Moses was tending the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God, Exodus 3:1. This is the same place where he would lead Israel to receive the ten commandments, Exodus 20:1-26.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following concerning Jethro.
‘This is surprising in view of the fact that Reuel appeared in Exodus 2:18, both as the priest of Midian, and as father-in-law of Moses. However, forty years had intervened, and Jethro, probably the son of Reuel, had inherited the office, as was the custom. This would have meant that Jethro was brother-in-law to Moses; the same word in Hebrew meant either. The word here rendered father-in-law is used of almost any relation by marriage.’
When Moses fled from Egypt he would be forty years of age, Acts 7:23, and as he stood before the angel of the Lord at the burning bush, he would be eighty years of age, Acts 7:30.
Remember Israel’s affliction in Egypt had been predicted, Genesis 15:13, and it was at this time when the Lord appeared to Moses that their suffering in Egypt was coming to an end.
As Moses was tending his father-in-law’s flock, he took them to Horeb, Exodus 3:1, which is Mount Sinai, Exodus 20:1-26. It’s then that an angel of the Lord appeared to Him in flames of fire within a bush, Exodus 3:2 / Exodus 3:4 / Exodus 3:6-7.
Who is this angel of the Lord? This is a Christophany, which suggests that this is a preincarnate appearance of Christ, Genesis 12:7. Please note that it is the angel of the LORD, the Christ, who is called God and LORD throughout this chapter and the next, who speaks, Exodus 4:1-16.
Haynes Jr, in his commentary, says the following.
‘A study of these passages reveals that the Angel of the Lord appeared in human form, Genesis 18:2 / Genesis 22:1-18 / Hebrews 13:2, and performed normal human functions, Genesis 32:24 / Numbers 22:23 / Numbers 22:31, yet he was an awe-inspiring figure, Genesis 32:30 / Judges 6:22 / Judges 13:22, exhibiting divine attributes and prerogatives including predicting the future, Genesis 16:10-12, forgiving sin, Exodus 23:21, and receiving worship, Exodus 3:5 / Judges 13:9-20.’
The burning bush caught Moses’ attention as he saw that though the bush was on fire, it did not burn up, Exodus 3:2. This was no ordinary occurrence, a ‘strange sight’, Exodus 3:3.
This was a divinely created aberration, not just a case of spontaneous combustion, or light shining through the branches. It was designed to grab Moses’ attention, so God could speak, as all miracles were not an end in themselves, but pointed to the Word, Mark 16:20.
Why a burning bush? Some commentators suggest that it was representative of Israel’s oppression and trial. God spoke from the bush; in other words, He was with them in their affliction.
If God could keep a bush from being consumed, He also could keep His people, even though they were going through the fire, from being consumed. Moses was learning that this was all about God, not Moses.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The fire also probably symbolised the presence of God dwelling among His people, Genesis 15:17 / Exodus 19:18 / Exodus 40:38. God was with His people in their affliction, Deuteronomy 31:6 / Joshua 1:5 / Daniel 3:25 / Hebrews 13:5.’
Before Moses can reveal God’s plan to Israel and Egypt, he must understand who God is. Our faith is rooted in our understanding of God’s identity. The phenomenon of the bush wasn’t the true glory being revealed; God was there. He appeared in the presence of an angel and spoke from the bush, Exodus 3:4.
Notice God said, ‘Moses, Moses’, Exodus 3:4, when a name is mentioned twice, it always implies that what is about to be said is vitally important, 1 Samuel 3:10 / Acts 9:4.
The angel of the LORD’s first command to Moses is for him to stay back and remove his sandals, Exodus 3:5. He declares that the ground is ‘holy ground’, Exodus 3:5. This is the first occurrence of the word ‘holy’ in the Bible.
As we remember the word, ‘qodesh’ means sacred, dedicated, or hallowed. Throughout the Old Testament, it presents the idea of separation by God for His purposes. This includes purity as well, especially in the New Testament.
