In Exodus 3 we find a very familiar passage. It’s the exchange between God and Moses, when Moses was confronted by God with a call to answer. Short story, Moses immediately made excuses. Why? Because the truth of the matter is: Without God we are completely inadequate for any job that accounts for anything! If it has eternal value, we must be led, and empowered by God. If we aren’t, then the only answer is human muscle and human accolades. Anyone can do what a human can do… no one can do what God can do. But if God asks them to do it, and they surrender to God doing the work through them, then there is the potential of supernatural results.
Jesus said in John 15.5— “…for without me ye can do nothing.” He also said in Luke 1.37— “For with God nothing shall be impossible”, in relation to someone being saved. It is indeed impossible for man to do that, but He furthered that thought in the John 15 passage with it being impossible to do anything of any spiritual consequence without Him. We not only need Him, we are desperately undone without Jesus. How can we possibly pretend that our spiritual lives are anything without Him? He originated it, and will be concluded in Him. After all, Jesus is the “author and finisher” of faith.
So when we see Moses’ first physical exposure to this same God, what would we expect, but the same. We find Moses in Mount Horeb with some of his father-in-law’s sheep. But can we back up a bit here? He has been on the run for 40 years now, after killing a man with his bare hands. This is not necessarily the kind of man any one of us would have chosen to lead out God’s people. But doesn’t that make him the perfect candidate if God chooses those who cant, in order to show God’s glory?!
Moses is tending sheep (verse 1), sees a burning bush, that isn’t being consumed of it’s own flames (v2). Then Moses decides to move in a little closer to see this “great sight” (v3). It’s at this point that God speaks audibly to Moses and the first words are to call out his name twice (v4). Would you not, well, run?! I think I would. Instead Moses says, “Here am I”. Starting to see what made Moses such a unique choice. God tells him to not come any closer until he takes off his shoes, because he’s on holy ground (v5). This is due to God’s presence there, therefore it makes it holy.
Now we have our introductions in verse 6. God lets Moses know Who he is talking to, “I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses at that point finally knows Who he is dealing with. He already knows God knows his name, that’s how this started, “Moses, Moses”. But here, Moses is woke up by this revelation, “And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.” I think I would have done that when the bush started speaking. In verse 7 God explains how he has seen and heard from His people, therefore He’s come down to deliver them (v8). Yes, God said He had come down to deliver them. I bet you thought Moses did that. He says over and over He has heard and He has seen.
But, God chose to use a human instrument to get this done. God says in verse 10, “Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.“ What an incredible privilege! Who wouldn’t feel completely overwhelmed and grateful to be used by God Himself?!
Well, Moses didn’t want to. He gave up a series of excuses to this call. Moses said,
“Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” Humble, but also missing the point. God never said you would do the heavy lifting, God will. See the grace of God to Moses when He encourages his doubts with some confidence boosting God-encouragement (v12). What does Moses do with this? He immediately gives more doubt and questions, “…when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?” This is when God replies with giving His power by name, “I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.” Wow! He was and will, but is now. He is the great I AM. Always has and always will be. He tells Moses to continue with, “hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” Think of it this way… no one up to this point carried around God’s name as Moses does here. This is a special relationship. In vs16-18 God tells Moses what to say to the people and how to give them hope. A much needed thing, even to this day, for us. We need to be reminded that God does hear, He does care, and that He is on His way.
Then, just as God always does, because it’s who He is, He lands some truth. Truth is absolutely essential. Without it the ground under our feet is shaken, to possible despair, when it doesn’t go our way. Part of the truth mentioned just above, is the reality of the situation. Faith does not ignore reality, it gives an answer to it. It explains for us the ‘why’ to what is happening around us as we try to obey God. Here the Lord explains in v19, “ And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.” This is not going to be a piece of cake Moses, but I’ve got this. As concluded in v20, “I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty.”
Following God isnt easy. When He calls we are to obey. As in the case of Moses, there is a reality to following: It’s worth it, but it isn’t easy. The important thing to do is respond to God with faith.
Moses gave persistent claims of ‘I can’t’. When called to go, convince the people, Moses replied with ‘I can’t’. God’s answer was to provide miraculous signs to convince the people. God did not reply with ‘yes you can Moses’, but instead He said: I Can, I Will. When called to speak, tell the people and Pharaoh, Moses replied with ‘I can’t’. God’s answer was to provide a mouthpiece in his brother Aaron. God did not reply with ‘yes you can Moses’, but instead He said: I Can, I Will. When called to be the man to stand in the gap and be the physical instrument for God to use, Moses replied with ‘I can’t’. God’s answer was to provide Himself, the Great I AM. God did not reply with ‘yes you can Moses’, but instead He said: I AM.
Remember: Without God we are completely inadequate for any job that accounts for anything! If it has eternal value, we must be led and empowered by God. If we aren’t, then the only answer is human muscle and human accolades. Anyone can do what a human can do… no one can do what God can do. But if God asks them to do it, and they surrender to God doing the work through them, then there is the potential of supernatural results. God will provide Himself as the muscle…
What is your response to the Great I AM?