Exodus 3 reminds me of my childhood home. There was a bench by the back door, and everyone knew to put their shoes under the bench. First-time visitors were always greeted with the same command: “Take off your shoes!” My mom was under 5 feet tall, but no one argued. It was a requirement to enter her home. Decades later, grown men still kicked off their shoes before entering. The chapter begins simply, “Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law“. What isn’t so obvious is that forty years have passed since Moses utterly failed in his own attempt to gain justice for the Hebrew people. The flocks he is tending do not even belong to him. A humbled Moses is now ready to be used by God. We read that he was in the wilderness and came to “Horeb, the mountain of God”. This place was later named Mount Sinai. There, “the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush… though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.” The image is profound. Fire symbolizes judgement, yet the bush is not consumed. This is God’s righteous standards, tempered with His perfect mercy. Who is this angel of the Lord, also called God? I believe it is Jesus, the Messiah, our Redeemer and Mediator. We read: “God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’” God calls him by name, and commands: “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground”. Too often, we minimize the glory of God through familiarity or ignorance. With fear and trembling, Moses replied simply: “Here I am.”
From the burning bush God spoke: “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying… I am concerned… I have come down to rescue them… to bring them up out of that land.” For many of us, it is in the desperation of our misery that we truly seek God. Don’t miss the tenderness and intimacy in these words. He continues: “I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them… now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people… out of Egypt.” Have you experienced that “grown up moment” when you suddenly realize you must take on a new responsibility? After 80 years of preparation, Moses is still resistant: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” God assured him: “I will be with you.” Friend, has God been preparing you to take on something new?
For the rest of the chapter, Moses tries to shirk off this role. Each time, God patiently reassures Moses with the certainty of His Word. Sometimes we say, “if only I knew God’s will for me…” God tells Moses exactly what will happen, yet he resists. What if they ask me your name? “God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am.’” He does not say I WAS or WILL BE, but I AM. He is the Eternally Existing One, the Creator of all things, including time itself. God told Moses to “Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them… I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt”. God keeps His promises, but not always in OUR desired timeframe. I think Moses feared the rejection of the people as much as he feared Pharaoh. Pain in our past can still hinder us today. God’s certain instruction continues: “The elders of Israel will listen to you… But… the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him.” Hidden in this promise is that God is in control over every earthly authority. “I will stretch out My hand and strike the Egyptians… After that, he will let you go.” The chapter ends with another promise: “when you leave you will not go empty-handed… Every woman is to ask… for articles of silver and gold and for clothing… you will plunder the Egyptians.” The only rule required to enter God’s presence is to recognize He alone is pure and holy. Today we have access to God Almighty through the blood of Jesus. Judgement was mercifully satisfied so that we could be forgiven. The door is open, take off you shoes and stay awhile.