03.30.26 - Exodus 3-4
Mar 30, 2026
Exodus 3-4
I’m sure if you talk to anyone who has been in church for some time, they would affirm hearing of Moses’s burning bush encounter with God. It’s a widely known and shared account of the Creator of the universe meeting with His chosen servant to tell of plans to use Moses to deliver His people from the oppressive Egyptians and into the Promised Land.
Warren Wiersbe says of this passage that “Some see in the burning bush a picture of the nation of Israel: they are God’s light in the world, persecuted but not consumed. But the burning bush was also a picture of what God had planned for Moses: he was the weak bush but God was the empowering fire…and with God’s help, Moses could accomplish anything.”[i] This truth that God was the “empowering fire” would be so helpful for Moses to remember, and we see why first in Exodus 3:11: “But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’” Quite simply, Moses doubts God’s ability to work through him because his focus was on himself instead of the One making the pronouncement. God responds gracefully by reminding Moses that He would be with him, which should have served as a confidence builder for the reluctant man.
In 3:13, Moses asks God for His name. Keep in mind that 40 years have passed since Moses was last in front of the Israelites. He had previously been known as a prominent ruler in the land, but now memory of his renown may have been forgotten. Moses needed credibility to stand before God’s people, so he looked to God for that authorization. God replied to Moses’s question by stating, “I AM WHO I AM” (3:14), commanding Moses to tell the Israelites that he was sent by “The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (3:15). Matthew Henry comments on this exchange:
Two names God would now be known by. A name that denotes what he is in himself, I AM THAT I AM. This explains his name Jehovah, and signifies, 1. That he is self-existent: he has his being of himself. 2. That he is eternal and unchangeable, and always the same, yesterday, to-day, and for ever. 3. That he is incomprehensible; we cannot by searching find him out: this name checks all bold and curious inquiries concerning God. 4. That he is faithful and true to all his promises, unchangeable in his word as well as in his nature; let Israel know this, I AM hath sent me unto you. I am, and there is none else besides me. All else have their being from God, and are wholly dependent upon him.
Also, here is a name that denotes what God is to his people. The Lord God of your fathers sent me unto you. Moses must revive among [the Israelites] the religion of their fathers, which was almost lost; and then they might expect the speedy performance of the promises made unto their fathers.[ii]
Assuredly, Moses was set to deliver the Israelites out of slavery and into the Promised Land. But unlike forty years prior, when he took it upon himself to execute justice on those mistreating his countrymen, Moses had the promise of God’s presence and victory on his side this time. Again, this shouldhave provided Moses with unrivaled assurance on his trek back to Egypt, but Exodus 4 begins with more hesitations from the chosen deliverer. First, Moses doubted that the people would believe God sent him, to which God responded with two miraculous signs and a promised third to reassure Moses of His power. But Moses’s reluctance continued, only this time concerned about his inability to communicate verbally to the Egyptians and Hebrews. God reminds Moses that He made man’s mouth, and that He would give his servant words to say at the proper time. One would assume this would have been enough for Moses, yet he was still apprehensive, asking God to send someone else in his place. “Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses” (4:14), but in His mercy, God appointed Moses’s brother, Aaron, to be his spokesman. God’s mercy on display, even in His anger.
Before we move on, it would behoove us to investigate further why Moses didn’t believe he was the right man for God’s monumental task. David Guzik notes that “There may be a hundred understandable reasons why Moses was unwilling, some of them making a lot of sense…Nevertheless, the basic truth was that Moses was unwilling, not unable.”[iii] Likewise, how often do I make excuses in reply to God’s commands, when in reality I’m just unwilling to obey? Brothers and sisters, when God calls us, let us be willing to have our “yes” on the table, regardless of any rationale (some of which may be valid) we may come up with. If He is summoning you, we can trust He will be faithful to equip us for the calling.
Moses eventually begins the journey back to Egypt, but along the way, Scripture records that God sought to kill him, presumably because he did not follow through with the circumcision of his son. Once this deed was done, Moses’s life was preserved (4:24-26). G. Campbell Morgan states of this exchange, “No great consecration to service can excuse failure in what may appear to be smaller matters of conduct. Obedience completely established, everything moved forward.”[iv] What a reminder for us to ensure our hearts are pure before God prior to embarking upon His chosen mission for us. Chapter 4 closes with Moses meeting up with Aaron, and the two of them sharing with the Israelite elders about God’s plan of deliverance. “And the people believed” just as God said they would (4:31).
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Journal responses to the following prompts:
· How can focusing on your own weaknesses cause you to doubt God’s promises?
· When have you made excuses as a cover for your unwillingness to obey God?
[i] ibid, p. 183.
[ii] Exodus 3 Bible commentary. (n.d.). Christianity.com. Retrieved February 25, 2026, from https://www.christianity.com/bible/commentary/matthew-henry-concise/exodus/3
[iii] Study Guide for Exodus 4. (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. Retrieved February 26, 2026, from https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/exodus/exodus-4.cfm
[iv] Morgan, G. C. (2010). Exposition of the whole Bible: Chapter by chapter in one volume. Wipf and Stock. p. 36.