# 20 2024 Dev. Ex.3: 14. I AM WHO I AM! Read all of chapter three first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s Story. Do you believe that this may also be part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from the NIV.
Ex.3:14 “God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.[c] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
Ex.3 The book of Exodus Is about three main subjects: God’s deliverance, God’s morality and the worship of God. Ch.1 sets the stage, Ch.2 sets God’s plan into motion and Ch.3 the burning bush, God revels His plan to Moses.
Vs.1-3 Now Moses has been with his wife and father in law for 40 yrs. He is tending the flock of his father in law way out in the wilderness, near mount Horeb, the mountain of God. He saw a burning bush but it was not consumed by the fire. Moses goes over to take a look.
Vs.4-6 When close to the bush God called out to him and Moses answered “Here I am… Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” God announces His presence and who He is. Moses quickly covers his face to avoid seeing God.
Vs.7-10 God tells Moses that He has indeed seen the misery of His people in Egypt. The way that Moses wrote the Pentateuch he seems to be wondering what we are wondering. Why did it take so long? Moses is now 80 years old. The Israelites lived in Egypt for 430 yrs., long enough to become a nation, so much so that the Egyptians feared them and wanted to reduce their number by persecution.
80 yrs. + is a long time for us humans. But God is working His plan. And so it is for us, the church is the new Israel, the people of God. God has His plan but we see the church declining in the West, but in the Third World it is exploding. Go figure, God has a plan! Satan has taken over at some of our universities, and God has taken over at some of our other universities, God is planning, He was then and He is now!
Vs.11-15 But Moses did not want to fit into God’s plan. “Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’” How many times have we not done the same, when the Holy Spirit moves us? Not me, Lord, send someone else. We have disobeyed more than once and missed out on one of the greatest privileges of Christianity, Service.
God said to Moses, “I will be with you.” God gives Moses a sign , the mountain of God, where He will bring them to worship. But Moses, still trying to get out of God’s call, says, who will I say sent me to them? This is my name: “ I AM WHO I AM.” The first part of the name, I AM, is associated with the Lord, God uses that here saying to them, the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob sent me to you. The full name is also connected with Yahweh the verb “to be.” The name could also be translated as “I will be what I will be” (Notes). “God said to Moses, ‘I will be with you'” God will be there for us!
Jesus uses this name 7 times as well in the Book of John, “I AM” the Bread of Life, the Light, the Door, the Good Shepherd, the Resurrection and the Life, the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the True Vine. Well, yes, Jesus is God, the second person of the Trinity.
Vs.16-21 God tells Moses, “assemble the elders of Israel, tell them the God of your fathers sent you. The elders will listen to you.” Tell Pharaoh that the God of the Hebrews, wants us to go into the wilderness, a three day journey and sacrifice to Him. He will not let you go, but I will work wonders and strike the Egyptians until they let you go. “And so you will plunder the Egyptians.” God hardened the heart of Pharaoh so that He is glorified. Praise be to God!
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