#9 – Exodus 3:11-15
“Who Am I?”
“Calling me?”
In our story, Moses has been listening to the voice of G-d speaking from a flaming bush. We may readily believe Moses is heartened to hear of the L-RD’s concern for the children of Israel – Moses’ own relatives who continue to suffer hardship as slaves in Egypt. Moreover, G-d has declared, “I have come down to deliver them.”[1]
Great news! Who doesn’t desire divine intervention for our benefit?
But what’s this Moses hears? “ Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.”[2]
For 40 years Moses has been tending his father-in-law’s flocks and raising his own family. How often might his mind have drifted back to Egypt, remembering his years growing up in the palace. Wondering how his family is holding up under oppression. Wishing something could be done to help them. He had tried to help, but that effort to defend a Hebrew being beaten cost Moses everything.
And now G-d is telling me to go back? Back to Egypt? Back to Pharaoh who tried to kill me!? And to what end? To deliver Israel out of Egypt? How am I to do that?
The text doesn’t tell us if Moses’ thoughts were anything like this, but it does record his response: “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?”[3]
Moses has not been training to lead a special forces team on a hostage rescue operation. He doesn’t command an army prepared to take on Egypt’s powerful military. He’s an 80-year-old sheepherder. Whatever his education may have prepared him for back in his palace years, he knows he’s not qualified for this job. Who better than Moses understood how daunting it would be to stand before Pharaoh and demand the release of his workforce?
With G-d it is different
“Who am I?” is not in itself a bad question. “Know thyself” is good counsel. An honest assessment of our capabilities is wise when considering options.
But it’s different when G-d is giving out assignments. Who better than He knows our qualifications – or lack thereof? We see in Scripture that the Sovereign of the Universe often chooses unlikely means and flawed people to carry out His purposes.[4] “Little is much when G-d is in it”; He gets the greater glory when tremendous obstacles are overcome and hardships are endured by His strengthening hand. Moses then hears, “Certainly I will be with you.”[5]
If we ever wondered what it looks like to step out in obedience by faith, the L-RD’s next words provide a shining example. “And this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship G-d at this mountain.”[6]
What kind of assurance is this? In essence, Moses will have proof his assignment truly was from the Almighty only after he has carried out G-d’s instruction! What a great example of “We walk by faith and not by sight.”[7]
But Moses apparently is thinking through the “what would it look like if . . .” scenario.
Then Moses said to G-d, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The G-d of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?”[8]
“Who am I?” may be an important introspective question for contemplation. But “Who are You?” is a critically vital inquiry when seeking to know the Author of life and finding ultimate meaning for our existence.
Again we note the danger of assigning motives to Moses’ speech or action. Is he already committed to obeying this voice from the burning bush? Is he stalling for time while he considers obstacles he’ll likely encounter? Or does he genuinely just need to know with Whom he is talking, given what’s at stake?[9]
G-d said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”;[10]
and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”[11]
Further, G-d now[12] reveals His “personal Name”[13] to Moses. “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The L-RD, the G-d of your fathers, the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Isaac, and the G-d of Jacob,[14] has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.”[15]
Fear factor/Misery Index
The wonder of this divine appearance which initially struck Moses with fear has abated to the point that Moses is able to converse with the Almighty.
Where is G-d?
G-d is not only personally present with Moses, He is promising to go with him. What a heartening prospect – and a reality Moses will come to rely upon as this adventure continues!
[1] Exodus 3:7-8.
[2] Exodus 3:10.
[3] Exodus 3:11.
[4] What are the implications of this for you and me? If our default answer to G-d’s call is, “Who am I?” then how long does it take to change our response to “Here am I. Send me.”? See Isaiah 6:1-8 for another example.
[5] Exodus 3:12a. G-d reassures many of His people with these comforting words; e.g., Isaac (Genesis 26:3), Jacob (Genesis 31:3), Joshua (Deuteronomy 31:23; Joshua 1:5 & 3:7), Gideon (Judges 6:16), Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:38), and the nation of Israel (Isaiah 43:2). Yeshua also promised His followers, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
[6] Exodus 3:12b.
[7] 2 Corinthians 5:7.
[8] Exodus 3:13.
[9] We could wish we had more details on exactly when Moses becomes the man of faith who is praised in Hebrews 11:23-29. How well-acquainted with the “G-d of his fathers” was Moses? We can only speculate on how much his parents were able to teach him before handing him over to Pharaoh’s daughter. It’s highly doubtful that the G-d of the Hebrews would have been given much attention by whomever may have instructed Moses on religion in the palace. We have no record of interaction between Moses and the Hebrews before he slew the Egyptian. And Jethro was a pagan priest. Is Moses wanting more than G-d’s “business card” here?
[10] The Hebrew verb G-d used in verse 12, “I will be with you” is the same form found duplicated in verse 14. “I will be Who I will be” is a statement of the Uncreated Creator’s self-existence.
[11] Exodus 3:14.
[12] This “nominal form” of the verb “to be” (“I am”) is not found in Exodus until Chapter 3. Exodus 3:2 introduces “the angel of the L-RD”; in verse 4 “the L-RD saw.” “L-RD” appears 340 times in Exodus, of which 16 use the combined form “L-RD G-D.” [13] When reading sacred texts aloud, Jewish people replace this special “ineffable” (not-to-be-pronounced) Name with “Adonai” or “HaShem” (literally, “the Name) as a way of preserving its holiness – in keeping with the commandment not to take the L-RD’s name in vain (Exodus 20:7). [The same conviction is why names of deity such as G-d or L-RD are not spelled out.] “J-hovah” was not introduced as a possible pronunciation until 1520 (Brown, Driver, and Briggs 218.1 in Logos) but not likely correct. [14] This is an echo of how G-d introduced Himself to Moses in verse 6, with the addition of His four-consonant personal name. Interestingly, “The G-d of your fathers” is plural here; in verse 6 it is “father,” perhaps an indication Amram, of whom we are told little, was a follower of the G-d of Abraham.
[15] Exodus 3:15.
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