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Exodus 3:

Reading #163   The call to work

Even with the clear picture of a saving and loving God as shown through the experiences of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, it took the Spirit a long time to get through to Moses.  But He did in the end.  While in the desert minding the sheep, Moses also wrote the story of Job, setting out details of the real conflict that was going on.  What a pity it is that the enemy has been able to turn the minds of so many from the truths of that book and make it one of his great assets, for it is greatly misunderstood today!

But let’s get on with our story:

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Exodus 3:

1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and [one day, after 40 long years of waiting by the Son of God] he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb [Mt.  Sinai]. 

2 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to 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.  3 And Moses said, “I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt”.

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The time for Israel's deliverance had come for now they wanted it.  But God's purpose was to be accomplished in a manner to pour contempt on human pride.  The deliverer was to go forth as a humble shepherd, with only a rod in his hand; but God would make that rod the symbol of His power.  Hebrews 1:8.

At first Moses saw only a bush in flames, with its branches, foliage, and trunk, all burning, yet seeming not to be consumed.  It was the very life of God in the fiery whirlwind, as we have already seen, so the bush was not destroyed.  This view was necessary to get his attention.  He was drawing near to look the wonderful sight, when a voice from out of the flame called him by name.  The Speaker was He who, as the Angel of the covenant, had revealed Himself to the three worthies in ages past. 

In this chapter He is called first, “the Angel” (v2), then “the LORD” (v4), and finally, He reveals Himself as “the God of your father . . .”  (v6).

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Exodus 3:

4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see [for we must answer the call if we would know what God wants], God called to him out of the midst of the bush, and said, “Moses, Moses [as a man speaks to his friend, Exodus 33:11]”.  And he said, “Here am I”. 

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The symbol chosen for the representation of the Son of God was a lowly shrub, which seemingly had no attractions.  Yet this enshrined the Infinite.  The all-merciful Son of God shrouded His glory in a most humble type so Moses could look upon it and live.  In the same manner, He spoke in a voice that was very comfortable and familiar.  He may do that, but we should always be very careful to recognise His position as the Firstborn, the ONLY begotten of the Father even though He is our elder Brother, and not presume to familiarity.

Later, in the pillar of cloud by day (shade) and the pillar of fire by night (illumination), the Son of God showed Himself to all of Israel, revealing to them His will, and imparting to them His grace.  Exodus 13:21-22.  Again, His Godly glory was subdued, and His majesty veiled, that the weak vision of finite men and women might behold it. 

So Christ was to come looking like one of us, “in the likeness of men”.  (Philippians 2:7).  In the eyes of the world He possessed no beauty that they should desire Him; yet He was God in the flesh, the Light of heaven and earth, Emmanuel.  Matthew 1:23; 1 Timothy 3:16.  His glory was veiled again, His greatness and majesty were hidden, that He might draw near to sorrowful, tempted men and women wherever they might be, and they draw near to Him. 

We may see this symbol from another angle as well.

Christ dwells in the one who receives Him by faith.  Colossians 1:27.  Though trials may come upon us, yet the LORD is still with us.  The burning bush which showed Moses the LORD's presence did not consume away for the fire did not burn up a fibre of the branches, on the contrary, it invigorated it!  Thus will it be with the feeble human agent who puts his or her trust in Christ.  (See Daniel 3:24-25.)  The furnace fire of temptation may burn, persecution and trial may come, but only the rubbish will be consumed (the ropes, Daniel 3:27.)  The gold will shine brighter because of the process of purification.  Malachi 3:1-4.  This is redemption!

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Exodus 3:

5 And He said, “Draw not near here [unthinkingly]: put off your shoes from off your feet, for the place whereon you stand is holy ground”.

6 Moreover He said, “I am the God of your 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 [the Son of] God. 

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The command to take off his shoes showed Moses that this was not an ordinary angel, for he would have said the opposite.  (See Revelation 22:8-9.)  Even without the plain statement that the Person speaking was the Son of God, this would have been sufficient evidence.  Using a custom of the time, the Son of God wanted Moses to realise the danger of his position, and therefore accept the protection He was offering.  It was not the shoes that made the difference, for any custom would have done, but the attitude of mind that this engendered. 

Well would it be for young and old to study and ponder and often repeat those words of the Bible that show how the place marked by God's special presence should be regarded.  True reverence for God is inspired by a sense of His infinite greatness and a realization of His presence.  With this sense of the Unseen, every heart should be deeply impressed.  The hour and place of prayer and meeting are sacred, because God has promised to be there.  Matthew 18:20.  And, as reverence is manifested in attitude and behaviour, the feeling that inspires it will be deepened.

Both of the following statements are very true. 

Jacob, after beholding the vision of the ladder at his overnight stop, exclaimed, “The LORD is in this place; and I knew it not . . .  This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven”.  Genesis 28:16-17. 

“The LORD is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before Him”.  Habakkuk 2:20. 

Here is declared the same truth that Jesus had revealed to Nicodemus when He said, “Except a man be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God”.  John 3:3, margin. 