There was nothing inherently ‘holy’ about this piece of ground, but God was there, and God is inherently holy or transcendent. He cannot be approached except at His direction and with His provision. God’s holiness demands fear, ‘reverence’ and obedience.
God is holy, and unclean sandals cannot be stomped in and out of His presence, Exodus 3:5. God was telling Moses, ‘This is my house, so take off your dirty shoes before you come any farther.’
For the priests, they understood that they had to wash their hands and feet before they walked into the holy place, Exodus 30:18-21. In other words, they couldn’t pass farther or serve in the tabernacle until they washed their feet and washed them in the golden laver.
When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, He was preparing them for a deeper walk, He was preparing them for the Upper Room experience, He was preparing them for service, John 13:1-15. We know that Joshua is also told to take off his shoes.
In this incident, the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so’, Joshua 5:15. Putting off the shoe was a token of respect and submission.
There is always the danger that we can be too casual in our approach to God. God’s holiness demands fear, reverence, and obedience, 1 Peter 1:15-16. When we talk about the holiness of God, we’re talking about His separateness. That is, God is set apart from this world; He is set apart from the evil acts of a sinful people.
As God’s people, living on this side of the cross, we have been cleansed from our sin; the sacrifice of Jesus has made us clean in the sight of God. We have been made holy through Jesus.
So, because we have been made holy, we need to act like we’re holy. We’re to be set apart from the world, we’re to stop acting like sinful, unsaved people, we’re to hate sin and steer clear of sinful situations, and we’re to honour God with our every breath and our every thought. That’s what it means to be holy; being holy means being set apart for God.
Notice it is the angel of the LORD says, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, Exodus 3:6. These names of the patriarchs are again repeated in Exodus 3:15, implying that God is the God of the living, and also implying the Deity of Christ, Matthew 22:32.
Moses’ attitude went from curiosity to fear, Exodus 3:6. Those who come to recognise God’s holiness are driven to their knees with the clear perception of their own un-holiness.
When Isaiah looked into the throne room of heaven, he saw angels praising God, Isaiah 6:3-5. The holiness of God is centre stage at Sinai and in the giving of the law, but it also would play a major role in the Exodus. God’s uniqueness would be clearly demonstrated in the coming plagues, and Israel would be called upon to fear and obey Him.
God sees and hears everything which is happening in the world, Exodus 3:7. It’s now time for God to begin the process of freeing Israel from Egyptian bondage; it’s time for Israel to leave and head toward the promised land, Exodus 3:7-8.
This land was good, spacious, and flowing with milk and honey, Exodus 3:8 / Exodus 3:17 / Genesis 15:16-21. In other words, the land itself would supply all of Israel’s needs.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following concerning the nations mentioned in Exodus 3:8.
1. The word ‘Canaanite’ applied to all of these related groups, and also to one of the specific divisions. They were in Canaan 1900 years B.C.
2. The Hittites came much later during the era of 1800-1450 B.C. Genesis 23:10.
3. The Amorites were the most numerous of these nations, having been in the area from 2300 B.C. Numbers 21:26.
4. The Perizzites are not identifiable.
5. The Hivites dwelt around Shechem, Gibeon, and the region about 5 miles northwest of Jerusalem. Joshua 9:3-7 / Joshua 11:19 / Genesis 34:2. They were in Canaan by 2000 B.C.
6. The Jebusites occupied Jerusalem. Judges 1:21 / 2 Samuel 5:6 / Joshua 15:63.
7. The Girgashites, Joshua 24:11 / Deuteronomy 7:1, are obscure.
God wastes no time in telling Moses that he is the one who is to go to Pharaoh and bring His people out of Egypt, Exodus 3:9-10.’
