Answers Bible Curriculum 2nd Edition Unit 6 Lesson 52
We continue in our study of the book of Exodus with God’s call to Moses. God amazingly appears to Moses in a burning bush to send Moses to Egypt to confront Pharaoh and deliver Israel, but Moses is not ready to go. Why does Moses bring so many objections to God’s good plan? How does God reveal his glorious character in answering Moses’ objections? And what can we learn so that we might have courage and confidence to follow God in every situation?
Our main text for this lesson is Exodus 3:1-4:17.
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all right well good morning good to see you all I’m seeing some some jackets and coats it means must be kind of cold over there it’s very very odd to me I keep on forgetting that that winter and and fall they are taking place in other parts of the country because of the weather in California is so different or Southern California it’s been in the 70s lately yeah actually we’re in a bit of a cold spell and it’s gonna actually get down into the 50s later this week and that’ll be really strange but anyways yeah so anyway it’s back to Sunday school welcome back we are progressing further in the book of Exodus today people of Israel have been protected by God even though God has allowed them to be oppressed and enslaved we saw last week that God has nonetheless protected them and even protected one among them a special person of someone who would be you specially named Moses now even though Israel continues to multiply we’re still looking for the actual deliverance when will God bring about those other promises which he declared to the patriarchs when will he bring them out of Egypt when will he bring them to their land we’re gonna see the beginning of the answer to that question today as we look at God’s call to Moses lots of talk about today so let’s pray and we shall get right into it oh holy God you are high and lifted up and yet you’ve in a sense come down and made yourself known to us we thank you Lord for your word we thank you for your truth we thank you for your love I pray God that those Calvary and those listening today would see who you are in a fresh way so that it it moves them to trust you and not trust in themselves did Jesus name Haman well please open your Bibles to Exodus chapter 2 Exodus chapter 2 that’s where we were last time when we saw Moses when we last saw Moses he was really beginning or trying to begin a liberation movement for the Hebrews in Egypt remember that Moses actually killed an Egyptian he saw an Egyptian oppressing an Israelite and he took vengeance he killed this Egyptian hit him in the sand afterwards Moses tried to arbitrate a dispute between two Israelites but recall what the response was to Moses doing so a nexus to 14 just glance back again at that verse it says are one of them one of the Israelites said to him who made you a prince or a judge over us and this was not the reaction that most is expected in fact and we made some allusion to this last week listen what Stephen says about Moses in Acts chapter 7 acts 7 verses 23 to 25 Stephen says this about Moses is action but when he that’s Moses was approaching the age of 40 and entered his mind to visit his brethren the sons of Israel and when he saw one of them being treated unjustly he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian and he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him but they did not understand now that’s a very interesting commentary from Stephen he emphasizes for us that Moses saw himself as the Hebrew deliverer he was Moses was ready to free all the Israelites and lead them out of Egypt and who better to do it he had that special position in the household of Pharaoh itself he was perfectly set up it seemed to lead Israel out of Egypt but the words of the people of Israel to Moses were the direct opposite of what he expected who made you a ruler and judge of us we don’t accept your authority it’s must have utterly shocked motives thinking to himself don’t you understand that I’m your deliverer I’m here to help you but they want to know part of Moses movement instead of all lining up behind Moop this as he might have expected Moses found himself on the run ejected bias people unable to return to Pharaohs household because of the crime you committed now it’s true that God protected me was this even through this even though Moses committed murder but things couldn’t have turned out worse were more different than Moses had expected and in Moses mind he was just trying to do the right thing he was just trying to please God and have you ever faced that kind of disappointment in your own life have you ever pursued something that you thought was God’s will your thought would be pleasing to God it just seemed to perfectly line up with the circumstances presented to you but it just did well maybe you finally decided to give the gospel to a certain family member but the reaction was incredibly hostile and you effectively ruined your relationship with them or maybe been spending a lot of time preparing for a certain career or even a certain ministry before the Lord but as you progressed suddenly it all falls through you can’t pursue that career anymore I’m a B you’ve prayed and sought counsel and you thought that a certain person would be the right one for you to pursue in marriage but then when you actually did so it was a complete fiasco so you find yourself saying to yourself God what’s the point of all that I was trying to be obedient for you I went out on a little limb for your sake and you left me high and dry as a result you think to yourself never again I’m not going to take that risk again it was too painful I thought I was doing right but God didn’t back me and so there’s a certain area your life for you you become more tentative you’re afraid or even unwilling to obey the Lord in that area I felt this the end of Exodus – we’re told