Moses: Exodus 3-4

Moses is now 80 years old and living as a shepherd near Horeb (which is Sinai). He has a remarkable encounter with God in the burning bush. God said to Moses, “I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their suffering, 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…” He also told Moses to take off his sandals because he was in the presence of God on holy ground. God is reminding Moses that He is holy, transcendent, ad immanent. God is “separate from” and worthy of our worship. We must always look for God’s presence in the ordinary.

God goes on to say in verse 10, “I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses had excuse after excuse as to why he shouldn’t be the one to go:

Excuse 1 – Moses said, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh”? This could have been his discouragement from when he encountered and murdered the Egyptian. In his failure, he might have replayed Ex. 2:14 over and over in his mind from when he was questioned in his willingness to step into a situation and do something. It didn’t go well.” God answered with, “I will be with you”.

Excuse 2 – Who should I tell them sent me? God answered, “I AM has sent me to you.” God has said in His name that He is self-existent and self-sufficient. LORD means YHWH, which is the Hebrew unspeakable name of God.

Excuse 3 – They won’t believe me. God answered with giving Moses 3 miraculous signs that he can do to show them God’s power. He could turn his staff into a snake, make his hand leprous, and turn water to blood.

Excuse 4 – I’m not a good speaker. God answered by giving Moses his brother Aaron to help speak the words that God gave to Moses.

Our passivity is rooted in poor theology. When we embrace the theology of God’s presence, promise, and power, passivity no longer makes any sense.

When we stop fearing God, we start fearing man. In other words, when we stop looking through the lens of Scripture and the sufficiency and the power of God, we start looking in the mirror at our own insufficiencies and weaknesses.

So, we must reject passivity and trust God that when He calls us to do something, He will be with us and give us everything we need to do it.

Question: God has promised to always be with us. Do you live your life believing that Truth? When is this Truth “not enough” for you (circumstances, fears, self-sufficiency, etc…)? Talk about ways to keep this promise at the forefront of your mind and heart.