Not by seeking a holy mountain or a sacred temple are men and women brought into communion with heaven, for God is not confined to one place.  Nor is religion to be limited to external forms and ceremonies.  The faith that comes from the living God is the only religion that will lead to God.  Acts 5:31.  In order to serve Him properly, we must be born of the divine Spirit.  This will purify our hearts and renew our minds, giving us a new capacity for knowing and loving God.  It will give us a willing obedience to all His requirements.  This is true worship.  It is the fruit of the working of the Holy Spirit.  Galatians 5:22.

Every sincere prayer is drawn out of us by the Spirit, and such prayer is acceptable to God.  Romans 8:26.  Wherever a person truly reaches out after God, there the Spirit's working is manifest, and God will reveal Himself to that individual.  For such worshipers He is seeking.  He waits to receive them, and to make them His sons and daughters. 

Many of us have no true appreciation of the sacredness of eternal things.  Nearly all of us need to be taught how to conduct ourselves in the presence of God.  We should enter the sanctuary with calmness and reverence, even if it is at that moment a piece of open ground, and not a building. 

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Exodus 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; 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 to a good land and a large, to a land flowing with milk and honey [that’s how it was in those days]; to the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites”. 

9 “Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come to Me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them”.

10 “Come now therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh, that YOU may bring forth My people the children of Israel out of Egypt”.  [God often reaches people through people, Elijah type people, Malachi 4:5-6.]

11 And Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 And He said, “Certainly I will be with you; and this shall be a token to you, that I have sent you: When you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God upon this mountain”.  [You will come back here for a special occasion.]

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The Son of God had not been asleep and suddenly woken up to the plight of His people.  It was never His intention that they should be in the mess they were in, but when faced with the ongoing reality He worked constantly, first to prevent it and then when that failed, to save them from it.  But not until all things were re-organised could He do that.  Not only Moses, but also the majority of the people (He never gets everyone in an organised group) had to be willing.  Then, on top of that, the Pharaoh and his counsellors had to be given many opportunities to work with Him as well.  The Spirit of God is a very busy Person trying to produce the “bride” for Christ!   And he/she who co-operates with the Spirit (the friend) does the same.  John 3:28-30. 

But now everything had come together and there was a window of opportunity.

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Exodus 3:

13 And Moses said to God, “Behold, when I come to the children of Israel, and shall say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you; and they shall say to me, ‘What is His name?’ [Identify Him to us] what shall I say to them?”

14 And [the Son of] God said to Moses, “I AM THAT I AM” [the eternal One]: and He said, “Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you”.

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Amazed and terrified at the command to go to Egypt, Moses drew back.  He thought of the difficulties to be encountered, of the blindness, ignorance, and unbelief of his people, many of who were almost destitute of a knowledge of God.  “What shall I say to them?” he asked. 

The answer was “Tell them I AM the self-existent One”, for this strikes at the heart of all who are listening to God. 

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Exodus 3:

15 And God said moreover to Moses, “Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you: this is My name for ever, and this is My memorial [My authority] to all generations”. 

16 “Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, ‘I have surely visited you, [I have been around a lot] and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: 17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey’”.  [How it has changed today under the mismanagement of men!]

18 “And they shall hearken to your voice: and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and you shall say to him, ‘The LORD God of the Hebrews has met with us: and now let us go, we beseech you, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’ 19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand [he will have the backing of Satan].  20 And I will stretch out My hand, and smite Egypt with all My wonders [of protection] which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go”.

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Moses was commanded first to assemble the elders of Israel, the most noble and righteous among them, who had long grieved and petitioned God because of their bondage, and to declare to them a message from Him, with a promise of deliverance.  God always wants to work through His established organisation – it is only if they turn Him down that He has to look to others.  But this time Moses was assured that they would accept His call.

Then Moses was to go with the elders before the king. 

He was forewarned that Pharaoh would resist the appeal to let Israel go, for all, including the heathen, are given free choice in the matter of religion by the living God.  But His enemy the god of force allows no such choice and through Pharaoh’s pride he prevailed upon him to reject the first request.  Then, as time went on Satan tightened his grip and would not allow the man to change his mind.  The initial call was to be only for three days of celebrations, but the final one would be for eternal separation.  Moreover, the Son of God warned, Pharaoh’s rejection (he couldn’t help it any more than a sinner can stop sinning) would open the way for Satan to retaliate with great ferocity.  Yet the courage of God's servant must not fail; for the LORD would make this the occasion to manifest His protective power before the Egyptians and before His people. 

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Exodus 3:

21 “And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when you go, you shall not go empty: 22 but every woman shall borrow of her [Egyptian] neighbour, and of her that sojourns [stays] in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and you shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and you shall spoil the Egyptians”. 

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The Egyptians had been enriched by the labour unjustly demanded from the Israelites, and as the latter were to start on the journey to their new home, it was right for them to claim the reward of their years of toil.  They were to ask for articles of value, such as could be easily transported, and would receive a favourable response from their former masters.  The mighty plagues sent among them by Satan would strike terror to the oppressors, so that the requests of the slaves would be granted. 

The jewels were not to be permanently used for the personal adornment of the young people, but would later give them the opportunity for self-sacrifice.

See you next week, 

RonP

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