that Moses settles down and household a Midianite named Jethro it’s also called rebellious – names Bible Jethro appears to have been a priest and a true follower of Yahweh Jethro even gives one of his daughters the poem to Moses as a wife Moses lives with Jethro and tents Jethro’s oxen wilderness for 40 years I remember Moses was about 40 when he tried to deliver Israel and he fled so now it’s another 40 years that he’s in the wilderness with Jethro doing this shepherding for 40 years that’s a long time we might ask at the end of this year’s Moses is now 80 is Moses still that zealous deliverer that he was back when he was four is he still passionate about seeing his brethren released from bondage where has it changed but we’re gonna find out as we look at Exodus three and four today because it’s now after all these years that God decides it’s time to appear to Moses and it’s time to call Moses on a special mission look at Exodus 3 verses 1 to 10 we’re gonna read this passage together do some observations and interpretation Exodus 3 verses 1 to 10 let’s look at that together it says now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law the priest of Midian and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb the mountain of God the angel of the Lord that is the angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of the bush and he looked and behold the bush was burning with fire yet the bush was not consumed so Moses said I was thrown aside now and see this marvelous sight why does why the bush is not burned up when you always saw that he turned aside to look God called to him from the midst of the bush and said Moses Moses and he said Here I am and he said do not come near remove your sandals from your feet for the place on which you are standing is holy ground he said also I am the God of your father the God of Abraham the god of Isaac and the God of Jacob then Moses hid his face he was afraid to look at God Yahweh said I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and I’ve given he to their cry because of their taskmasters for I am aware of their sufferings so I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land were good and spacious land to a land flowing with milk and honey to the place of the Canaanite in the hittite and the amorite and the perizzite and the hivite and the jebusite behold the cry the sons of Israel has come to me furthermore I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them therefore come now and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people the sons of Israel out of Egypt this is the beginning of quite an amazing passage start our analysis with observations notice where this takes place verse one says this is at Porat mountain of god what’s Horeb that’s just another name for Mount Sinai a mountain that’s going to play a very prominent role in the book of Exodus the rest of the Torah notice to appear Simoes this at or at verse 2 says the angel of Yahweh now we’ve seen this angel before in Genesis we’ve learned that in almost every case the angel of Yahweh is God yet distinct from God it can represent God he can speak for God and yet he is also God and we can see that the angel of Yahweh is God even here because notice verse 2 says the angel of Yahweh appears in a blazing fire from the midst of the bush and then verse 4 says that it’s God who calls to Moses from the midst of the bush that’s because the angel of Yahweh is God and we’ve talked about before this is likely the second person of the this is God the Sun active in the Old Testament now notice why Moses turns aside to check out this butch verse 3 he notices it’s not normal for Bush to be on fire and yet not consumed but before Moses can approach to closely notice God calls out to him and he calls him twice by name Hurstville verse 5 God warns Moses at the place and the very ground of it is holy so he says Moses must not approach too near and he must remove the sandals of his feet even where he is now notice how God identifies himself at verse 6 says I am God the same God of the patriarchs of Israel and at this announcement Moses hides his face probably by bowing his face to the ground and notice the reason verse 6 gives us says Moses was afraid to look at God now how quickly the situation changed for Moses he turned aside to look but now Moses dare not look notice what God declares to my assistant verses 6 – 9 5 times and 4 6 & 9 specifically God reveals that he knows about his people suffering in Egypt got a seen it you’ve heard it it’s aware of it and verse 8 God reveals that now it’s time for God Himself to come down as it were and to deliver his people bring them out of Egypt have them come to kicking it now this is great news deliverance for God’s people bondage reception to this great land this land of prosperity and luxury that’s what that phrase flowing with milk and honey is all about but the big surprise comes in verse 10 God says most I’m sending you to Pharaoh you will bring my people up from Egypt wow what an honor what a privilege to be commissioned by God as his agent of deliverance isn’t this what Moses had wanted all along how’s Moses going to react to this called Commission well we’ll see that a little bit late let’s pause now ask a few questions of interpretation first why was the ground around this bush and even the mountain itself considered holy what do you think about this mountain or even ground in particular it’s because God’s presence there that’s why it’s called Hopi and that’s why it is holy well what does it mean so so it’s God’s presence and God is holy therefore where he is is holy but what is meeting for God you hold me what would you say there’s something we talk about sing about what is it evening awfully separate and its most basic it means that God is separate but separate from their King go ahead and same one right ok so actually that’s really helpful they said look for those things