSES, I AM THAT I AM (I AM WHO I AM, NKJ): AND HE SAID, THUS SHALT THOU SAY UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, I AM HATH SENT ME UNTO YOU.
3:15 AND GOD SAID MOREOVER UNTO MOSES, THUS SHALT THOU SAY UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, 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.
A.I AM THAT I AM (Verse 14); THIS IS MY NAME FOREVER (Verse 15): We read these words, and speak of them, with the greatest rev-erence - See Ecc 5:2, ("Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter [any] thing before God: for God [is] in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few"). We may apprehend the meaning of the words,
but cannot comprehend their fullness. Note that I AM in the latter part of Verse 14 equals I AM THAT I AM in the earlier part of the Verse.
B.During those times, all names had meanings; A person's name usually emphasized some personal characteristic or quality. For example MOSES meant "to draw out of" because he was taken out of the water (2:10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, because I drew him out of the water).
C.Books are available giving meanings of names, and many of them are interesting, but how could any one (or more) of them des-cribe the Mighty Creator Who is Omnipresent, Omniscient, and Omnipotent? No name could tell the Israelites (and us) all the things there are to know about Him.
D.The name I AM includes so much that we cannot understand it completely, but it immediately conveys to our minds that God is the Self-Existent One Who had no beginning and will have no end; He never has been dependent on anyone else, and never will be; He is the Source of life, and all creation depends on Him; He has control over everything; He is greater than all; Forever, He is the Great I AM.
E.Our reverent response is "How Great Thou Art!"
F.Pharaoh and the Egyptians could not hold God's people when the Lord Of All, the Great I AM, decided to deliver them.
G.Compare the Master's claim to Deity - Jn 8:56-59 ("Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad." 57 Then said the Jews unto Him, "Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast Thou seen Abraham?" 58 Jesus said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM." 59 Then took they up stones to cast at Him: but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.) Abraham and all the rest of us have had a beginning of existence; Not Jesus.
H.THE LORD GOD: The word LORD (the letters ORD being in small caps) has been substituted in English for the Name Jehovah (or Yahweh). The Jews held The Name in reverence, and carried their reverence into superstition by not pronouncing The Name. Some English versions have followed that superstition.
I.The Name JEHOVAH suggests the following ideas:
NOTE: In the following Verses (15-18) there are at least twelve times (numbered in brackets) where God specifies what will happen in the future. He MAY not know everything that will be, but He CAN know anything He wishes.
3:16 GO, AND GATHER THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL TOGETHER, AND SAY UNTO THEM, THE LORD GOD OF YOUR FATHERS, THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, OF ISAAC, AND OF JACOB, APPEARED UNTO ME, SAYING, I HAVE SURELY VISITED YOU, AND [SEEN] THAT WHICH IS DONE TO YOU IN EGYPT:
3:17 AND I HAVE SAID, [1] I WILL BRING YOU UP OUT OF THE AFFLICTION OF EGYPT UNTO THE LAND OF THE CANAANITES, AND THE HITTITES, AND THE AMORITES, AND THE PERIZZITES, AND THE HIVITES, AND THE JEBUSITES, UNTO A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY.
3:18 AND [2] THEY SHALL HEARKEN TO THY VOICE: AND [3] THOU SHALT COME, THOU AND THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL, UNTO THE KING OF EGYPT, AND [4] YE SHALL SAY UNTO HIM, THE LORD GOD OF THE HEBREWS HATH MET WITH US: AND NOW LET US GO, WE BESEECH THEE, THREE DAYS' JOURNEY INTO THE WILDERNESS, THAT WE MAY SACRIFICE TO THE LORD OUR GOD.
A.THEY SHALL HEARKEN TO THY VOICE: Initially Moses would have no problem with the Israelites (that would come later), but he would have to go from them to a man who would not hearken -- UNTO THE KING OF EGYPT.
B.THREE DAYS' JOURNEY: This was not dishonesty, for if he had been willing to obey God, further information and instruction could have been given him. Had it been only Israel's request, then there might have been room for suspicion, but this is the request of THE LORD GOD OF THE HEBREWS, and the request would serve at least two purposes:
C.Pharaoh's case is a lesson for us that we are to maintain the spirit of obedience, and should obey as soon as we see His will for us.
3:19 AND I AM SURE THAT [5] THE KING OF EGYPT WILL NOT LET YOU GO, NO, NOT BY A MIGHTY HAND.
A.NOT BY A MIGHTY HAND: Not even when the Mighty Hand of God will be laid upon him - cf Ex 8:19; 9:12,35.
B.Whether Pharaoh agreed or not, the Exodus would take place. If not with his consent, then against it, for the MIGHTY HAND eventually would prevail.
3:20 AND [6] I WILL STRETCH OUT MY HAND, AND SMITE EGYPT WITH ALL MY WONDERS WHICH I WILL DO IN THE MIDST THEREOF: AND AFTER THAT [7] HE WILL LET YOU GO.
A.I WILL...SMITE EGYPT: God was going to afflict the Egyptians until He struck terror into their hearts.
B.AFTER THAT HE WILL LET YOU GO: At last even Pharaoh's stubborn spirit would be broken, and he would finally consent.
C.This would be to God's glory, as Pharaoh would be made a vessel to serve God - Ex 9:16; Rom 9:17,21.
3:21 AND [8] I WILL GIVE THIS PEOPLE FAVOUR IN THE SIGHT OF THE EGYPTIANS: AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, THAT, [9] WHEN YE GO, YE SHALL NOT GO EMPTY:
3:22 BUT [10] EVERY WOMAN SHALL BORROW OF HER NEIGHBOUR, AND OF HER THAT SOJOURNETH IN HER HOUSE, JEWELS OF SILVER, AND JEWELS OF GOLD, AND RAIMENT: AND [11] YE SHALL PUT [THEM] UPON YOUR SONS, AND UPON YOUR DAUGHTERS; AND [12] YE SHALL SPOIL THE EGYPTIANS.
A.This is called by infidels "fraud, deception, and theft."
B.The word BORROW in Verse 22 literally means ASK. The women were to seek contributions for the long journey.
C.The rich Egyptians would be generous in their giving, and the Israelites would go out loaded with good things, all of it given freely by the Egyptians, and without deceit on the part of the Israelites.
D.After many years of hard labor without compensation, the people of Israel would now be well paid, and it would be very expensive for Egypt. This is only justice for both parties. The wealth Egypt had gained by oppressing Israel would now be returned to its rightful owners.
E.Also remember that by the time they left the Egyptians would be delighted to see them go, and glad to help them leave, even to the point of great cost to themselves. "Pharaoh is great and rich and strong, but God is about to do things in the midst of his land which will force him to confess that there is One far greater and far stronger than himself."
F.Incidentally, this is another Verse which indicates that some Egyptians were living among the Israelites in Goshen.
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