Remember, Moses had fled from Egypt because he killed an Egyptian, Exodus 2:15, and so Moses, understandably, isn’t up for the task. The Egyptians were a very powerful nation that ruled the world at this time. Moses didn’t want the task of bringing his people out of Egypt, and so he gave God excuse after excuse.
1. “Who am I, that I should go?” Exodus 3:11.
2. “What shall I say when they ask, `What is his (God’s) name?’” Exodus 3:13.
3. “They will not believe.” Exodus 4:1.
4. “I am not eloquent”. Exodus 4:10.
5. “Send someone else.” Exodus 4:13.
Constable, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Moses had become genuinely humble during his years as a mere shepherd in Midian, Exodus 3:11. Earlier, an Israelite had asked Moses, ‘Who made you a prince or a judge over us?’ Exodus 2:14. Now Moses asked the same thing of God: ‘Who am I that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?’
When we think about Moses’ life so far, he was raised in Pharaoh’s household and given a high position of authority, but these last few years he has become a humble shepherd, Exodus 3:1.
He doesn’t see himself as a leader but God does and the Moses we read about here is certainly not the same Moses who would lead God’s people out of Egypt. God doesn’t always just look at who were are at the moment, but He looks at what we can become when we obey His commands and trust Him to lead us.
Like most of us, Moses was simply trusting in his own abilities, rather than trusting in God’s abilities. Hence, why God tells him, ‘I will be with you,’ Exodus 3:12 / Matthew 28:20. In other words, it was going to be God who would free His people, but He was going to use Moses to do just that.
Moses was to be given a sign by God, Exodus 3:12 / Exodus 4:2-9, and that sign would be seen in the fact that when Israel eventually gets to Mount Sinai and starts worshipping God, Exodus 20:1-26, then Moses would come to understand that Israel’s deliverance was all God’s doing, Exodus 3:12.
Interestingly, Moses asks for a name to tell his people who sent him in the first place, Exodus 3:13. I guess, being raised in Egypt surrounded by hundreds of gods who all have different names, this would make sense.
Childs, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The question contains both a request for information and an explanation of its significance. There are two aspects of one question. Clearly, the people want to know more about God’s intention. By requesting his name, they seek to learn about his new relationship with them. Formerly, he related to them as the God of the Fathers. What will he be to Israel now?’
God tells Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM,’ ‘I AM has sent me to you,’ Exodus 3:14.
‘I AM EHYEH’ first singular present of TO BE. HAYAH denotes that God is personal, eternal, self-existent, i.e., an absolute being. It means 1. Eternal. Psalm 135:13. 2. Self-existent. Psalm 88:6-7.
Then God, having revealed to Moses some essential aspects of His, that is God’s personality, informs Moses of the name by which He, that is God, wants to be known.
God also said to Moses, ‘Say this to the people of Israel, ‘YHWH, the God of your fathers, has sent me to you. This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations,’ Exodus 3:15 / Exodus 3:5 / Genesis 4:26 / Genesis 6:3 / Psalm 135:13.
The plural in the name YHWH, us and our, Genesis 1:26, can, in my opinion, be regarded as an indication of the plurality of God’s nature and character, of which the Son and the Holy Spirit are part.
Three distinct persons who can act individually, though never in disharmony and who are united in the godhead as one God. The Spirit was there at creation, Genesis 1:2.
Through Jesus all came into being is stated in John 1:1-3. It was through Jesus, i.e. God Himself incarnate, that redemption would be wrought, John 1:1-3 / John 1:18.
The name YHWH, Exodus 3:15, meaning ‘the Becoming One’, is the ‘redemptive’ name of God and refers to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ, who is in the bosom of the ‘Father’ God, Jesus, who is part of the Godhead.
When Jesus made Himself equal with God, He was merely speaking the truth and had indeed every right to utter the words, ‘I AM’ in such a special way. The Jews understood perfectly well what was alluded to by the term ‘I AM’ used by Jesus, John 5:18 / Leviticus 24:16.