God’s holiness means that he’s absolutely righteous so utterly separate from sin and evil and impurity he is totally pure but it’s also right speak of God’s holiness as meaning God separation from everything now holiness means basically it set apart and we often think of it strictly in terms of righteousness and purity and that’s true but it’s more than that and I want to emphasize to you a certain theological truth that’s been emphasized to me while I’ve been in seminary and that is the idea that when we think about God’s attributes God’s characteristics God perfections we need to constantly be integrating them and what I mean by integrate well it’s great very easy for us to think of God’s average attribute just be very separate from God has love got its holiness got it wrath but we have to remember that God’s essence is unified who God is sometimes theologian say is is simple though we have to conceptually separate these different attributes they’re actually all together and in forming one another so when this comes to say God’s holiness at God’s left it’s not like God has holiness over here and love over here his holiness is informed by his love holiness is loving and also his love is holy all of his attributes his perfections they inform they connect to each other so we have to integrate them in our own minds God is all of his attributes at the same time it’s not like he’s sometimes holy sometimes wrathful sometimes loving no they’re all together and this helps us appreciate what it means for God to be holy because God is not just holy in the sense that he’s perfectly righteous though he is that but everything about God it is set apart his love is set up it’s justice to set apart his mercy his power his sovereignty is omniscience God is completely unique he is special he is set apart in every one of his attributes and in who he is this is why the Bible often talks about that there is no like God I’ll just because no one is righteous but because no one is it’s any of the quality that God is to the extent that God and this is also why already alluded to it a little bit you know that him holy holy holy if you actually look at the lyrics that him it’s not really about God’s purity and righteousness it’s actually about God’s or broad holiness his set of partners from everything this is what we need to keep in mind whenever we think about God’s holiness God’s purity and his separateness from sin that’s part of his father holiness that has totally set apart totally special now in light of this why was Moses afraid to look at God he wanted to look and then we learned that it was God he was afraid yeah okay he killed somebody and that points to what in Moses his sinfulness is lack the holiness now this certainly does get to gods purity but seeing and realizing that he’s talking but God Moses realizes the great difference between him and God and isn’t this the problem the fundamental problem of man as expressed in the scriptures God is holy he is perfectly righteous and glorious he’s not only pure but everything he is is set apart and good and right and we are not he is the one who every time someone sees his glory in the scriptures brings them terror when they see it or hear about it like think about Joe Joe chapter 40 and 42 what God reveals himself to joke from the woman what’s job’s reaction I can’t say anything and I am just undone I repent in dust and ashes or Isaiah and Isaiah chapter 6 he sees a vision of the Lord high and exalted in heaven he says the same thing I am undone I’m an unclean man I have unclean lips and I dwell among a people of unclean lips my eyes have seen the Lord of Hosts and we could say this for other passages to Israel expresses this in Exodus chapter 20 when they hear the Ten Commandments they say so let God talk to us anymore because if he does we’ll die you exceed first most or John in Revelation chapter 1 verse 17 he sees the vision of the glorious Christ and he says he fell down like a dead man and Peter and Luke chapter 5 when Jesus does a miracle Peter and his companions suddenly catch a huge load of fish what’s Peters reaction ah thanks Lord that was really helpful oh that’s not what he says he says it got down on his knees and he said go away from me Lord for I am a sinful man there’s one thing this passage is emphasizing to us it is that God it is holy he is the set apartment he is the holy one who reigns in heaven and yet God also comes down to earth God even speaks to Moses who is yes unholy unclean God even reveals that he’s intimately aware of what’s going on with his people and he’s determined to deliver them even by sending Moses so in the one hand we see this transcendence of God we see this utter set of partners from God and at the same time what else do we see displayed from God in this passage his compassion you see his compassion you could say we see his love and more broadly we see his personable miss his intimate involvement with the world and with his people even though world is filled with sinners even though his own called out ones are yet unholy yet God comes to be with them how can this be how can we have a transcendent God who is far away and yet a personal bull God who is near I know different philosophers and religious figures throughout the ages have theorized that it’s impossible for God to be both of these things in fact if you look at man-made religions and philosophies they usually posit God as one or the other God is either transcendent set apart yes nothing to do with mankind because he’s so holy or God is just so close he’s so personable he’s not that great and powerful and he’s certainly not that holy like consider Allah in Islam he’s a transcendent God but not personal consider though the gods of greco-roman polytheism oh they’re very personable but they’re not holy and transcendent it’s because man can’t and his own thinking conceive of a God who is both of these things and yet that’s what this passage reveals God is transcendent but also personable and actually we see this throughout the Scriptures consider the prayer the model prayer that Jesus gives his disciples how does it begin our Father who is in heaven our Father personable but wasn’t heaven transcendence sent apart and this is another important thing for us to realize every time we pray to God every time we think about God or talk about God it’s to have both of these qualities in mind he is transcendent and yet he is near one of the great questions throughout the Old Testament is how can God this holy God be near when his people are so sinful and that’s going to lead to the tabernacle system and a lot of the other things that we see in the Old Testament and ultimately it leads to the coming of how can God a holy God dwell with his people well he’s gonna have to do something amazing to make his people holy but anyways you see these two what seem contradictory qualities of God they’re not actually contradictory though they’re hard for our minds to conceive in this passage really this whole thing is amazing God has appeared in this form in the burning bush he reveals that he knows about and cares about what’s going on with Israel he Commission’s Moses to do what Moses had originally intended and deliver the Hebrews but how excited is Moses about this well let’s look at the rest of the burning bush account we’re gonna look all the way from Exodus 3:11 your extras 4:17 and we’re going to see that Moses gives five objections to being God’s deliverer now these objections they sound like they’re innocent questions at first just Moses being like yeah you know if I’m going to do this I have to get some answers but what’s really going on and Moses his heart is revealed towards the end of this account and I want you to see that jump to Exodus 4:13 first thing Exodus 4:13 listen the words their conclusion of their conversation look what Moses says to God he says please Lord now send the message by whom ever you will and that’s what you see in the new American Standard translation and that is what Moses is literally saying it doesn’t sound so bad God you have the special commission send whomever you want to do it but look at God’s reaction to Moses a statement in the next verse verse 14 it says then the anger of Yahweh burned against Moses wait a second why does God get angry at Moses because of what Moses is really saying in verse 13 the ESV translation captures the sense if you have the ESV it says Moses says to God oh my lord please send someone else see that’s what Moses was saying it’s like God send whomever you want just not me please and noses we had how can you say that well we’ll get to that but I I hope you see that this revelation at the end of their conversation shows that the whole time though this really doesn’t want to go so whose questions to God they’re not I’m not just interesting questions their objections he doesn’t want to be God’s deliverer so now let’s actually look at each one of those and look at how God responds back to Exodus 3:11 there’s a lot to observe in section it’s a large text well I want us to focus on is just two parts what does Moses objection is five of them and then what are God’s assurances and provisions to Moses in light of those objections let’s start with the first objection in response verses 11 to 12 in chapter 3 read those but Moses said to God Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt and he said certainly I will be with you and this will be the sign to you that it is I who sent you when you have brought the people out of Egypt you shall worship God at this mountain what’s Moses’s first objection I’m not significant enough to go home I notice God’s response he says yes you are Moses you’re really special you’re super significant have some self esteem that’s not what God says to Moses no instead God says Moses I will be with you it’s not about you Moses it’s about me God also gives Moses the sign he says Moses I promise you one day you will return to this mountain and you will be with the people of Israel and you will worship me here now right in the beginning this is a gracious response from God does this set Moses his heart right Moses got to be with you well no let’s it still has some objections let’s see the next one a little bit longer in verses 13 to 22 look at those verses Moses said to God behold I’m going to the sons of Israel and I will say to them the god of your father’s has sent me to you now they may say to me what is his name what shall I say to them God said to Moses I am Who I am and he said thus you shall say to the sons of Israel I am as sent me to you God furthermore said to Moses but you shall say to the sons of Israel Yahweh the God of your father’s the God of Abraham the god of Isaac and the God of Jacob has sent me to you this is my name forever and this is my memorial name to all generations go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them Yahweh the God of your father’s the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob has appeared to me saying I am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt so I said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite and the hittite and the amorite and the perizzite in the hivite and the jebusite to a land flowing with milk and honey they will pay heed to what you say and you what the elders of Israel will come to the king of Egypt and you will say to him Yahweh the God of the Hebrews has met with us so now please let us go a three day’s journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice the Yahweh our God but I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go except under compulsion so I will stretch out my hand and strike ease it with all my miracles which I shall do in the midst of it and after that you will let you go I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians and shall be that when you go you will