Remember, the Bible does not use names for God in the same way as we use names today. God does not have a name as such, but He uses certain words to describe His character or nature.
For example, the word El-Shaddai describes His nature as the ‘all-sufficient One’, the ‘all-powerful One’. The word Adonia describes His character as Lord, Master, the One with all authority. The word Yahweh describes His nature as the everlasting, self-existing One.
And so, when God speaks to Moses, He is not giving Moses a name as we understand it. But He is telling Moses to tell His people that Yahweh, ‘I AM THAT I AM’, the self-existing One, has sent you, Exodus 3:15. God is basically saying to Moses I do not need a name, but I will give you one to tell My people.
Durham, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The answer Moses receives is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a name. It is an assertion of authority, a confession of an essential reality, and thus an entirely appropriate response to the question Moses poses.’
Now remember the Israelites have been in captivity in Egypt for 400 years and so God goes on to say, just in case my people have forgotten who ‘I AM’, tell them ‘The LORD, (The One with all authority), the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob has sent me to you, Exodus 3:15.
Now let’s fast forward a couple of thousand years. We know that the Gospel according to John focuses a lot on Jesus being the Son of God, which shows the Deity of Christ.
But have you ever wondered why all the ‘I AM’ claims of Jesus are found in John’s Gospel? The miracles were signs of Jesus, which were done to bring about faith in Him, John 20:30-31.
John never uses the word miracle in his Gospel, but he does use the word sign regularly. And there are sixteen signs recorded in John’s Gospel, eight are things which Jesus did, and eight were things which Jesus said, John 6:35 / John 8:12 / John 8:58 / John 10:9 / John 10:11 / John 11:25 / John 14:6 / John 15:1.
John is basically saying that the ‘I AM’ claims of Jesus are signs, selected from many other signs. And he says these signs are selected with a purpose in mind, and that purpose is that you believe that Jesus Christ is who He claimed to be.
And so just as `I AM’ is God’s own identification of Himself in Exodus 3:14 to Moses, remembering that strictly speaking, it is not a name, but a declaration of His Nature, Revelation 1:8.
When we come to the ‘I AM’ claims of Jesus, we need to remember that Jesus was not giving Himself a Name or a title but was asserting His Deity. In other words, every ‘I AM’ reveals some aspect of His nature and purpose, John 6:35 / John 8:12 / John 8:58 / John 10:9 / John 10:11 / John 11:25 / John 14:6 / John 15:5.
God goes on to tell Moses exactly what would happen when he returned to Pharaoh. Beginning with Pharaoh’s refusal to let His people go, through all the plagues and then to their deliverance.
Moses is to assemble the elders of Israel, Exodus 3:16. which is the first mention of elders in Israel. Moses is to tell them ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, appeared to him and Moses is to tell them that God has been watching over them and sees what is happening to them in Egypt, Exodus 3:16.
Moses is to tell God’s people that God has promised to bring them up out of Egypt and take them into the land, a land flowing with milk and honey, Exodus 3:17. God reassures Moses that the elders will listen to him, and they should go to Pharaoh and tell him that the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, Exodus 3:18.
Ellison, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The sequel shows that there was no element of deceit in the request for ’a three days’ journey into the wilderness,’ i.e., right out of contact with the Egyptian frontier guards. Pharaoh knew perfectly well that this implied no return; indeed, since Israel was a tolerated alien people, he would have no claim on their return once they had left his territory.’
The LORD knows the hearts of everyone, and Pharaoh is no exception. He knows that Pharaoh won’t let His people go unless a mighty hand compels him, Exodus 3:19.
So God is going to stretch out His hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that He will perform among them, and after that, he will let His people go, Exodus 3:20.
Notice also that God says that Israel will not leave Egypt empty-handed; they will plunder Egypt, Exodus 3:21-22. This is significant because all these articles of gold, silver and clothing will be used many years later in the building of the tabernacle, Exodus 12:35-36.