not go empty-handed but every woman shall ask of her neighbour and the woman who lives in her house articles silver in articles of gold and clothing and he will put them on your sons and daughters thus you will plunder the Egyptians now notice Moses’s second objection of god he says I won’t know how to answer if they ask me to explain your name this may sound like a strange objection of us did the people of Israel not know God’s name know who he is does this not know who he is you’ve already seen in the previous chapters of the Torah though Genesis that some of the people at least among Israel do know who God is and they even know God’s name Yahweh mean Abraham and others are addressing God as Yahweh in the Bible so what’s this objection all about this thing about God’s name key in understanding this is to know that in those days to ask for an explanation of a God’s name was to ask for an explanation of that God’s character at nature it’s to have that God explained to give you an analogy it’s like if I were to claim to be an expert on art and paintings in particular if I claim that I know and love paintings if someone then asks me oh really what’s your favorite painting by Rembrandt and why if I’m not able to give an explanation well then I can be pretty much dismissed as an art expert you don’t even know Rembrandt you’re not able to explain his best painting you’re not an art expert Moses seems to have a similar fear when it comes to being God’s God’s messenger God’s agent Moses essentially saying if I say I’m your special spokesman your prophet the people might ask me to explain all about you and I’m not gonna know what to say then they’re just gonna dismiss me as a fake this is where this his objection I notice God’s provision in my first God says Moses I’ll explain to you about my name and he does and this explanation is two-part verse 14 God says I am Who I am tell them I am sent you this is extremely important statement in the scriptures so many other parts of the Old Testament even the New Testament gonna interact with it Burke’s because you see this statement I am Who I am it’s connected with the name Yahweh even that I’ve been using a reading from this past Yahweh is equivalent to the Hebrew of he is and it comes from this same verb being used here when God says I am I says I am Who I am as people say he is there are many I am statements throughout the Bible when God does or when God prophesized the time something’s gonna come to pass he often says what comes the past you all know that I am and even Jesus in a New Testament he makes profound statements involving that same phrase before Abraham was born I tell you I am to make that kind of claim to be I am is to be God it connects with this verse but what exactly does I am Who I am declare about God this is a very interesting statement from God it clearly reveals is eternality and immutability eternality and immutability that is God has always been always will be and he also does not change see the way that God expresses himself isn’t the present tense God has no beginning or ending God always is I am God also does not change or develop through time who he is at one time is who he always is and will be that comes out in this statement from God but also God is revealing and emphasizing his independence is self-sufficiency that is notice that God does not describe himself in relation to anything or anyone that’s because God does not need or rely on anything or anyone he is perfectly sufficient perfectly satisfied in himself God has eternally existed before anything or ever everything else was created and he was perfectly content in that situation he is who he is and there are other attributes that are implied by these things certainly God’s power and God’s holiness are also here but more most directly is eternality as immutability is independence is self-sufficiency it come in this name I am Who I am tell them I am sent you this is very transcendent right this emphasizes that God is that a part who’s like this but notice this is only the first part of God’s name as explained here there’s the second part in verse 15 it says also tell them I am Yahweh the God of your father’s the God of Abraham the god of Isaac Nagato Jacob what’s this all about God wants this special name I am Yahweh associated with his covenant relationship with the people of Israel even the forefathers of Israel it’s true that I am Who I am points to God’s transcendence but because it’s also the name used to express covenant it also expresses God’s love and faithfulness his nearness God has not only transcended he is also personal Yahweh is reference to God self-sufficiency but also his interaction with his people and God wants both parts of this he emphasized by Moses the people of Israel in fact he says I want this name and explanation remembered forever this is my memorial name forever that’s part of why it appears in our Bibles this is a profound revelation of who God is and every time you see the name Yahweh using the Bible there’s some there’s some connotation of both these things Yahweh is the name of Covenant simultaneously transcendent and mere so God is dealt with gods or God has done what Moses is worried about explaining God’s name pretty well explanation but notice the other assurances God gives here verse 18 he says Moses the people of Israel will listen to you verses 19 to 22 God also promises how Pharaoh will react bear was not gonna listen at first that’s gonna allow me to use my miracles in Egypt eventually you will come out of Egypt and you will plunder Egypt when you do so well as Moses satisfied now what another great set of assurances and answers from God but no it’s still not enough for Moses he’s got another objection let’s go to Exodus chapter 4 Exodus for just one than I in a third objection for Moses expressed here notice what he says then Moses said what if they will not believe me or listen to what I say for they may say Yahweh’s not appeared to you you always said to him what is that in your hand and he said a staff and he said throw it on the ground so we threw it on the ground and it became a serpent and posionous fled from it but he always said to Moses stretch out your hand grasp it by its tail so he stretched out his hand and caught it and it became a staff in his hand that they may believe that Yahweh the God of their fathers the God of Abraham the god of Isaac the God of Jacob has appeared to you Yahweh furthermore said to him now put your hand to your bust so he put his hand into his bosom took it out behold his hand was leprous like snow and he said put your hand into your bosom again they put his hand into it visiting now he took it out of his bosom behold it was restored like the rest of his flesh if they will not believe you or heed the witness of the first side you may believe the witness of last sign but if they will not believe these two signs are eat what you say and she’ll take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground the water with which you take from the nut will become blood on the dry ground I was Moses is there objection here they’re not gonna believe me this is odd because God just said previous verses that they will listen to you Moses though he said Pharaoh won’t listen to you at first but notice how God responds look at these provisions he gives Moses three miraculous signs to perform verses 2 to 5 he says you will hurt your staff into a sneak and then back again and verses six to eight your head will turn left roots and then turn back again and then verse nine you’ll pour out the water of the Nile onto the ground and that water will turn into blood on the ground God says if they won’t believe the first sign now giving you two more just in case these are obvious miraculous signs the show that Moses is really speaking for God are you good now Moses not quite as a fourth objection Crysta 10 to 12 first then Moses said to Yahweh please Lord I have never been eloquent neither recently nor in time past nor since you have spoken to your servant for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue Yahweh said to him who has made man’s mouth or who makes him mute or death seeing or blind is it not I alway now then go and I even I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to say notice Moses is fourth objection I’m not a skilled speaker I’m not eloquent now why is this an especially odd jesh or Moses to give go we had great credentials he was raised with royalty yeah on the one hand you think actually probably the best speaker out of all the people of Israel you’re raised in Pharaoh’s household I’m sure you took some public speaking classes or something equivalent to that you’re a great speaker probably but also if we just look at rest from the Torah gnosis is speaking a lot speaking in prayer speaking to the people you turned out to be a great speaker but this is his objection God I’m just not a good speaker notice God doesn’t go with a route of building it Moses here and say hey Moses remember your training or hey Moses consider what you’re gonna do in the future let me tell you it’s gonna be great no how does God assure Moses he says Moses Emre I’m the creator I’m a sustainer and creator of your mouth I will teach you what to stay oh I’m sorry that’s the second part I’m the creator of things like out the first love I will be waiting mouths and I will teach you what to say now that is quite a promise God Moses God says that he will empower you to speak he will give you the words to say so you don’t need to worry about it by the way did that sound like anything in the New Testament the words of our Lord right when they dragged you before the course don’t worry about what you’re gonna say the Holy Spirit will teach you saying that out surely Moses is assured now enough don’t pay God and go but there’s another final objection for Moses is the one we saw earlier verses 13 to 17 look at that one though but he said please Lord now send the message by whom ever you will and the anger of Yahweh burned against Moses and he said they’re not your brother Aaron the Levite I know that he speaks fluently and moreover behold he is coming out to meet you he sees you he’ll be glad in his heart and you are to speak to him I put the words in his mouth and I even I will be with your mouth and his mouth and I will teach you with what what you are to do Rover he shall speak for you to the people and he will be as a mouth for you you will be as God to him you shall take in your hand this staff with which you shall perform the songs have we’ve already seen this last objection supposes it is essentially I don’t want to go please send someone else and this is the first time in this whole exchanged the anger of Yahweh burns against Moses and this is surprising it’s amazing that Yahweh didn’t get angry before you mean at the first objection because all I knew what was in Moses is heart it’s all for amazing that Yahweh doesn’t take up those us on the suggestion you know what Moses you’re right you’re being a big pain I’m tired of dealing with your lack of faith I’m just gonna destroy you and go with somebody else that’s not what God does in fact notice that even here God gives Moses a gracious provision though Yahweh insists I’m still gonna use you Moses but I agree verses 14 to 17 that Aaron your brother will with you he will help you bring God’s bring my message to the people of Israel and to Pharaoh Moses will speak to Aaron and Aaron will speak to Israel in to Pharaoh and this is where the conversation ends more objections the rest of chapter 4 describes how Moses travels with his wife and his son back to Egypt he meets eronel the way it tells him what happened and then how both of them later declare God’s message to the people of Israel they also do the signs and what’s the response is it the same as what Moses experienced the first time to the people of Israel reject Moses as deliverer look at verse 31 4 verse 1 it is so the people believed and when they heard that he always was concerned about the sons of Israel what he had see and that he had seen her affliction and they bowed low and worshiped what do you know it happened exactly as you always said it would people believe that was a lot of different observations but having seen now the entire burning bush narrative and step back and a few more interpretation questions number one why doesn’t it what to be God silver Moses isn’t this what you wanted what do you think yeah he was afraid and why would he be afraid go yeah I mean you committed a crime there is no go back there okay so I think that’s part of it he knows what took place there before they were seeking his life it would be dangerous for him to go back potentially and maybe he’s afraid about that I think there’s an even greater fear for Moses so all of his objections keep on going back to self I’m not this or I won’t be able to do this it’s all about his own power and ability and Moses will be particularly tempted to worry about his own ability because how well did his scheme work before right he was ready to deliver Israel and it just didn’t work he thought he had everything lined up I’ve got the training I’ve got the know-how I’ve got the ability and they rejected Moses it’s very likely that Moses was fearing that the same thing would happen again oh no last time I tried it just into work don’t send me back there but I should point out all right he’s all focused about himself ultimately what Moses is exhibiting is just lack of faith I think it’s because he keeps looking at himself even with all these great assurances and provisions from God Moses is very slow to believe God rely on God and obey another question what attributes of God are put on display in this exchange now I already mentioned you a number of them associated with the name Yahweh itself but what else do we see in this past yes lien right the gods patience and compassion are clearly played Moses is very very much doubting very much not relying in God and yet God just keeps on speaking graciously to Moses giving him provisions none of them are necessary God could just say Moses go just trust me go God just keeps on being patient with Moses what else do we see I think you refer to it earlier as personable Ness that his presence actively with them wouldn’t a would and would be actively with Moses particularly his mouth and his words yeah so again or see more that emphasis God’s personal illness his nearness its intimate care and activity with its people he’s gonna be directly with Moses I will be with you and that even goes more broadly to the people of Israel God is exhibiting his love and faithfulness I am concerned I know about what’s going on there and I’m determined to do something about seeing God’s nearness seeing God’s love even his intimate involvement with his people but we also see God’s power my God’s sovereignty he gives Moses these miracles to do he tells Moses what’s gonna happen before it happens that’s because he’s in control he’s the one who’s gonna bring this deliverance to pass it will be through his power so then what’s the main point of this passage what’s the main message of this burning bush narrative certainly there are a number of things that God is doing here but I believe that the main point is to emphasize this Yahweh and not Moses and not anyone else is the true deliverer Yahweh is the deliverer I mean is Moses to deliver Moses is tripping all over himself not to go and save Israel can any leader or deliverer look weaker at the start of some epic deliverance than Moses does here oh god please don’t send me I don’t want to go it’s just gonna go terribly but the weakness of Moses only underscores the great sovereign strength of God God will still save his people and God will change Moses in the process he will make Moses into a faithful leader into a man of God full of faith this is because because God is the one with the power God is the deliverer Moses has to face his own utter weakness and learn to rely on God and this would not just be true of Moses Moses would be true of the people of Israel as a whole and of course is it not same for us brothers and sisters is only when we learn to rely on God by faith in our weakness that we can ever find the strength the courage or the hope to do what he’s called us to do and doesn’t Paul say the same thing in the New Testament Paul is dealing with that painful thorn in the flesh that God refuses to remove what does God say to Paul 2nd Corinthians 12:9 he said to me my grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness brothers and sisters you’ve got to come to the end of yourselves you’ve got to realize that in assess in essence you’re just like Moses God I don’t have the ability I don’t have the power to make things happen not temporarily or in relation to physical things and not spiritually I can’t give myself a job I can’t make someone become saved I can’t even on my own overcome this sinful temptation God I need your help God I need your power you must face and own your own weakness you must learn as Moses eventually does to rely on God and along with this you have to you have to learn that you can’t go outside of God’s will to accomplish God’s purpose you can’t make something happen to say well God said you have to do it this way but I’m gonna bring it about my own way now sometimes God allows that to bring about what you’re what you’re looking for but sometimes he doesn’t and that’s what happened with Moses I’m gonna kill this objection Egyptian and lead a revolt in work Moses because the power is not really in you Moses and brothers and sisters powers not really in us this isn’t this what Jesus says also in Matthew 6 when he talks about worrying he says who of you by worrying can add one cubit to his life you can’t even make one hair of your head turn white or black the powers in God powers not in you yes he uses us means but you’re not the one with the power therefore what are you to do you watch rely on God why to trust God you are to indeed go out on a limb in faith for God not through sin but through obedience through trusting God this may be a painful realization for you to realize but it is a critical one and really it’s a liberating one God is the only true deliverer yet he has chosen to work through weaklings like us we don’t have the strength or wisdom on our own but if God is with us and he has promised that he is right Jesus says I am with you until the end at the age if God is with us and what have we need to fear Psalm 18 says if God is with us we can beat back a whole troop of soldiers we can leap over a wall not literally but figuratively do you believe this to believe your God is great enough for this that you can trust him that he will use even you I think a lot of us want to say oh no God could never use me I’m so nothing I’m now guys not gonna say no no you’re really great that’s why I’m gonna use you know God says I’m really great and that’s why I’m gonna use you do you see this and as part of this you see that God is both transcended and personal he is intimately involved in your life he is determined to use you but he does it for his glory and by his power because he’s the transcendent God do you see this now I’m already pointing you buy these interpretation conclusions to application we need to see this but we need to see our weakness and God’s strength that is to be the basis of our obedience and service but are we seeing that and to help you think through this look boy let me give you a few more application questions as we closed get your thinking about how these things are true or have been true in your life number one what bad experiences or life have you used to doubt God and disobey his word Moses saw his failure in the past I think that was what was motivating to say no God you can never use me what in your life has been like that for you number two how often do you think about steady and talk about the attributes of God did you ever consider his attributes ever meditate on them ever learn more about them I tell you one of the greatest blessings being in seminary was taking the theology classes just learning more about who God is it’s so encouraging do you ever do that number three how is your lack of understanding or lack of appreciation for who God is tied to your lack of faith because isn’t this exactly what we keep seeing in the air it is God I can’t do it Moses Remember Who I am God but they won’t believe Moses look what I provided how was your lack of understanding or appreciation led to your lack of faith and now getting really specific you number four when thinking about giving the gospel table which let’s admit for many of us this is the fearful thing this is the thing that causes us anxiety when thinking about giving the gospel to others do you think in terms of your own inability or of God’s power promises oh god they’ll never listen they’ll never believe God I won’t know what to say God they’ll just get mad God they’ll just reject me is that what your thoughts are constantly going to or instead he’s saying God I don’t have any power but you do and you promised that your sheep we’re gonna hear your voice and they’re gonna come they’re gonna repent and believe Jill Hughes even me you given me along with the Apostle Paul the Ministry of reconciliation you will use me even to save and to sanctify others do you believe that are you still stuck with Moses oh no God will never use me God uses weaklings like us that’s how he gives himself glory where do your thoughts go when it comes to giving the gospel to others questions or comments about what you heard today hope you’ll take the time to think through these questions hope you will meditate more on the profound revelation of God that we see in this passage you know in many ways this passage is not really about Moses about God it’s just God revealing who he is in an amazing way so I pray that you will continue to meditate on this even today and throughout the week but that’s all for this week if you have other questions or comments please email me clearly the stage is now set for showdown between God and Pharaoh God has already said that Pharaoh will be stubborn he’s not gonna let the people of Israel go it’s gonna happen next time we’ll see God since fate and mighty plagues on Egypt I look forward to talking about that with you bless closing prayer or look of God we are very many times like Moses oh you’re thinking about God it’s how we could never do it the things you called us to we could never achieve because God were weak because we don’t have the power we don’t have the wisdom and yet God in a way that’s true on our own we can not do anything good we cannot fulfill any of your calling the thing is what if we’re in Christ if we’re in your son we’re not alone it’s not about our power it’s about your power but forgive us for how how doubtful we have been how we don’t trust you we don’t rely on you we just keep thinking according to fleshly and worldly thinking all in terms of our own power and ability instead of your power it’s amazing it’s amazing that you would use even us to accomplish such great and mighty works Lord that you will save people even through the words of our mouths you will sanctify people by our instruction by our confrontation by our encouragement but it’s all about you God so how about your power and your glory so glorify yourself in our lives continue God by your spirit to cause us to believe you to progress in sanctification we might prove useful to you and we might see more people saved coming to your kingdom lord I pray that you accomplished that the people at Calvary today and anyone listening and Jesus name Amen the one I’ll see you next